Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-08-22
SMASHING WAY
lContinued Erarn Pace Onel

scarcely see A hundred feet ahead Of
them and the flare of countless blazing
cannons was smothered while eXplo-
sions from their mouths rolled Up into
continuous deafening roar.
The fog was most favorable TO the at
tacking formations. for il effectuany
shielded them from the eyes Of the en-
emy and at the same time caused the
Germans opposite 10 believe that the at
tack was not directly against them.
The guns sounded long way off, .
said one of the early prisoners. so We
congratulated ourselves that we were
not TO be attacked. Just then a tank
followed by infantry rolled right owe
our position and surrendered" A.
tanks and men followed behind Tire
sweeping barraee the atmosphere re-
came even more thick, for mixed with
the fog were great banks Of smoke from
innumerable shells fired for 5ust this
purpose OF increa sing the protecting
screen
The German guns retallated oniv
feebly. hu: there was sharp fighting at
various points where isolated posts fiji
up a stiff battle At the little she'll
ruined village Of Courcelles, about the
center OF the battle front. the Germa \
garrison made a desperate fight and for
time tne advance of the infantry was
held up at this place.
The tanks arrived on the scene ana
charged into the enemy positions. quick
~ transforming them. from stronghoids :
TO shambles. The tanks repeated this
performance at other places in the lire
where the stubborn Boches held out
courageously. But their courage availe,
them nothing in the face Of the great
tanks, dipping in and out or She'll holes
and across old trenches that have seen
some OF the wars fercest fighting. and
the similar whippet tanks and arn1orad
cars which speed over the ground At a
great rate on their mission Of clearing
the way for the infantry. sweeping in
at the rear Of the positions from which
the enemy was working his guns
In comparison with the harder fighting
IL rs worthy of mention that at some
PAGES no resistance OF any practical
importance developed For instance
the village of Beaucourt was taken with
only three casualties One Wounded
man returning from the tiehting said he
went IN three kilometres through M
enemy lines before seeing 2 sipeIa
hoche But this is explained hv the
iact that the German positions were
very thlnly held at some points
Logeast wood was one Of tha n,osf
strongly held positions in the fore
ground and this was reached early IN
the day
As 10 tne prisoners there IS nc defnita
information, but more than 100 have
reached the cages and they have co,,a
IN from considerable distance some
% the frst prisoners arrived Al tha
cages with handbags and long c,,rrel
porcelain pipes. They seemed c,ean an,
were as pleased with themselves :.
gong on leave. One OF them an bn,,r
'oes''oneo SAID he was very happv tc
be taken.
a wounded British soldier told Of he-
ing separated from his platoon il IA
ios out he pressed on. nevertheless a,d
'ioiheh o'ner groups. One said that.
niunsine blindly through the fog ha 20,
directly into a German machine 81,
"hich opened fire on him. II nana,s.
10 get IN one shot. taking off f,g.-
-ofe no ana h:s comrades fnishel
on the Germans with their r,fee
IN the early forenoon ~ f.n
cie"fed away completely and tho s,.,
"Ppeareda, and gave evidences ,b,t
thH hattle had been progressing I'LL
der boiling sun. AS the foe fie,n
peared the road of airnlana notes
eased the british machines nn~
suing the same tatics az M +ha
.,o'lfne' rrassinE the enemy At the
rear and strafing the German troo,,s
senefaiiE. upsetting them comnleta-
at many places. The fast li,tIa
"hippet tanks had as one tank ~
hcer said: Gone out into the ,r;dl
world and 'hc,c issno do"r, ,ha
'heE are eSactioy rs great IN h,,
as they did south Of the Somme ~
afmored cars had gone into actio.
aiso' operating far forward chasiny
the hoche from his many lairs ana
hiaKlng quick work Of those ubo
would not run. ~
me battle continues with unah,,-
eu Inry and there is no sign mat
us conclusion is near.
because OF the way the clocks have