The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-01
GREAT CONFLICT
INFERNO OF DEATH
BRITISH AND FRENCH ARE TEAR
ING THE ENEMY TO PIECES
AFTER LONG PREPARATION.
BATTLE IN MARSHES
Germans Learned In June That Exten-
siye Offensive Was Coming, and
Large TeutOn ReinfOrcements Were
Hurried to Support Right Wing.

British Front in France and Belgiu. Z
August 1.-(By the Associated Press).-
The terrain in this new battle zone pre-.
sented tremendous difficulty for the at.
tacking troops Between Dixmude and
the point where the Ypres-C Confines canal
crosses the lines on the lower part of
the Ypres salient, two great forces had
been imbedded for three years, and this
portion of the line has come to be
looked upon as impregnable for either
side
The present battle between Dixmude
and Liserne was "No Mans Land" with
in whose BORDERS lay marshes and mo-
rasses which in winter months are i'm.
passabe
This formidable natural barrier was
rendered still stronger by inundation Of
large areas by release OF waters from
the canals
The Germans and allies alike seeking
bits Of dry land for footing swung
so far apart in some places that the
distance between the lines was nearly
three miles.
Below this section, opposing lines fol.
lowed either bank OF the User canal and
then went on the Ypres salient, face
to face, but with the Germans holding
the dominating high land about the
salient.
Inundated Wilderness.
The Dixmude'Liserne section Of the
front is a wilderness of partly inun.
dated and deserted farms, dotted with
pools of brackish water and cut into
strange shapes by drainage bitches
There are but few remaining civilian
habitations in this No Mans land
Crumbling cottage walls and an occa.
sional roofiess church rose above the
fats.
Neither side feared a surprise attack
or a trench raid. Since Duke Albrecht's
Wurttemberg troops were swallowed up
in the floor let loose by opening up
the sluice gates In October 1914. the
enemy had not tried to cross the marsh
es, nor had they tried TO get over the
User since the Belgians, in the spring
Of 1915, after sanguinary fighting. flung
them back across the bridge pad at
Liserne.
The Ypres salient itself furnished as
nasty a problem as could be presented
TO an attacking army. The country
here is saucer.shaped and the Germans
had held the lip Of this saucer. All the
lower lying land within this dish had
been dominated by the enemy who
could send a stream OF shell and ma.
chine gun fire into the troops and sup
ply columns advancing across the sa-
lient.
The situation was rendered still more
difficult by the presence within the sau.
Ger Of a large number Of waterways
that must be crossed by means Of bridg.
es which might al any moment be de
stroyed by gun fire This difficulty.
however was overcome by a brilliant
feat Of the British engineers. who threw
seventeen bridges across the waterways
in the face OF terrific gunfre. Similar
and equally remarkable work v1s done
by the French engineers VINO were
forced to bridge the User for their at
tack.
Surprise for Enemy.
The Germans little feared. apparently.
that the battle would turn In the direc-
ton Of their right wing II was early
in June that rumors Of the impending
attack began TO find their way to Ger
man ears, and were voiced In Berlin.
Gradually the rumors assumed certainty
and the Germans began fevershly TO
so taFl
numbers of fresh forces into Flanders
and bringing up all available guns. The
surrounding country was evacuated OF
civilians and stripped for the conflict.
The Germans knew they faced an Of
fensive. They were unable with all
their cunning to gather more than a
fragmentary idea OF the story Of these
preparations, which is In itself a marvel.
Gus one. Day after day, the building
up Of new armies continued under cover
OF an unique concealment in plans.
Large Number Of Guns.
Enormous numbers OF great guns
made their way TO selected positions.
and were mounted on concrete founda-
tions laid long before. Millions OF
shells which are today turning the Ger.
man front into an inferno OF death and
destruction were brought up and stored
while the enemy watched with unseeing
eyes. Long lines OF dreaded tanks took
the road and the monsters crawled
clumsily, but persistently. northward to
take their place IN the allied battle line.
Clearing stations were established at
vantage points and everything possible
was done TO care for the stream OF
wounded which was sure 10 result. All
this and much more went on for weeks
before the offensive was launched. The
Germans We're like man who waits
with tense muscles in the dark for the
attack OF an unseen foe knowing the
onslaught must come, but ignorant Of
the moment or nature OF II.
Thoroughness OF preparation is one
striking characteristic OF the British