The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-11-26

on the oourlon position west OF
| Cambria, since their failure Of yes
terday, Field Marshal Haie report.
! ed today. The statement says:
ION the cambrai battlefront,
the enerhy has not repeated his -
attacks on the Bourbon position,
since the failure Of his attempt
at midday yesterday and the situa.
ton 10 unchanged.
Northeast Of Ypres there was
considerable artillery activity on
both sides early last night In the
Passchendaele sector, but no In.
fant action developed. e..
10y Associates Prsss)
British Army Headquarters In France,
Sunday, Nov. 25.- This morning,
found the line Of battle of the weary
but determined British troops stretch.
ed in seni-circle about B0udlou
wood, and Burlon village, which mes.
ties at the northwestern edge OF the
forest. 1t was line which had been
established in the face of dogged re-.
sistance on the part Of the Germans.
who have fallen back step by. step
fighting with the fury or despair. !
All day yesterday the opposinE
forces struggled bitterly at close quar-.
Iters for possession OF the little VILLAGE
from which the British were forced
Friday after gaining ! footing ID ,the
rush that took them through Bourlon
wood. Nightfall still found waves u
infantry surging back and forth
through the streets and among the
houses, their crimson bayonets tell.
ing the story Of the terrible CONFLICT
being waged. Gradually the Germsns
fell back, the British pressing forward
with grim persistence. which tho
enemy could not Withstand. and tbs-
hamlet was finally, cleared of the ms
jor portion Of the German troops. !.
Streets Cleared Q ~. DN@
Today some Of the enemy Still r..
manned but all 1.-THE main Streets rot
Bourbon had been cleared, and II wab !
surrounded by o strong force Of Brit
tish soldiers onaHt' tat in1 ft'j,:ht7i' ! ~
tpaA little to the southwest OF heSe, ii
another intense struggle was being
staged in the village OF Moeuvres into
which the British have battled their
way with rife and bayonet, and push
ed the Germans out OF the southern
half. Elsewhere, along the Cambria
front, there was no infantry action
of Importance. -
10000 Prisoners
Prisoners continued to arrive from
the front. Nearly ten thousand cap.
%hnn Rou hnon nnMnf0A 1n>
Guiding 200 officers.
In the capture Of Bourbon wood and
village, the British have acquired pos
session of one of the most important
points they have secured since tho
great drive last Tuesday. This high
ground controls a wide sweep OF ter
ritory, and its occupation holds out
the possibility that the Germans
eventually will be forced to withdraw
their lines to the Northwest =
A large amount Of traffic In the last
few days has been pouring out OF
Cambria, indicating the probability
that the Germans have evacuated the
civilian population, and are preparing
for eyentualities.
Most Spectacular.
The fighting over Bourbon wood nss
been amCng the most spectacular u
the war, for the occupation OF the for.
! est was due largely to the work OF
tanks and airmen, who paved the way
for the on rushing infantry: num-
ber of iron monitors lead the ao'
vance Friday with British planes cir.
! cling over the enemy, at he'gM OF
from 80 to so feet and carrying on
vigorous warfare with their ma
chine guns and bombs. 1t was nara
fighting, but the advance was con
tinued successfully until the north
east corner of the wood was reached,
where the tanks were held up by Z
strong force of the enemy:
British airmen, who had been hghf-
ing close to the ground, deliberately
charged down on the enemy infantry
with machine guns pumping a'steady
stream Of bullets into the German
ranks. The battle was short and de.
cisive. The airplanes wheeled and
rewheeled over the heads of'the Ger.
mans and maintained such an inteoe-
| i've fire that the defenders were
forced to retire from the position q.
ter suffering considerable losses. Tha
tanks then pushed on. the conquest
of the wood being completed.
Heavy Counter Attack.
Almost Immediately the Germans
delivered a heavy counter attack on
the troops and after stiff engage
ment forced them to withdraw again
to the edge of the wood. The Brit
ish renewed the attack Saturday
morning on the village. -.
1t was battle in which the BRIT
ish troops gloried for 1t took them
back to the days of other wars, when
men struggled in the open.
The period of lighting behind sand.
bag parapets was temporarily passed
and they were al close grips with
the enemy, where they could en-
ploy the bayonet, which they know
so we'll how to use.
(Continued on, Page Twol