The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-04-10
GERMAN PRISONERS
(Conhnued Prom First PaSe.)

heavily bombardcd by the Ger
mans.
Only minor operations have
taken place on the eastern front ,
from the Baltic SEA down into
Rumania The usual lombard
mants. arc in progress on the
Ausiro-Itallan front. In Macedonia
there have been reciprocal bonn
bArdmcnts and small infantry al
lacks.
(FrOm 4 staff correspondent Of
The Associated PresS) with the
British armies in France, via Lon
don, April 8, 1910 p. lu.-The
war on the western front. which
has been moving more rapidly III
The last five weeks, broke into
full swing today. Widening the
attacks that they have been di-
rccting against Ihc reIreating
Sommr, The British struck still
further north and in Il series Of
assaults on Il broad front. with
ArraS more or less The pivotal
point. they drove The Germans
from scores of important posi-
lions. penetrated ia" into thr Ger
man lines and inflicted heavy
rHsuallieS.,
4 visit 10 corps headquarters
This afternoon indicated that the
number of prisoners taken in the
last Twelve hours Will exceed five
thousand. The barbri wire
cages" or compounds. built 70
receive prisoners thai were en-
pectcd 10 b. taken were over
crowded long before noon al
though the principal attack did
not begin until shortly after dawn.
The heaviest fighting today de-
velnped along Il line II few miles
southeast OF ATras III Il norlhtriI
direction 10 Inc neighbnrhnod al
Lens. Dur ihe actions extended tar
in the direction OF -. quentin.
In the Tertiary captured today
wAs IN" famous N!iny ridge
which. had hccN fought over am"
and iiru,. again eyer since the war
was ION months old. The French
had fought desperately and val
ianliv III au rnd"avur "a Wr"Sl
mi, vantage ground from III" Ger
mans. The BATH: costing both bel
ljgarcnfS UNFOLD casualties. Back
Of The northern end Uf Nimy rldG"
,in the principa. coal fields nj
france which are still IN Germau
hands.
The fighting on Vimy ridge VAS
carried out BY the Canadians.
who had retained d footing on the
ridge all winter. hui always high
.r IN was the enemy. On either
Idle of the Canadians were Eng,
fish and Scottish hattalions and
in today's battle there was glory
enough for all. The irrePrnSslbIr
tanks" also. shared in The honors
Of the SuCrt$$iui assault.
Onn pusiiion captured 10 the
mort hcaSI OF Al'ras WAS 4 sort oi
Iabvrinth Of trenches enmeshra
in multiple bands " wire, called
The harp" because Of us shape.
Prisoners had proclaimed this
strong point practically nnHSSIaiI-
able. but. sweeping over il ioda}.
the British took within II nearly
4 thousand prisoners and me!
rarturrd also during the GHI
three German battalion rommanu-
rre. who compare in rank with Il
colonel in the British army. The
canadians took two thousand prs
uurrS.
Taken by Surprise.
II WIS said everywhere along
the attacking line thai the Ger
mans appeared 10 have been
taken by surprise and only in Il
few instances did they put up
strong i2hl. one reason for this
WAS that they had been fairly
,inZph by the British artillery fire
oi the last ten days.
From the high ground overlook
INK ArrIS Il panoramic view Tor
many miles Of The British attack
VA presented. tn" concenlra-
Iion az guns for this operation
probably WIS til" greatest FOR It
given amount Of from. since the
war began Almost countless
guns had taken parI in the bonn
hardmen; since the beginning bU;
il WAS NOT until last night that
many masked batteries Joined N
III" "rim chorus.
Night Picture Of War
Approaching The battlefield well
before dawn. III" reflection uf the
Gun na&hrs against The lOw-hang-
ing clouds gave III" inevitable i'm
urrsSlup rf Il continuous play OF
sheet IinCrning along the horizon.
I;ut when this wonGnriu! night
picture " modern warfare came
into full view il scented "a If sud
denly one stood on the brink Of
IN Overwhelming inferno. Look
inc down into The valley tOCucS
Of fame cOnld be- seen flashing
from hundreds upon hundreds nf
gun mouths like 50 many Whit
hu, Srrp"nIS' Gangs The guns
wpr" pId! Ing upon the ridges
looming up in the distance rnyei-
upci III darkness, upon which lay
III" German lines. There was az
Yet no alarm. The Germans had
become accustomed In receive
daily 'StrafeS" from the British
and they were sending up only
routine star shells and trench
flares.
Then The Attack
As dawn approached the Brit
ish tteries one by one became
Srra is silent. For ! half hour
The 'lness was almost oppres-
sly The hot pit flashes disan-
pearrd. All this time, however,
he German star shells and flares