Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-27
HUNS CLING TO BAPAUME AND NOYON
BRITISH ADVANCE
ON WHOLE EXTENT
OF SOMME LINE
Bapaume Is Now Near the
Middle of Almost Straight
Line-Advance North Of the
Town

Town
WITH THE BRITISH. ARMIES IN
FRANCE. Aug. 26.-U a. n.)-Moving
swiftly in some places and crushing
stubborn opposition in others, the Brit
.ish are advancing along the whole ex-
tentsof their new Somme line-rrom the
region of Arras to southwark of the
river from which il takes its name.
heavy rainstorm which ended asper-
feet lighting day yesterday fell upon
the fat British helmets only zoo yards
from the Hindenburg line where Henin
hill (south of the Cojeul river slopes
eastward to the formidable barrier.
This days end also saw Bapaume near
the middle Of an almost straight line,
instead Of at the apex.
The New Zealanders are there fully
supported on both TANKS.
From Sapignies and Behagnies (north
Of Bapaume) English troops went on TO
the high ground eastward.
Beyond Mory (four miles north of
Bapaume) a guards division-Scots
Irish, Welsh and grenadiers-met heavy
fighting in a counter-attack. Favreuil
1.-TWO miles south of Mory) also was
strongly held.-HeEe,- as at Thilloy Ca
mile southwest of Bapaume), the Ger
mans seem blessed with a supply of
machine guns.
Cross Below Bapaume
Below Bapaume, the British have
crossed the road from Albert at all
points Advanced patrols are reported
east of Mametx wood ave miles west
of Combles). 1865.
S,,,tt 30 tha Co,,,p,a advapcad Ia
tachments carried on to just west OF
Cappy and Mericourt (southeast of
Bray.
The concentration of German troops
probably is continuing in the rear.
The past weeks lighting apparently
has revealed that the Germans dislike
night fighting. Otherwise, il is hard to
account for the remarkable rush of the
Yorkshires. Lincolnshires and other Eng
lish troops through the Ancre river Fri
day night. Thence, across Thiepval
ridge, making a gain of 5000 yards
Cnearly two miles) over indescribably
difficult ground in twenty-four hours.
1t can be recalled that German mill
tary writer's were not partial to night
fighting. even in theory, before the war.
Another thing, barbed wire defenses
have ceased to be the obstacle they
once were. This may add to the eX-
PLANTATION of why the British are now
gaining kilometers with practically the
same effort they devoted to gaining
yards.
New Shells Effective
Even more than the tanks. whose part
in the present battle is worth a special
story, is the development of 'instanta-
neous shells" responsible for undoing
the laborious work of the wire layers.
Unlike other shells which bury them
selves in the ground and explode up
ward, these explode at the slightest
contact and scatter with great force,
literally ripping the entanglements TO
pieces Concentrated Smelling for even a
brief period leaves the ground free fo-
an advance. There are no shell craters
and the wires are gone. OF course the
old craters remain. These furnish won
derful defensive positions, as at Boz
seIles. where the Boche hid in series
OF them yesterday morning and poured
out a murderous machine gun fire until
they were smothered.
Out of their scanty reserves, badly
needed elsewhere, Hindenburg and Luz
dendorrf are throwing in Prussians, Sax
ons. Bavarians and German marines in
an effort to check the British. These
are being chucked in as regiments, not
divisions have been found as far apart
as BiefviIlers and Mametz (nine miles).
More Desperate Defense
Notwithstanding attempts TO repair
holes in the line as fast as they develop,
the Germans continue receding, holding
desperately only to certain points in the
line in order to prevent complete
breakdown of their defense with the
resultant change of the present forced
withdrawal into a disorderly retreat. AS
II is. the disorganization is so great in
places that British tanks have been
able 10 harass enemy transport units
with machine guns, leaving wreckage
and confusion in their wake.
a tour of prisoners cages yesterday
developed some interesting information.
II was learned that the Fortieth and
Twenty-third Saxon divisions and the
T'hirty-fifth Prussian divisions have been
added to the forces in the northern part
Of the battlefield, the Saxons being
brought from Belgium. They are
cIeanly lot. many of them converting
their helmets into wash basins.
Prussian officer in another cage
drew attention on his arrival by hrst
asking that his orderly be confined in
the same cage and then asking Tor
steak with onions.
The prisoners included large numbers
of the third marines caught east OF MI
raumont where they were reinforcing
the Bavarians when Miraumont was
pinched off at noon Saturday. One OF
the happiest of the prisoners, judging
from the expression on his face, was
n German messenger dog who was con-
fined in one of the cages. although he
apparently only reflected the feelings
of the young Germans about him, and
responded to advances no more willingly
than did the men.
Alsatians Scattered
Alsatian prisoners said the Germans
are scattering them in groups of ten