The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-23
BYNG'S TANKS
R0UT ENEMY IN
LATEST DRIVE
Germans, Expecting Attack,
Save Their Cannon
From Capture.
MIST AIDS THE BRITISH
Several Thousand Prisoners
Taken, Including Austrian
Artillery Officer.
BY PERRY ROBINSON.

Special Gable Despdfch TO The SUN from the
London Times Service.
Copyright. 1915 all riohs reserred.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE.
Aug 22.-Gen. Byng's attack has thus
far proved very successful. with several
thousand prisoners already In our cages.
We captured only three guns. but this
was because the enemy got wind Of our
attack and pulled his guns back. We
took a number of artillerymen who were
acting as observers, among them an Of
icer from an Austrian battery of six
howitzers.
When this officer. with his servants.
arrived at our cage he was made the
butt Of many jokes by the Germans.
The Austrians. however, treated their
tormentors with contempt
The main depth Of our advance was
about 5000 yards. We broke through
the barrier formed by the Albert-Arras
railway and now hold the line. which has
many deep cuttings and steep embank-
ments through the difficult country.
The troops engaged on our side were
all from the British Isles except few
New Zealanders. who attacked first on
ono section Of the front. and did II ad-
mirably. taking 200 prisoners, including
eight officers. with less than that num-
Der OF casualties among themselves.
Opposition Is Feeble.
The opposition was OF the feeblest
the enemy was in a great hurry to get
away with his guns may explain this.
particularly the weakness OF the artillery
reactions. The hardest fighting seems TO
have been around Miraumont. especially
northwest OF that village. in a section
known as "Beauregard Dovecote." This
really is large pigeon farm on the
Miraumont-Puissieux road. At this
point our troops carried all OF their first
objectives with ridiculous ease.
After our first objectives were gained
other troops went through to the final
line, cleaning out the "dovecote" after
hard fighting. We took a big bunch OF
prisoners and much material. includ-
ing a wireless outfit and one field gun.
Before We could remove this gun. after
the first attack, the Germans countered
and drove US out. But our men attacked
again and for the second time captured
the place, including the gun. While we
were away four trench mortars had
been brought up and these fell into our
hands.
We also took ninety additional
prisoners who had concealed themselves
in a trench during our first attack.
While the lighting was going on they
sat tight. without making any attempt
to help their comrades.
Fighting Is severe.
We remained in possession until 3
o'clock this morning, but during our oc-
cupancy the Germans brought UP a fresh
division. and after putting down Sc
we're barrage OF gas shells, attacked us
again. Once more we were compelled 10
fall back But we only stayed back long
enough TO catch our breath and then
went after them again, and by 6 o'clock
We were in possession OF the "dov ecote''
for the third time. This time we hitched
our horses TO the gun and dragged it
back 10 more comfortable quarters. The
lighting really was fierce. especially
after the fresh German troops had been
brought UP.
Another place where the Germans
fought fiercely was before Achiet lie
Grand. where the railway runs through
deep cut This was filled with ma
chine guns. while beyond. on the steep
banks, were field guns. making II hard
for our tanks to advance.
Further north our airplanes reported
that Germans were massing. apparently
for an attack, and when this was re-
ported to our artillery the guns were
trained on TIE assembling Germans,
using them quite roughly. The attack
did not develop.
Tanks Overwhelm Enemy.
Along the northern part OF our front
our tanks did excellent service. Cour-
celles seems TO have had a particularly
hard time. The German garrison there
had a tough time. as they were taken
by surprise and did not know about our
attack until the place was swarming
with tanks. which blazed away at every
thing In sight. Some OF our tanks fur
ther south got lost In the mist and found
themselves. by accident. In Courcelles.
This put more tanks into the town than
we intended and made things doubly
unfortunate for tie German garrison
there.
One of the German battalion COM
manders whom we took prisoner said
he had been warned OF our impend-
Ing attack. and that he had asked for
more men. All he could do, he said
was to order extra vigilance. The
extra vigilance, however. avaiied noth-
ing on account OF the mist. as the nrst
thing he knew our tanks were. through