The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-14
BAP AUME DOOMED
Germans Still Retreating on
Wide Front in France.
DESERVING Stronghold They
Called "AnOther Gibraltar"
(From IA staff Correspondent of the
Associated PreSS.)

Associated FfcSS-D
British Headquarters in France
March 13-via London March Il
The ridge overlooking Bapaume from
the northwest which has come to be
looked upon by the British as a sort
of promised land ever since the battle
of the Somme began last July, passed
into the hands of General Haig' s
troops today For the first time since
the great struggle on this front opened
the British have the advantage Of the
highest ground and can now look
down upon the famous German
stronghold and a wide extent of the
country beyond.
British officers believe that they
are now in position to take Bapaume
whenever the word is given. Grevillers
was captured last night and the new
British lines stretch along the ridge
which runs northwest from that point
to the outskirts of Achiet LIE Petit
point still strongly held by the Ger
mans. In this latest forward move
ment ythe British have taken possess
sion of the noted Loupart wood, con-
sisting of great clumps of trees on the
shoulder of the high ridge and over
looking the entire Somme battle front.
This wood has masked a great number
Of German batteries and from it hos
tile shells have raincd upon the Brit
ish forces for months past. Its cap
ture has been the source of the highest
was one of the most formidable artil-
lery posts the Germans had estab-
lished in the western theatre.
Real Civilization Again.
The country about Loupart wood
and beyond is in good shape. AS Il
matter of fact Grevillers was the first
touch of real civilization the Tommies
said they have seen in many moons.
Why" said one stalwart Austria
liam today, do you know there are
regular houses in GreVillerS with real
roofs on them ?"
What this means to men who have
fought so long in the mud of the
Somme valley can be grasped only
by those who have lived amid the
-hideous scenes of destruction. The
Germans have always hitherto had
the advantage of the high ground
and the villages, possession of which
has been so bitterly contested. have
been nothing but pulverized ruins
which offered no shelter for the sol
diers. Where fires are not burning
the country back of the German line
looks green and wonderfully invit-
ing.
part line had been completely regis
tered by the British guns on Sunday
morning and that afternoon the
heavy artillery commenced its work
of destruction. Thirty hours of the
terrific bombardment was all that the
defenders could stand. One prisoner
said that he was the only survivor of
a squad of ten who were in dugout
that was blown to bits by a British
shell.
4 Looks Bad for Germans
, Paris, March I4,-Great importance
is attached by French military writer's
TO the continued British successes on
the Somme. The Matin says that it
looks very much as if the Germans
co not think they could hold Bapaume
and Peronne any longer and aye pre-
pairing to evacuate the two cities Re-
ports from aviators show that ali
along their inner lines the Germans
are blowing up bridges and Sculverts,
burning munitions and provisions
while trying to mask the withdrawal
of heavy guns by heavy firing with
field guns.
Caught in Own Trap.
German staff headquarters on the
Somme front are said to have been
moved back ten miles. The Matin
thinks that the German staff at first
'pianned a strategic retreat so as to
delay and upset the British plan of
attack, but that this scheme was frus-
trated by the tactics of General Cough.
Instead of using cavalry against his
retreating foe, General Cough MAIN
tanned contact by the methodical and
destructive use of artillery. The re-
suit, according to the Matin, was thar
the Germans were caught in their own
trap ana their retreat. WnlCn was at
first intentionalS became almost a
rout.
General Cough, who is mentioned
in the Paris newspapers as the field
commander in the British operations
against Bapaume, is presumably Major
General Hubert de la Poer Cough,
commander of the Third cavalry bri-
gade. General Cough is an Irishman
and prior to the, war then a colonel,
received prominence as one of the
officers who threatened to resign if
British troops were ordered to force
Ulster into acceptance of Home rule.
In the early days of the war he was
praised by Field Marshal French for
his conduct in the fighting following
the battle of the Marine and was pro-
NOTED to be major general in Novem-
Der, 1914.
Victory for French.
Paris, March 14.-Another sweep
ing French victory was announced in
today's official statement
'On Tuesday, south of st. Mihiel.
the French captured Romainville farm.
and penetrated at four different points
up to the second lines of the enemy
between the Meuse and Apremont,
imprisoning many" the war office as
serted.
Two violent counter attacks were
made by the Germans yesterday eve
2 ming on positions captured by the
{ French in the Champagne, Monday.
{ The official announcement given out
today says the attacks We're repulsed
/ and that the Germans lost heavily in
Z grenade fire around Maisons de
Champagne and Hill 1856. The French
, captured new entertainments.
Turk Report on Fall of Bagdad.
London. March IA CopStapti-