Grand Forks herald., 1918-08-29
Ginchy Reportcd Captu,.ed.

With the British Forces in France,
Aug. 29.-(By the Associated Press.)
-Ginchy, a town about two miles
northwest Of Combles, is reported to
have been captured by Field Marshal
Haig's forces this morning.
British troops also captured Belloy,
Assevillers, Herbecourt and Feuilleres.
Of Peronne..
Launching new local attacks and
following up the advantage gained
yesterday, the British today moved
forward along a large part Of their
battle front.
The French have reached the back
waters Of the river Somme, the Brit
ish just north of them, have made
long strides and themselves this
from the river at Brie, with the
enemy being rapidly forced out Of the
triangle formed by the right angles
of the river and the advancing Brit
ish line which strikes in the north
just west of Ham.
The towns of Belloy, Assevillers.
Herbecourt and Feuilleres were ap-
parently taken during the night.
North Of the Somme the British
are reported to have captured Ginchy,
about half way between the river and
Bapaume. I
Hard Fight at Ginchy.>
Ginchy Is one of the highest posi-
tions in this section of the battle zone.
There was sanguinary fighting for this
position this year because of its i'm
portance. Its possession by the Brit
ish may cause q change in any plan
the Germans have for holding the line
roughly from Peronne on the south
to somewhere near Bapaume.
North of Bapaume there has been
heavy fighting at various places where
the British are cleaning up strong
German posts.
Bullecourt is less than a mile from
the British line this morning.
Generally speaking, the main Brit
ish body is within 1000 or 1000 yards
of. the famous Drocourt-Queant line
and the country up to the line itself
| virtually has been cleared of patrols.
A smash through here would menace
the whole area back of the old Hin
denburg line and the next place
where the Germans can offer stiff. re-
sistance is, perhaps, the line of the
canal Du Nord.
After that there are said to be no
prepared defenses of any Importance
The 6ermans in their confidence never
considered they would need them.
| British Move Ahead.
| Astride the Scarpe the British this
morning moved from the line east OF
Arleux through the east side of Oppy
wood: Hosts apparently are in
Gavrelle, half way across Greenland
hill. east of Pelves and east OF
Boiry. British posts also are in Remy
and Mancourt,. east of croisilles:
| Jigsaw wood, just south of the
Scarpe, and the last of the wooded
positions in which there was a Boche
stronghold, has been cleared Of the
enemy. -s...
The defeats of the last two days and
the continual hammering seem te
have led almost, to open mutiny ir
! some of the German formations. The
| 214th German division is especially
mentioned in this connection. One
officer of this unit said his men abso'
lutely refused in body to fight anG
he personally shot ten for their re-
fusals. He added that even that die
no good for. as the officer said, 'they
I;were absolutely hopeless" He there
fore surrendered himself to the Brit
ish.
The officer added that when his me1
learned they were opposed by tn
Canadians, the Germans almost stare
ed a panic.
tremely light. AS an instance, OF
4 Monday. the first British army at
/ tackled north of the scarpe ovel
/ ground literally planted with German
4 machine guns, the British total cas-
ualties were much fewer than tn
enemy's casualties in prisoners alone
Prisoners taken in actions OF tht
Il kind usually number fewer than {
i third OF the casualties in enemy killet
4 and wounded. Numerous, single Ger
mansIand small groups are surrender
ing at every opportunity.