Arizona republican., 1917-10-05

most pretentious attempted along thi. front The attack was launched at 6 o'clock under heavy clouds and mist. There had been a slight driZzle during the night, which caused some anxiety to the British observers. But the threatened heavier rain held off and the prospects were little damaged
 A tremendous barrage preceded the infantry into the enemy country, leav ing a train of death anu devastation be- hind it. As this terrifying deluge broke over the German lines groups of the enemy rushed forward in many places and raised their hands in token of surrender. Prisoners were coming in much more rapidly and in greater numbers than in the last push.
 There was an unusual feature>fn the battle near Zonnebeke. Three German divisions had been ordered to re-take the line the British captured here last week. The attack was set for 6 o'clock. The Germans were caught ill the British barrage as they were pre- pairing to rush forward and lost griev- ously Once before, in August, around Lens, the British and Germans planned an attack at the same hour, and Can adian- troops going over the top and
 
 of Germans moving toward them in the thick haze and few minutes later the Germans were making their last stand on the parapet of their trenches.
 The left wing Of the British Offen- siVe today was heavily Shelled by the Germans, and Glencorse wood and h. verness copse were put under an in tense fire. The British casualties were reported as exceedingly light, but the battle is still raging furiously and much sanguinary fighting seems cer- tain before it's close
 The Passchendaele-G -Gheluvelt ridge, which makes its sinuous way in a northeasterly direction from the old Ypres salient, has been a vital defense of the Germans in the section of the western front. It has been a barrier between the British and occupied Bel gium. Beyond it can be seen the cul- tivated fields of King Albert's prisoner subjects
 For nearly three years-up to the beginning of the battle of Flanders, July 31-the enemy had sat in his strongholds along the crest of this ele- vation and defied the British armies to dislodge him. It has been a tre- mendously strong position, but the last weeks of bitter fighting have shown that it is not invulnerable. Each thrust brought them nearer to the com- plete occupation of this gateway to the rolling plains of Flanders.
 Tower Hamlets, Inverness copse, Glencorse wood, Polygon wood and numerous other positions which formed part of the Passchendaele- -Gheluvelt chain on it's southern end have been torn from the bitterly resisting enemy aild have been held in the face of de- termined counter attacks. Today the British were again reaching out for more of these crucial points.
 The Passchaendaele-G -Gheluvelt ele- vation really is composed of a series of ridges and hills. There is Pass chendaele ridge proper, on which stands the town of the same name Below this is Broodseinde ridge and still lower down Gheluvelt From the village of Passchendaele it stretches in southwesterly direction toward the old salient, in long curves like the let ter $. At Inverness copse it reaches its narest approach to the stricken city of Ypres, which lies about four miles to the west of it.
 In their successful thruSts recently the British have either taken over DOT tions of the ridge or pushed their way forward to the lower slopes as far north as Zonnebeke. which lies just un- der the crest Above Zonnebeke the ridge takes a turn to the northeast, while the British line has gone well back to the northwest. A portion of the ridge between Zonnebeke and Pass chendaele thrusts out toward the west a long arm known as Gravenstaefel ridge, within which lie a hill called Abraham heights and the village of Gravenstaefel. All this area has been strongly held by the Germans.
 In the days before the war the Pass chendaele Gheluvelt ridge was covered with prosperous farms and dotted with picturesque bits of forest. Now it lies bare and desolate, it's earth churned up by tens of thousands of great shells which the British artillery has been hurling on it for weeks Hardly yard