Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-12-01
General Byng SmaShes Through
Hindenburg Line Toward
City of Cambria.
BOOBIES TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Tanks Play Big Part in the Sensa-
tonsl Vietory-Italians 5ravely Re.
sisting Powerful Attacks of Austro-
Germans-Enemy Aliens in Amer
lea Under Surveillance.
BY EDWARD w. PickAR0.


Lieut.. Gen. Sir Julian Byng smashed
a great hole in the Hindenburg line
between st. Quentin and the Scarpe.
General Diaz and his heroic Italians
put a stop for the time being TO the
Teuton attacks on most Of the Piaye
river line General Allenby and the
British army In Palestine moved
steadily on TO the development OF Je-
rusalem. The French struck the
crown princes forces a hard blow in
the AISne sector. President Wilson
placed the Severest restrictions on en-
envy aliens In the United States
Altogether II was Rot q pleasant
week for Kaiser Wilhelm.
General Byng's sensational advance.
which was begun Tuesday and con-
tinued through the week. was hailed
IS the greatest British victory since
The Somme. It's success was due large
ly 70 the element Of surprise. for the
British had been delivering their pre-
paratory artillery fire much farther
north and then suddenly attacked in
the Cambria sector. taking the Ger
mans quite unawares. General Byng.
who devised the PIN and whose army
carried II out. FIRST sent out a great
number Of tanks, and as these cleared
away the barbed-wire entangiemehrs
and broke through two of the strong
est lines In the German defense sys-
TEN in the west. the infantry and cav
airy followed with a rush that car
rled all before Z. The Germans were
demorallzed. aid for many hours Of
fered little resistance, surrendering
by the thousand and the British
moved rapidly forward, taking village
after village, and quickly consolidat-
ing the enemy POSITIONS which had not
been badly demolished by shell fire.
Almost 10 Cambria.
On Wednesday the resistance Of the
enemy stifTened considerably. but TO
no avail, for the British pushed on un-
til they had put behind them the towns
of Mosnieres, Marcoing. Ribecourt,
Havrincourt. Graincourt and Flies
quieres. The tanks still were leading
the way. and cooperating with them
were the mounted forces, which have
had so little opportunity for real &C
ton. By Thursday noon Byng's troops
were bur little more than two miles
from Cambria, and his big guns had
begun To she'll that most important
German base and railway center.
The British swiftly built roads and
II Il,
ton up TO their new lines and also be-
gan to widen out their salient, which
az FIRST vas dangerously sharp. Crown
Prince Rupprecht rushed up masses
OF troops and took up strong position
IN Bourbon wood Just north of the
British salient. dominating the imme-
date region. He also pushed the ad-
vance posts Of the British out Of Fon-
taine Notre Dame. but they held and
consolidated all the rest of the terri
tory they had gained.
The secrecy which enveloped the
preparations for this great movement
was astounding and speaks volumes
for the skill Of the British command
ers and the efficiency IF the aviation
corps which prevented the enemy air
scouts from discovering the massing
of troops and tanks. The Cambria
sector had been quiet for = long time.
and the Germans considered thar part
Of heir defense lines impregnable.
They also thought an attack in force
on such defenses could net be made
successfully without artillery prepa-
ration. At tremendous cost they have
learned they were mistaken in both in
stances
Attack Has Several Objects
Aside from the capture of Cambria
and the possible forcing of general
retreat of the Germans on the west
front. the immediate object Of tbiS
British offensive probably was TO re
ueve tI.v pressure on me Italians anu