The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-24
Civilians on Strange Pilgrim
age Back to Native Land.
Women, Children, Baby Cabs
Return on Tanks Trail.
FREED SLAVES WEEP FOR JOY
American Relief Has Kept
Civilians From Starvation.
Battle Energies From Trenches
to Open Warfare.

British Army Headquarters in
France. Thursday, Nov. 22.-CBy the
Associated Press. 1.-The success OF the
British arms in the Cambria sector
has continued to grow steadlly anu
Field Marshal HaiRs troops in httle
more than two days fighting nave
overrnn an area equal in size to that
won by the Germans during the tlrst
fifteen days Of their spectacular drive
on Verdun British cavalry tanks
and infantry today were battling their
way forward along a line when at
MANY noints west and southwest or
Cambria was less than three miles
from that important town. The ad-
vance was 5prea ding northWard IN the
region of Bullecourt and the salehI
toward Cambria was being wldened.
The total of prisoners captured must
approach the 10000 mark. Al last
the British and Germans are at grips
on comparatively open ground ana
some of the fiercest hand fighting or
the war has been going on. The
enemy troops were unprepared LOT the
attack but they have been putting eV-
cry ounce Of their strength into an at
tempt to stem the rising tide.
Troops have been pulled away from
other points and rushed to the Cam
brai sector by the desperate Germans
and so hard pressed were they for
men. that two companies of cripples
and convalesCentS were recruited mas
THY at one camp and thrown into the
line in the region of Masnieres. Some
of these pitiful objects are in British
hands and are receiving medical
treatment. one prisoner was In the
last stages Of tuberculosis and he had
To I've moved to prevent the disease
from spreading to the others. who
were in a state of cruel exhaustion and
virtually helpless from their valiant
attempts to fight under the lash of
their uS'elenting officers.
Now Like War of Old.
The great battlefield has taken on
the aspect of scenes in wars gone by.
1t is no longer a conflict of trenches
and shell holes but Of men struggling
bitterly with rifles and bayonets over
a virgin battle ground, while the long
neglected cavalry sweeps in pictur-
esque charges against the enemy posi-
uons over the wide territory involved
The roads everywhere for two days
have been swarming with advancing
troops and with prisoners and civilians
coming back from the front. Many
Rejoicing noncombatants, men, women
and children, have been pouring out
of the captured towns under the
guidance of their deliverers from Ger
man bondage.
IllS mas Deen q DdLLle OF strange
sights but no more striking spectacle
has been witnessed than that of the
people marching toward homes and
comfort back of TIE British front
Thru the very gaps which the tanks
. had torn in the famous Hindenburg
line, mothers yesterday and today
were pushing baby carriages contain
ing infants or tramping happily along
with their babies clutched to theiI
breasts. Beside them toddled other
youngsters, many of them carrying
their treasured dolls and not a few
clinging to squirming puppies Ole
men and women were bringing away
all the household effects they coulC
pack on push carts or carry on theil
backs.
From Three Years Captivity.
For three years they had been il
captivity and some of them in slavery
They had been subsisting on the
lmittee which furnished them virtual!
sthe only food they obtained.
Hard fighting has taken place a
'Crevecoeur, southeast of Masnieres
The British were holding a higl
ridge IN front of this place and SOM
troops had forced an entrance int
the western part of the town. TIL
Germans were holding the eastern
section. A German battery here
(which had been giving trouble, wa
cavalrymen. The battery was sur
rounded by heavy barbed wire entan
clements, precluding the use of horses
so the soldiers stormed the position
on foot and annihilRted the gun crews
In the region of Rumilly heavy ma
: chine gun and rifle fighting was pro
ceeding last night and this morning.
West of Cambria, tanks, cavalry an
infantry we're pressing the attack Wig
orously about Fontaine Notre Dam
and the strong position in Bourlo
{ wood. Fontaine Notre Dame has nc
2 been officially reported captured, bu
s the story goes that tank crews wer
3 served with hot coffee by the civilian
2 in this place this morning.
(Field Marshal Haig's official re
port Thursday night said the German
had retaken Fontaine Notre Dame.)
Capture Famed Tunnel.
Further north near Bullecourt til
British We're in possession of the er
tire underground fortification know
as the tunnel trench, which had bee