Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-23

Slso have fallen into the hands Of
; re British.
The enemy will undoubtedly soon
! rive way in spite Of the heavy forces
Ne seems to have concentrated. The
battle increased in violence every
hour as the British launched fresh
attacks.
Details of the fighting just north
Of the Somme, which continues, snow
that Albert actually was stormed oy
the British who crossed the river TO
the south and struck, anticipating the
probable German intention to with
draw from the pocket which was rap
idly being created here.
The Germans now are fighting des-
perately i'm the region of Gomiecourt.
REPORTS from all points say thal
the battle, which seems to nave de.
veloped into one of the greatest Oh
the war from the standpoint of men
and guns engaged and the length OF
front, is going on victoriously LOT
the British troops. So,
Field Marshal Haig's men are XII,
.
are making steady progress every
where in spite of resistance from
the enemy, who, if he retreats. &C.
knowledges that he Is beaten. ana II
he stays and fights it out is bouhu
to suffer the heaviest casualties.
# Tanks Clear Path
The town of Meaulte, which was
captured by the British, was strongly
(. defended by the Germans, put tanNs
roared up to the town and cleared the
way for the infantry. which passed
through the place and pushed forward
to the Bray-Alhert road.
Happy Valley was the scene of more
hard fighting before it was taken. Inc
place was alive with machine guns ana
honeycomhed with duCouts. 1t was Il
hard Job for the British. but theF
finally accomplished it. After being
well mopped up the Germans Iauncheu
a counter-attack and temporarily sue
ceeded in pushing the British out out
the position was retaken soon after
ward
There has been more desperate
fighting today in front of AChiet-le-
{ Grand but with the British force
rushing through Gomiecourt the
enemy cannot hold out Ions in this
position.
Fighting Desperately
There also had been heavy fighting
in the region of Miraumont, Beaure
gard and Dovecnte, just in front d
Miraumont. to which positions the
British retired yesterday when the
Germans attacked with heavy forces
changed hands five times. The Bcit-
ish now seem to have secured nnn
possession of this region as other brit
ish troops are sweeping arouni II
the 1ear.
There was hard fighting and hand
to-hand engagements in Albert, tho
Germans resisting desperately trOH
houses and barriCades. Here alone
400 Germans were captured ana q
large number of the enemy who re-
sisted were killed in the mopping-uE
process in which bombs were dropped
into cellars and dugouts. Troops
which passed through the town now
are reaching out in the direction of the
German stronghold on Tara Hill.
The fresh attacks launched by the
British this morning were both to the
north and to the south of the battle
zone in which the British were fight.
ing yesterday.
On the Lys front, today's Official
statement says. the British line was
4 slightly advanced east of lie Touret
northwest of Neuf-Berquin and east oi
Outtersteen.
Boiry-Becquerelle and Boyrlles are
five miles. south and east of Arras
. and three miles west Of Croisillra.
Hamelincourt is one and one-haf
miles south of Royelles and Gomrc-
court is four miles northwest Of Ba-
paume. Bray is on the north bank of
j sfhe Sommck - -