The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-23
At the British Front, Aug. 23.-Al-

At the British Front, Aug. 23.-Al- bert is reported in British hands,
 The British Fourth Army attacked the enemy early yesterday between the Somme and Ancre rivers, the bat tlefront extending from Meaulte to Braye. Brisk progress was made and T, 900 prisoners were captured. This action is in conjunction with the Third Army's drive south of Ar ras. That army commanded by Gen. eral Byng, repulsed strong German counter-attacks yesterday in the vii cinity of Miraumont and Courcelles. In Flanders, British forces made slight progress east of Merville and towards Neuf Berquin.
 Unconfrmed reports from the front state that the British have broken through the fortified barrier between Albert and Arras, and are now well the east of the railway connecting the two towns. Prisoners are stream ing back to the rear lines in endless columns.
 American troops yesterday plotted out a German salient south of the Vesle, where enemy machine gunners had maintaind a bridge head between Chauteau-du-D -Diable and a tannery adjoining the railway yards. All the defenders were killed except 14, who were captured by Captain William Harrigan's men.
 General Byng's army advanced steadily in the Ancre sector Wednes- day. night and early yesterday.
 The battle, which began suddenly at dawn Wednesday along six miles of front between BoiseuX and Beaumont, had spread along four additional miles.
 Byngs troops advanced to a depth of four miles, capturing 2,000 prison CTS, mny guns and material, and in fiicting heavy casualties upon the en- emy. The British losses were light in comparison.
 This new Arras battle is raging in the hottest spell of the year. The "Tommies" are fighting in flannel shirts, their sleeves furled.
 But the blazing sun and the humid ity which is as intense as that on any of the record breaking Fourth of July scorchers at home, are unable to af- feet the dash and courage of the Britishers. New Zealanders are talk a fensive.
 The British rushed Achiet-le-Petit Con the Arras-Albert railway first but they encountered hard fighting al Achiet-le- Grand Ca little more than three miles northwest of Bapaume), which changed hands twice Wednes- day afternoon. The British drove the Germans out after severe fighting in fthe streets The enemy retook the fvinage, but soon after was forced tc q leave it.
 q Courcelles village also was the scene of bitter fighting. The Germans were compelled to fall back. They made stand on the Arras railway, dropping shells thick and fast from machine gun nests and dugouts. Later the British fired 20 shells to every one sent over by the enemy.
 After the first rush the "Tommies' busted themselves with mopping out the dugouts where many Teutons re- mained in hiding. Soon whole herd! of prisoners, many of them wounded were sent back to the rear lines.
 Some of the captives reported tha the heavy German guns and hoWltzer! killed and wounded many of thei  the fact that the weapons are Wor1 out and have defective range.
 British flyers controlled the battle front throughout the day The. greatly outnumbered the enem planes, working in conjunction witl the tanks and the infantry.
 At nighttime Tuesday" says yes terdays German War Office state ment, i've retired slightly southwes of Noyon behind the Disc. The enem gained ground at Blerancourt. Hi attacks on the Morstin ravine failed British attempts to cross the Amer failed"
 The attacks of the British Thir and Fourth Armies are squeezing tn >enemy out of the area between ATra and south of the Somme while tn French are making rapid gains in tn south, where they have taken Las signy and freed 20 villages.
 American aviators are assisting tn British in the present battles. The have already brought down thre German planes The exploits of tf British flyers also equal the darin shown two weeks ago in the Anier sector One British aviator pursue a German staff car, peppering it wit his machine gun until the car turne over.
 Aroused by their recent reverse the German commanders are issuir drastic orders for improvement. IT disturbance of the high command shown by a secret order found on prisoner. which reads, in part:
 "The postal regulations in the arm area are being widely disregarde Accounts of the enemy's successe especially as regards the destructic of trains by aircraft, exaggerated r
 
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