The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-11-22
J MILES BEYOND
H|ND[NBURC Line
ON g NILE ARC
Haig's Attack Carries the Works
That Boche Believed Could
Not Be Taken.
FRENCH BEGIN DRIVE
IN REGION OF A1sNE
Italians Hold Firm While Allies
on West Shatter the Ger
Italians Hold Firm While Allies
on West Skater the Ger
man Defenses.

The great Iiindenbwg defense line,
on which the German Commander in
chief HAD builded his hopes of hold.
ing the British from iproads into the
open territory beyond, has been
smashed. And the task, apparently,
was ah easy one. r.
Attacking over q front of 90 miles,
extending from the Scarpe river, east
of Arras to st. Quentin, Field Marshal
Haig, with his English. Scotch, Irish
and Welsh troops, has made one of
the most rapid and spectacular drives
Of the present war, catching the Ger
mans by surprise in the onslaught.
capturing numerous positions which
were regarded as impregnable and
taking, in addition, thousands of pris-
oners and numerous guns.
Cambria the Apex.
The apex of the offensive, apparent.
ly, is centered on the important rail:
way junction Of Cambrai, lying to
the east of the old line, midway be.
tween Arras and St. Quentin. Here,
having taken the towns of Marcoing,
Anneux, Graincourt and Novelties, the
victorious troops, at last accounts,
were we'll within gun range of Cam.
brai, with it's railroad lines and road.
ways branching out toward all the
main points of the compass.
The latest advices indicate that the
British have not yet ceased their at.
tack, but, aided by monster tanks
which are leading the way, followed
by infantry and machine gun detach.
ments, are pressing forward for fur.
Their conquest.
French Cooperation.
spontaneously, to the south, around
st. Quentin and east Of that point in
the Aisne region, the French have be-
gun an offensive. While no details Of
this movement have been received, it
doubtless has the object of pushing
back the Germans eastward in the
former sector and northward in the
latter region toward La0n, strategic
moves which, if successful, doubtless
would compel that part of the German
line north of St. Quentin which is still
intact to fall back precipitately east.
ward
The British drive was begun with.
out the usual artillery prelude, and as
the tanks and infantrymen made their
way through the wire entanglements
and pressed into the German first
positions, the surprised enemy began
sending up myriads of signal rockets
calling for assistance. ~. Whether aid
was rushed up is not definitely known,
but seemingly the surprised Germans
fled in disorder, leaving all kinds Of
equipment behind, and in most cases
did not even take time, as is usual,
to apply the torch to villages they
evacuated.
.. British Casualties Light.
The British casualties are described
as extremely light, while German dead
covered the ground as the British
pressed forward. Reports to date in
dictate that the depth of the penetra-
ton in the region of Cambria has
exceeded five miles, and that at one
point, at least, the troops swept on
five miles beyond the German lines,
capturing additional villages.
The offensive was>lnder direct COM
mand of General Sir Julian Hedworth
George Byng. and General John J.
Pershing, commander in chief of the
American forces in France, was an
interested observer of it.
Italians Hold Firm.
Meanwhile the Italians everywhere
are holding the Teutonic allied invad-
ers along the Piavc river, and in the
hilly region from the upper reaches
of that stream to Lake Garda. No
where has the enemy been able to
gain additional ground. On the con.
trary, violent attacks in the hilly
country have been repulsed with heavy
casualties. Probably owing to previ.
Gus Intellectual attempts to dislodge
the defenders, the enemy has not re-
newed his attacks against Monte Tom.
ba and Monte Monfenera, the vital
points barring the way to an inva-
sion of the Venetian plain from the
north. On the coastal front Italian
and British warships are bombarding