New Britain herald., 1917-03-14
BRITISH ARTILLERY GLARES AT BAPAUME.
German Stronghold Can Be Taken
 When Word Is Given
THIRTY HOUR COMMANDMENT

Tommy Atkins Secures Range on Enemy's Defenses and Calmly Bat ters Them to Pieces-Infantry Fin ishes the Work.
 From a Stan Correspondent of the Associated Press, British Quarters in
 France. March 13, via London, March 14. s:50 a. m.-The ridge overlooking Bapaume froa6 the northwest, which
 has come to be looked upon by Brit
 dsh as a sort of promised land eyer sance the battle of the Somm0 began
 last July passed into the hands of
 Gen. Hafg's troops today. For the nrst time since the great struggle on
 this front opened the British have advantage of the highest ground and can now look down upon the famous eserman stronghold and q wide ex- tent of the country beyond. British omcers believe that they are now in position to take Bapaume whenever the word is given. Grevillers was cap, tured last night and the new British lines stretch along the ridge which runs northwest from that point to the outskirts of Achiet-le Petit. . point still strongly held by the Germans. In this latest forward movement the British have taken possession of the noted Loupart wood consisting of great clumps of trees situated on the shoulder of the high ridge and overlooking the entire Somme battle front. This wood has masked . great number of German batteries and from 1t shells have ra1ned upen the British for eight months past. Its capture has been the souvce Of the highest satisfactiOn to the Hritislk etaff, as 1t was one Of the mo0k for midable artillery posts tlAes Ge1iisaaS had established in the we Gsfn tlas- ater of war
 saW G<s1a11e lEuek
 The country about Loupart wood and beyond is in quite good shape. ~ . matter of fact arevilIers was the drst touch of real. civilization, the Tommies said, they have had in many moons.
 Why" said one sta1wart Australian today, do you know there are reg ulas houses in Grevillers with real rogfs on them ?'' What this means to mon. who have fought 50 long in the though of mud of the Somme valley can only Dc grasped by those who have lived aAIntd tAe hidsous scenes of destruction. The Germans hitherto always have had the advantage of the high ground and the villages. possess sion of which has 50 been bitterly have been nothing but pull verized ruins which offered no shelter for the soldiers. Where fires are not burning the country back of the Ger man line looks green and wonderfully inviting.
 The German positions on the Lou part line had been completely regis tered by the British guns on Sunday and that afternoon the heavy artillery began it's work of destruc- ton. Thirty hours of terrific bom- bardment was all that the defenders could withstand. One prisoner said that he was the only survivor of squad of ten who were in a dugout which was blown to bits by British I shell.
 Retirement Described As Nearly Rout
 Paris. March 14-Great importance is attached by French military writ CTS to the continued British successes on the somme. The Matin says that it looks very much as if the Germans do not think they could hold Ba- paume and Peronne any longer and are preparing to evacuata the two cities Rororfo from aviat0ra ahnxxy