Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-12-01

rected on the tanks as they advanced.
1t was interesting to follow the trail
of the tanks and to see where shells
had struck all about, apparently with
| out doing any damage, for in this
whole section the correspondent did
| not see one tank which had been
knocked out The condition of the
German trenches showed plainly that
the occupants had abandoned them In
hurry. All sorts of equipment and
personal belongings strewed the
ground.
Graincourt Taken by Storm.
Graiucc art was carried by storm,
cavalry, tanks and infantry working
together
The Germans ran from Ribecourt
with the British close at their heels.
This town Is Il mass of ruins, partly
on account of shell fire and partly
from lack of repairs. The German
dugouts were left intact.
The occupation of Marc0ing and
| Masnieres was a great stroke for the
British, as It gave them much-needed
crossings for the Escault river and
canal, which formed Il natural barrier
to the advance In this direction. Cav
airy. infantry and tanks were poured
Immediately across these passages and
proceeded to work nOrthward.
Berlin Denies Big Loss.
Berlin, Nov. 24.-The battle south
west of Cambria is continuing. army
/ headquarters announced on Thurs
day. The enemy, the statement de-
clared. did not succeed in breaking
through, though he gained "A little
ground beyond the German front line.
Referring to the British attack on
the Somme front, the communication
says that before and behind the Ger
man line lies the Wreckage of tanks
which have been shot to pieces.
The statement says that on the
western bank of the Scheldt the Ger
mans drove back the British to An
neux and Fontaine, and that on the
east bank of the river the British were
forced back into their former positions
south of Rumilly.
Hndenburg Line Smashed.
The Hindenburg line has received
its hardest blow.
Attacking on front of 81 miles be
tween ST. Quentin and the Scarpe, the
third British army. under Lieut.. Gen.
Sir Julian Byng. captured the whole
German line west of the Canal du
Nord to the Bapaume-Cambrai road.
and are still pressing forward.
General Pershing, commander of the
American forces in France, was pres
ent nj the British headquarters as the
guest of Field Marshal Haig TO witness
the offensive.
Tanks Charge Enemy.
Unlike most drives, the present at
tack. which WIS begun early Tuesday
morning, had no artillery preparation.
This fact served to surprise the Ger
mans. whose resistance was very
feeble. but the substitute for the usual
terrific barrage surprised them even
more
This was the unexpected advance
Rtull the III lAaSAA NUS vi Il 4htkC nNlu-
Der Of tanks. Flowing ahead III .ough
fields Of barbed wire ana over trenches.
the tanks opened rp x cat gaps through
which rushed English, Scotch and Irish
troops. who fought with and van
Qulshei the Germans In the open. At
one polGt the enemy was fighting on
his fAst line ~ defense.
Important Towns Taken.
Among the towns captured are Hav-
rlncourt, FleSQuieres. Marcoing and
MaSnieres,
Nearly twenty guns were captured.
Germans Daxed.
The resistance offered by the dszeti
Germans was negligible and by noon
British pioneers already were at work
laying roads across the old front line
trenches
Luil Precedes Storm.
Up 20 the actual hour Of the British
attack there were moments when great
stiffness reigned over the battle front
and II seemed impossible that within
short time the line would be seetb-
ing 1ald-on. Al & 20 o'clock a long line
Of tanks, distributed o. er g wide front
started forward at tie same time the
British infantry on ,itt.r side Of the
land monitors made threats at The
German hue.