The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-12-06
General Byng Smashes Through
Hindenburg Line Toward
City of Cambria.
BOOBIES TAKEN BY SURPRISE
ank Play a Big Part in the Sensa-
t'onal Vlctory-ItaIians Bravely Re-
sIstlng Powerful Attacks of Austro-
Germans-Enemy Aliens in Amer
lea Under Surveillance.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

Lieut.. Gen. Sir Julian Byng smashed
a great hole in the Hindenburg line
between st. Quentin and the Scarpe.
General Diaz and his heroic Italians
put n stop for the time being to the
Teuton attacks on most of the Piave
river line. General Allenby and The
British army in Palestine moved
steadily on to the development of Je-
rusalem. The French struck the
crown princes forces Il hard blow in
the Aisne sector. President Wilson
placed the severcst restrictions On ell
envy aliens in the United States.
Altogether it was not q pleasant
week for Kaiser Wilhelm.
General Byng's sensational advance,
which WAS begun Tuesday and con-
tinued through the week, was hailed
as the greatest British victory since
the S0mlnc. It's success was due large
~ to the element of surprise, for the
British had been delivering their pre-
paratory artillery fire much farther
north and then suddenly attacked In
the Camhrai sector, taking the Ger
mans quite w General Byng,
who devised the plan and whose army
carried it out, first sent out q great
number OF tanks, and as these cleared
away the bnrbed-wirc entanglemcnts
and broke through two Of the strong.
est lines In the German defense sys
tenn in the west, the infantry and cav.
airy followed with n rush that car.
ried Ill before It. The Germans were
demOralized, and for many hours Of.
fercd little resistance, surrenderine
by the thousand, md the British
moved rapidly forward, taking village
after village, and quickly CONSOLIDATE
Ing the enemy positions. which had not
been badly demolished by shell fire.
Almost to Cambria.
On Wednesday the resistance of the
enemy stiffcned considerably, but tc
no avail, for the British pushed on un.
til they had put behind them the towns
Of MoSnieres, Mnrcoing, Ribecourt
H~avrincourt. Graincourt and Flies
quiercs. The tanks still were leading
the way, and cooperating with them
were the mounted forces, which have
had so little opportunity for real nc.
ton. BY Thursday noon Byng's troops
were but little more than two miles
from Cambrai, md his big guns had
begun to shell that most important
German base and railway center.
The British swiftly built roads and
light railways across the captured sec.
ton up to their new lines md also he.
gan to widen out their salient, which
at first was dangerously sharp. Grown
Prince Rupprecht rushed up masses
or troops and took up a strong position
IN Bourbon wood just north Of the
british salient, dominating the imme.
diatc region. He also pushed the nd.
vance posts Of the British out of Fon.
taine Notre Dame, but they held and
consolidated oil the rest of the terri.
tory they had gained.
The secrecy which enveloped the
preparations for this great movement
was astounding and speaks volumes
FOR the skill Of the British command
ers and the efficiency Of the aviation
corps which prevented the enemy air
scouts from discovering the massing
of troops and tanks. The Cnmbrai
sector had been quiet for n long time,
n the Germans considered that part
of their defense lines %impregnable.
They also thought al attack in force
on such defenses could not be made
successfully without artillery prepa-
ration. at tremendous cost they have
learned they were mistaken in both in
stances.
Attack Has Several objects.
Aside fror' the capture of Cambrai
and the possible forcing Of n general
retreat Of the Germans on the west
front, the immediate object Of this
British offensive probably was to re-
lieve the pressure on the Italians and