The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-10
Rain Had Turned the Elan
ders battle-ground Into
One Great Morass
ATTACK SURPRISE
TO GERMAN TROOPS
One Large Body of Ger
mans Caught Unawares
And Wiped Out
CRy Associated Press.l

British Front in France and Bel
lgium, Oct. 9.-The blow struck by
the British and French forces today
against a wide section of the Ger
man defenses between the Houtholst
forest and Broodseinde has resulted
in another great success. over much
OF this front the attacking troops
swept forward to a depth of 1900
yards or more, overrunning many
important strongholds of the shat
tered enemy.
This afternoon the allies were
digging-in almost on the outskirts
iof Houtholst forest, the British were
beyond PoelcappeIle. after sanguinary
hand- -to~hand hight aRd farther
south they had safhed the Passchen-
aaeIe ridge within less than 1000
rsafds Aof Pass<he ndaele, thereby
reuchtpg away almost a that re-
aipsd % tils sserl q their
rid syssa 6 Tort tons
= k4ssss Great
Ags ID fte German losses have been
great ana ports from all along the
line indicate that their organization
and morals we're hit hard.
It has been another wonderful per-
naanca taa part OF the allies
EIlG #AElOEY sItaS uGCn AlOIC IG@
markabie because of the tremendous
natural difflculties to the advance.
The rain q the last two days had
turned much OF the backgrounds
arfto q morass. through which the
French and the men of the British
empire doupdered knee deep. How
they could make their way forward
over such ground. much less fight
over IL, is the amazing thing. This
very fact undoubtedly contributed
to the days triumph, for German
prisoners say nobody on their side
had thought the allies would adj
vance under such conditions. The
appearance of the undiscovered al
lied troops coming out Of the
marshes before the Germans lines
lapDarently unnerved the enemy.
They surrendered in large numbers
IN many places, or ran away. The
Germans attempted one counter at
tack OF considerable size. This was
Iastride the Ypres- Roulers railway
and was smashed by the British ar
tiIlery fire.
Caught unawares.
AS in the battle last Thursday a
large body OF Germans was caught
'Iunawares and virtually wiped out.
An entire German division--the 227th
a-was brought up during the night
Ao relieve the division in the line be-
tween Poelcappelle and the Hout-
hoist forest. The men were trans
ported IN motor lorries from Roulers
and arrived at the advanced posi-
Itions about o'clock this morning.
They were ignorant OF the nature OF
tine country and. when caught in the
attack some two hours later. were
lfSewildered and put up little resist
rnce The attack was launched as
dawn was brea king. The French
army on the left nank Of the British
was facing probably the worst sec
4ion along the line, as the ground
over which they had to advance was
snferIaced with little streams and the
rain had turned the ground into q
The French pushed forward rapid
h. however, reducing numerous
German pill boxes and redoubts, and
had accomplished all they had set
out to do by 10 o'clock. This meant
thew were some 500 yards beyond
NEangelaere and almost At the cage
81 the Houtholst forest.
Heavy casualties we're inflicted on
The Germans by the preliminary
,bombardment and during the nght-
4np At an early hour the French
lrenorted the capture Of several
lhIndred prisoners and also that their
own losses were light,
River Is Crossed.
The northern flank of the British
attack had to cross the Boenbeek
river and much mud and water was
encountered. The troops negotiated
fhe crossing without great delay.
The region was studded with con-
crete redoubts and the embankment
AZ the Ypres- -Staden railway furn-
fshed good cover for the German ma
chine guns. The other redonbts gave
Continued 81 nase I'VE.