Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-11-24
GERMAN CR|pplES
FIGHT UNDER LASH

ITiUnI UVUEn IHOH
! British Headquarters in France
, Thursday, Nov. 22.--(By the Associat
| ed Press) The success of the British
army in the Cambria sector has con-
/ tinued to grow steadily, and Field Mar
shall HaiG's troops in a little moro than
/ two days fighting have overrun an
area equal in. size to thai won by the
Germans during the first Is days of
4 their spectacular drive on Nerdun.
I British cavalry. tanks and infantry to-
day were battling their way forward
! along line which a many points
west and southwest Of Cambria was
less than three miles from that i'm
portant town. The advance also was
spreading northward in the region of
Bullecourt and the salient toward
Cambria was being widened. The to-
tai of prisoners captured must ap-
proach the 5000 mark.
At last the British and Germans are
Al grips on comparatively open ground
and some of the fiercest hand to- hand
fighting of the war has been going on.
, The enemy troops were rnprepared for
the attack but they have been put
ting every ounce Of their strength into
an attempt to stem the rising tide.
Fighting Under Lash
Troops have been pulled away from
other points and rushed to the Cambria
sector hy the desperate Germans. and
50 hard pressed were they for mon
that two companies Of cripples and
haS
at one camp and thrown into the line
in the region of Masneries Some of
these pitiful objects are in British
hands and are receiving medical treat
ment. One prisoner was in the last
stages of tuberculosis and he had to be
moved to prevent the disease from
spreading to the others. who were in
a condition of cruel exhaustion and
! virtually helpless from their valiant
attempts TO fight under the lash of
/ their unrelenting officers.
This has been 4 battle of strange
sights, but no more striking spectacle
has been witnessed than that of these
! people marching toward homes and
4 comfort back Of the British front
! Through the gaps which the tanks had
/ torn in the famous HindenburS line.
mothers yesterday and today were
/ pushing baby carriages containing in
fants Or tramping happily along with
their babes clutched TO their breasts.
Beside them toddled other youngsters.
many of them carrying their treasured
dolls ard not a few clinging 6etermin-
cdly to squirmins puppies which they
dared not trust to run on the ground
/ Old men and women werc bringing
away all the household effects they
/ could pack on pushcarts or carry on
their backs
4 For three Years they had been in
captivity and some of them in slavery.
/ They had been subsisting on the boun-
tN Of the American relief committee
which furnished them virtually the on
/ ly foCd obtained.
! Hard Fighting at Crevecoeur
/ Hard fighting has taken place today
4 at CreVccccur southeast Of Masnieres
J ne British We're holding q high ridge
I III front Of this place and some troops
lad forced an entrance into the east
! ern part of the town The Germans
sun were holding the eastern section.
! \ German battery here which had been
SlElng trouble. was charged ard cap
tured by dismounted cavalrymcn
! Near Bullecourt the British were in
/ possession of the entire underground
fortlhcation known as the tunnel
trench. which had been famed for its
/ supposed impreenability. At least five
determined counter attacks have been
smashed in this region.
The last line of German defences in
! the region of Cantaing have been brok-
On and the British today were firmly
established at many points in the Mas
nieres- Besurois line south of Cambria
! Details of Tuesdays Battle
1t is now possible to give more details
| OF Tuesdays battle. In the advance
south OF Cambria, the first hard fight
ing occurred at Lateau wood. which lies
on the Cambria highway south Of Mas
nieres. This wood finally was cleared
of Germans and the advance continued
toward Masnieres. Some opposition was
encountered in a suburb. but by oc,ocl
this had been overcome and the Rr;tish
had crossed the L'Escaut canal AZ
lock. The small German garrison fougbt
bitterly to retain Masnieres. The who'll
place was undermined with dugouts in
which the enemy was hidden with NJ
chine guns. but the Germans were force1
TO give up this place after sanguinarv
struggle although some of them wsrs
still holding out in the cellars TODAY
Marcoing was taken with small res,s+
ance on the part Of the enemy and .bis
gave the British second crossi,o =,
the canal. The advancing troops rorded
a passage here al the same hour as u..-
nieres was entered. The Masnieres-
Beaurois trench line north Of Masniere.
apparentlN had heen forced h.. c.