The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-12-01
General Byng Smashes Through
Rindenburg Line Toward
City of Cambria.
BOCHES TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Tanks Play a Big Part In the sensa-
tional Victory-ltalians Bravely Re-
sisting Powerful Attacks of Austro-
Germans-Enemy Aliens in Amer
lea Under Surveillance.
Hy EDWARD w. PIcKARp.

Lieut.. Gen. Sir Julian Byng smashed
between st. Quentin and the Scarpe.
General Diaz and his heroic Italians
put 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 a hard blow in
the Aisne sector. President Wilson
placed the severest restrictions on en-
envy aliens in the United States.
Altogether it was not pleasant
week for Kaiser Wilhelm.
General Byng's sensational advance,
which was begun Tuesday and con-
tinued tlseaugh the week. was hailed
as the greatest British victory SINCE
the Somme. Its success was due large
ly 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 Cambria sector, taking the Ger
mans quite unawares. General Byng,
who devised the plan and whose army
carried it out, first sent out great
number of tanks, and as these cleared
away the barbed-Wire entanglements
and broke through two of the strong
est lines in the German defense sys-
TEN in the west, the infantry and cav
airy followed with a rush that car
ried all before it. The Germans were
demoralized, and for many hours Of
fered little resistance, surrendering
by the thousand, and the British
moved rapidly forward, taking village
after village, and quickly consolidat-
ing the enemy positions, which had not
been badly demolished by shell fire.
Almost to Cambria.
On Wednesday the resistance of the
enemy stiffened considerably, but to
no avail, for the British pushed on I'M
til they had put behind them the towns
of Mosnieres, Marcoing, Ribecourt,
Havrincourt, Graincourt and Flies
quieres. The tanks still were leading
the way, and cooperating with them
were the mounted forces, which have
had so little opportunity for real &C.
ton. BY Thursday noon Byng's troops
were but little more than two miles
from Cambria, and 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 and also be-
gan to widen out their salient, which
at first was dangerously sharp. Crown
Prince Rupprecht rushed up masses
of troops and took up a strong position
in Bourbon wood just north of the
British salient, dominating the imme-
date region. He also pushed the adj
vance posts of the British out of Fon-
tame Notre Dame, but they held and
consolidated all the rest Of the terri
tory they had gained.
The secrecy which enveloped the
a. lOl IIlIo great lllONCulcHl
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 Cambria
sector had been quiet for a long time,
and the Germans considered that part
of their defense lines impregnable.
They also thought an 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 from the capture of Cambria
and the possible forcing Of 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