Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-06
bREAT BATTLES
ARE IN PROSPECT
Eermans Bring Up Fresh Rein
forcements in the Cambrai
Region.
;ARLY ASSAULT EXPECTED
italy. Austro-German ARTILLERY Opens
Fire on Asiago Plateau Prepara- VI
tory to Infantry Attack.

While for the moment no infantry opera
ons Of great magnitude are in progress
n any of the numerous battle fronts, in
ications are not wanting that soon the
ambrai sector in France and the north
rn line in the italian theatre will again
ritness titanic struggles. with the Ger
mans and Austro -Hungarians the ag-
ressors.
Already the Germans In the Cambria re-
ion have brought up fresh reinforcements
kith the object Of blotting out the salient
|riven into their line by General Byng's
Intrepid dash, a small portion OF which
hey have reconquered, but at fearful
)rice. In italy. along the Settle Comuni
md the Asiago plateau, enemy guns OF all
|alibrss have opened fire on the Italian
POSITIONS and several hill positions have
been captured in small attacks. Both be-
lore Cambrai and in the italian region
he allied armies are calmly awaiting the
(nemy's assaults.
While near Cambria 1t is conceded
hat the British will be forced. by rea-
ION Of the dangerous salient held by
he enemy in their line. to straighten
Iut their front somewhat, optimism is
Expressed that on the whole General
Byng's forces will be able to give a
sOOu dCCOuutth6 AOA ahy oSS"SHc eAS
(nemy may launch.
Likewise the menace of dash by the
kustro- o-Germans down through the hills
md out upon the plains Of Venetia has
been provided for, so far as the re-
Inducements Of the Italians by the
British and French troops and the
bringing up Of fresh guns is concerned.
Il Field Marshal Won Hoetzendorf, COM
handler Of the enemy troops. should be
lble to breach the line and gain his
objective, 1t would be only after one
bf the most sanguinary encounters of
ne war.
In Mesopotamia the British and Rus
ian troops have carried out success.
ful operation against the Turks. but
ust where has not been stated. This
Pas Significance inasmuch as 1t is the
irst report Of the fighting of the Rus
Pians with the British in this region
Pince they formed junction after the
British captured Bagdad.
London, Dec. 5-Maj. Gen. F. B. Maui
fice, chief director Of military operations
At the war office, said to-day in a public
btatement:
'There is little doubt that the latest
3erman attacks In the Cambria sector
have been planned and superintended by
General Won Ludendorff himself. Won
4udendorff's plal was a thoroughly good
Pne. as most Of the German plans are. 1t
was an attack on both fanks Of our
Falient, followed by an attack In force on
The center.
His attacks on our north and center
Failed completely, but on his left the
enemy succeeded in breaking through a
part of our front. He attacked not only
bur new front but on n part Of the line
hs it existed before. to the south. He sue
teeded in effecting a surprise and broke
through to a depth Of nearly 5000 yards
tlear through our gun positions. But we
had ample reserves available and prompt
" drove him back two-thirds Of the dis
lance covered.
Zone cannot say the Germans have not
made substantial gains as result Of this
effort When you are in a narrow salient
Dven a small inroad on ones fianks in
creases greatly the difficulty of holding
he salient and supply the men in it. The
supply to the men on certain portions of
bur front has now become a matter of
considerable difficulty"
After alluding to the readjustment OF
he line that might be necessary to some
extent In this area. General Maurice con-
kinued:
For the first time in many a day the
Enemy captured some British guns. The
asst British guns he captured were four
from a territorial battery behind the
French lines in the battle Of Ypres in May,
1915. during the first gas attack. Since
then we had not lost a single gun on the
western front and have captured $50 OF
the eneny's. Of which $40 were captured
in 1917