Norwich bulletin., 1918-08-23
FIERCE FIGHTING ON LoHG
 SECTION OF BRITISH FRONT

rious. The battle north of the Ancre ragged all day long, while ten thous- and yards to the south another | British force, which crossed the Ancre | during the night and opened an at- tack at daybreak. was driving stead fly into the enemy positions on the high ground between Bray-sur Somme and Albert and already had captured a thousand prisoners.
 The Germans are retreating from the section between the two points where the British armies are ham mering them and where they are threatened with being left in a pocket. The town of Al'Sart is unofficially re- ported to have fallen into the hands of the British who are pressing the enemy hard.
 Along the Arras-Albert railway em- bankment and on both sides of it heavy fighting continues.
 On the northern half of the battle front the British stormed the enemy positions and captured them infict- ing terrible losses on the enemy. They then pushed eastward at various points. They occupied Hamelincourt trench well to the. east of the en- bankment and were reaching out similarly at other points. at the same time beating down desperate attacks launched by the enemy in an effort to regain his valuable lost positions. A counter-attack this afternoon north of Courcelles was completely broken down by the British before the Roche gained a single foot Of ground despite his evident determination to do so The value of the position along the embankment can be readily seen. The country is fiat and the railroad runs | along the top of a high made to or 1 der ridge which overlooKs and con- trols considerable shell-cleaned ground on either side of it. To the south from Achiet-le- | Grand to the Arcre. the armies in 1 battle have been sweeping backwards | and forwards, attacks and counter | attacks being repeated again and again British patrols have been in l Miraumont, hut at the moment it ap- pears that the British lines actually are few hundred yards west Of that | town in the neighborhood of Reaure- | gard and Dovecote. on the road be-
 tween Miraumont and Puisieux -au-
 Mont
 Word has just been received that the Germans launched another vicious 1 counter-attack against the British po- | sition on the outskirts of Miraumont,
 but after sharp fighting were driven | s lets from blazing machine guns the | German ranks withered or were dis persed.
 1 The British still are west of Achiet-
 le- Grand, but patrols have been in | the town The boche counter ttacks
 here. as well as at Miraumont, were
 carried out by fresh troops which have been seen rushing toward the front from the rear in an effort to re-
 lieve General Otto Won Be!ow's har-
 assed Seventeenth army.
 At Achiet-le- Grand the attacks
 were in such strength that the Brit
 ish retired for a short distance from
 the outskirts of the town and con-
 tented themselves for the time being
 with pouring bullets into the enemy
 forces who in their eagerness to wir
 something, no matter how small rush.
 ed into the center of the target form
 ed by the town.
 Southwest of Miraumont the Brit
 ish, at latest reports had the enemy
 with his back to the River Ancre. With the British Army in France
 Aug. 22.-Tanks have been working
 well to the front of the British lines
 almost everywhere. The battle was
 fought under a scorching sun, the men fighting over the dusty, shell churnet ground, open -shirted, or without up
 per garments, the sweat streamin.
 down their haif-naked bodies.
 At many places heaps of Germa! dead, moved down by the British fire
 lay baking in the sun, along with tn.
 usual debris which covers battle field
 The total number of prisoners talk , ell is still uncertain but it is knowF that at least three thousand have been captured. In comparison with
 those taken yesterday, the prisoners
 today were tired, dirty, hungry anC
 thirsty. Among them was an Austr- , ian artillery officer, who arrived at the cages with all the elekance tha1
 usually surrounds officers in Emperor Charles army. He had his soldier
 servant with his, but the servant got lost in the mixup and, much to the . annoyance of both man and master . they were put in separate cages Incidentally, the German prisoners
 took occasion to make fun of the Aus ; trian soldier. but many of their re- marks showed clearly their contempt The Austrian officer said he had been at this front for a month with
 a battery of Austrian guns. In re-
 sponse to questions. he declared that he did not dislike the Germans | 1Ou Ildy llAIlh IL queer OI Ine, Dul
 I managed to get along all right with 5 them" he remarked.
 Among other prisoners was bri- gade commander, who, when captured was about to telephone back for ar ? tillery support. Just at that moment a stocky British soldier put his head in the window and informed the com mander that he was a prisoner.
 l Later on, after the commander had . reached the prisoners cage, one by
 one his officers began to arrive at the
 same place. The commander stood at the gate and with a smile and a 1: handshake, welcomed each newcomer . From Arras to the Somme the Brit ish airplanes are sailing through per } feet summer skies and raining down tons of explosives on the heads of the
 boches. Fast tanks, when possible
 dash through and round up odd part ies from the rear. The British cannon are drenching the enemy with stee : from the front and from the Hanks
 The Hun is getting it from all sides
 and from the air as well.
 The British losses so far have beer
 extraordinary light The tank casual. l ties have been few also.
 , The German guns are very active
 hurling everything, including gas, al the British.