The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1917-06-14
BRITISH SMASH. WAY PAST
MESSINES RIDGE
Million Pounds Of High Explosives
Blown Up Under German Posi-.
tons. Teutons in Panic
More Than 1000
Prisoners Taken.

| ne Observation-Disclosures NIuSc,
which for over two and one-half
years has dominated the British po-
sitions in the Ypres salient, was
stormcd by the British troops Thurs
day morning. ,aa
The British attack begun Thursday,
two months after the offensive cam
paign burst into flame at Arras, was
carried out in that slender strip OF
Belgium saved nearly three years ago
from the German invasion. The blow
was struck on front Of approxi-
mately 10 miles against the high
ground known as the Messines Ridge
from which the Germans have over
looked the British lines ever since
October of 1914. 1t was not long At
ter the battle began that word came
from all sections OF the fighting front
that the various objectives had been
taken on scheduled time.
All the prisoners say the Germans
had been expecting the attack, but
were taken completely by surprise by
the hour at which it was launched,
and the fury with which is was car
ried forward. They had been com
pletely dazed by the most gigantic
mining operation yet carried oht in
the world war.
More than 10000 pounds OF high
explosives had been placed under the
German forward positions during the
last IL months and the upheaval OF
score of separate mines spread
panic among the troops, already
harassed as they were to the point OF
distraction by seven days and nights
of fire from the greatest concentra-
ton of guns on a given front since
the war began. The battle of Arras
apparently had reached the ultimate
in this respect, but today's lombard
ment was carried out by 20 per cent
more guns, especially guns of heavy
caliber.
The Messines Ridge has long been
thorne in the side of the British.
They were driven from it in those
perilous days oi October, 1914, when.
with weak lines and virtually no ar
tillery, they bravely, but forlornly,
attempted to hold this point of van
tage.
If all of Thursdays gains are held
the pressure on poor old 4pres,
which has resisted every effort of the
Germans, will be effectually relieved.
Not much is left of Ypres but its
crumbling walls and brick dust, but
the British have held it as the last
important landmark which survived
in the little kingdom overrun by the
Germans in their mad dash against
France.
The Messines Ridge has been re-
garded as a sort of key position to
all the northern section of the west
ern front, and in that way more i'm
portant than Vimy Ridge itself, al
though only about half as high. The
remainder of the country about Mes
sines is so flat that this sloping ridge
which attains a maximum height OF
only 10 meters, commands the coun-
try for miles around and affords its
possessor that great military ad-
vantage, direct observation.
The British obscured that observa-
ton Thursday morning with one OF
the most effective smoke barrages
ever set up. The attack came at
dawn, with the full moon still high in
the heavens. Mine explosions we're
the signals for the turning on of all
the guns which were employed in
dropping a curtain of fire that swept
before the British attacking units.
Meanwhile other guns were hurling |
high explosive shells against all the
German communications, while still
others were spraying the German
batteries with deluge of gas shells.
As the result Of this artillery CO.
the German guns were ef-
fectually silenced during the initial
stages of the attack and the British
casualties were, consequently, light.
1t was not long after the battle
started that Messines Valley was re-
ported captured. Then came word
that the Hospice of Lenfre and Ear
eetia (Zareeba) had fallen and that
in the very nose of the
German salient just south of the
Ypres salient, was being surrounded.
Important trench positions were
taken all the way from Observation
Ridge, southeast of Ypres, to Ploeg-
steert wood, north of Armentieres.
One of the most formidable of these
was Damstrass, which the British
lire had ali bat obliterated. Other
positions taken were known as the
sUngodly Trench," "Schmitzelfarms"
md Battle Wood" More than 1000 |
prisoners were taken.
The tanks were in the thick of the
lighting Thursday morning and from l
IL accounts were doing splendid, 1t
work. The troops fight
ng Thussday were English. Irish. Il
Hevr Zealan1era ana Austfalian, Il