Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-16
GREAT VICTORY
CONTINUED from Page One)
through the capture of Hill 20.
Fjaht in Western City

Fight in Western City
After the brilliant advance this morn
ing in which the Canadians captured Hill
20 and then swept on northwest of Lens,
the attackers were in close grips with the
today.
The attack began at AS o'clock just
as the first gray streaks Of dawn were
appearing. All night the British big guns
had been pouring steady stream OF
high explosive shells into the German
positions. great detonations overlapping
one another like the rapid cracking of
machine gun fire and swelling into a
mighty volume of thunder that shook
the earth and stunned the senses.
Then, a short time before the hour OF
FIVE arrived the batteries abruptly ceased
and a strange, almost oppressive stiffness,
fraught with the portending cataclysm
crept over the country which until then
had been an inferno of death. 1t had
been raining and gray clouds still hung
low over the trenches where crouched the
Canadian infantrymen waiting eagerly for
the arrival of the moment which would
summon them to the attack.
British Guns 8elch
Suddenly, 10 minutes before the hour
set for the attack every British gun
within range broke out with hurri-
cane of Smelling and solid lines of
crimson lightning belched from the
German trenches as the explosives
broke about them. To this lurid pic
ture was added the unforgettable
spectacle Of the burning oil which the
British threw upon the enemy lines.
Great clouds of pinkiSh colored smoke
rolled across country from the flaming
liquid and the murky sky threw back
myriad colors from the contiagration
below
The moment Of attack arrived and,
as the British guns dropped their pro-
tecting barrage in front of the Cana
dian trenches, the clouds parted and
the yellow crescent moon appeared.
Under the light of this beacon the
Canadians leaped over the parapets
and began their methodical advance
behind their barrage fire
Barrase Without Flaw
The British barrage was without a
ed hill 70 and swept along the rest Of
the line. On the crest Of the hill
where so much blood had been spilled
before heavy fighting might have been
expected, for the position was well
manned with machine guns. The re-
sistance here, however. was not strong,
and it was not until the dwellings in
the outskirts of the suburbs were
reached that vigorous fighting oc.
CURED. The ground over which the in
fantry advanced was honeycombed
with British shell holes and the barb
ed wire defenses had been leveled so
that they gave little trouble.
First Serious Resistance
The first serious resistance from the
Germans was met at a point where the
enemy was entrenched strongly in con-
GREETED cellars, and here sanguinary fight
ing occurred. The place is a sample OF
other suburbs about Lens. The city is
surrounded with colliery communities
which are so close together and so near
the city proper that they really form one
large metropolis Lens before the war
had a population of 10000 but 1t is now a
mass of ruins.
Following their usual tactics the Ger
mans had carried out systematic destruc-
ton of the houses and had constructed
strong underground defenses The whole
city Is undermined with tunnels and dug
outs which have been reinforced with
concrete, and most of the ruined buildings
have been turned into machine gun en-
placements.
1t was in such, difficult surroundings as
this that the Canadians were battling to-
day.
Preliminary Fire DemoraIzing
The effect of the British preliminary
hon1bardment was most demoralizing TO
the enemy. Prisoners already taken were
lazed as the result of the terrific bonn
bardment they had undergone and it is
not strange, perhaps. that when the Brit
ish began their harrase fire this morning
many Germans we're seen to desert their
posts and flee to the rear.
Perfection of Organization
The capture of hill 70 is another
triumph for the British fighting or
ganiza ton. Wounded Canadians re-
turning from the heart of the battle
today were loud in their praise of
the perfection achieved in preparation
and the efficient protection afforded
by the artillery.
The extreme depth reached in the
first stage was 1900 yards and this
vas achieved in SO minutes. This new
front, taken in conjunction with po-
sitions secured in the last few days
in the southwestern outskirts of Lens
established an angular line like a
pair Of shears whose points reached
out to the north and south of the city.
AS the Canadians pushed in on the
northwest this morning a simulta-
neous advance was started by the
troops on the low blade of the sheers
and close fighting began with the
Germans entrenched in their concrete
cellars which are linked up with barb
ed wire and filed with hundreds of
ma chine guns. A considerable num-
her of German prisoners are beginning
to arrive at the British camp and 1t is
remarked that many are mere lads
Some Of them apparently not more
than II years old.