The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-30

of them. The Germans appeared to.
have had orders to hold until the last
That is what most of them did and. OF
course, during the fighting of such a
desperate nature. the Americans SUI
fered.
cans passed was Uttered with German
dead, and the same was true of other,
sections of the front. Deep progress
was reported virtually everywhere.
British Reach Battouselle.
1t is reported that the British have
reached Battouzelle. having taken La
teau wood and Les Rues Vertes, and
there has been fighting of the heav.
lest character. Canadian troops are
fighting here and it is possible that
by this time they are in the town it
self. Cambria must soon fall 1t is
doubtful IL many, Germans are there
now for they must realize that they
cannot hold on.
Hard fighting seems to have taken
place north Of the Cambria Bapaume
high road. In this vicinity the village
of Bleburt has been captured by the
Canadians.
In the north the British are working
thru Ploegsteeret- It is reported that
they have reached St. Ives. 1t IL also
said that they are in Ostraverne and
that they have entered Waterdame-
hoon.
With the British Armies in France,
Sept. 30.-The Americans have con-
tributed their share to smashing the
bugaboo of the western front-the
Hindenburg line.
On front of 5000 yards (about
four miles) they cayed in the German
defense yesterday making an ir-
reparable breach and penetrating a
distance equal to the front of their at
tack. They opened the way for the
Australians to shove on still further.
Early today the Yanks had reorgan-
the left, threatening a greatly IN
creased break in the enemy line thru
an enveloping movement.
Spectacular Battle.
The battle yesterday was unusually
spectacular. The flash of guns illumi-
mated the country for miles around
turnout tn, night. The artillery sud-
denly ceased at dawn. Then silence
was broken again by the American
barrage.
Behind their own shells, dropping in
an reven line ahead of them. the
Americans could be seen clambering
over the rough broken ground. They
advanced in hundred yard dashes, the
barrage doing the same.
Five minutes took them into q
thick maze of wires. tho this had been
partially cleared away by instantan-
eous fuse shells.
Six minutes after the barrage
started, British guns fired the shells
the Germans put down a counter
bothering the first support companies.
however, without catching the first
wave.
A smoke barrage by the enemy
simultaneously hid the whole battle
field for several minutes When it
Ill he ov.in
vealed running steadily ahead. The
British guns then apparently smoth-
cred the boche artillery. for that was
the last seen of the enemy barrage.
At the left the Americans found
themselves plunging across the Hin
denburg defenses. There the work Of
the instantaneous fuse shells had
been almost complete.
Machine gun nests were wiped out
with rifles and grenades. and some
prisoners were sent back.
The Americans on the right were
delayed by ordinary machine gun em-
placements in front of the main de-
lenses, but they reached the vain line
soon after their comrades. Their rush
prevented them completely hopping
up the ground there. leaving consider
able work for the Australians follow
ing them.
Tanks There, Too.
With the Americans went a large
number of tanks. as well as certain
number OF whippets. simultaneously
the British attacked on a smaller
stretch of the line to the right. while
another British unit moved forward
slightly in supporting action to the
left.
The Americans struck at q point
where General Won Hutier's army
joins with that of General Won Der
Marwitz. They faced the Eighth,
Fifty-fourth, 121st and 185th divisions
with others in reserve.