Evening star., 1918-08-26

and infiicting terrible damage upon
them and bodies OF troops with their
machine guns.
Cooperating with the armored
cars. the tanks again have been
heavily in action, some of them roll
ing into towns in advance of the in
fantry. sweeping over the debris and
finishing of enemy strong points in
the face of perfect deluge of fire.
Many tanks have returned to their
lines with all the paint shot off their
steel sides by machine-gun bullets.
At some points the German ap-
preached the tanks as soon as they
saw them, with hands high above
their heads. fearfully shouting Kane
radr'
When Thiepval ridge fell into Brit
ish hands yesterday. the troops press
ed forward at both sides and large
number of Germans were pinched.
They promptly threw away their
ment, and. without even guards. walk
ed toward the British rear. In the
neighborhood of Thiepval a British
detachment during the early part of
but soon found itself surrounded on
all sides by the enemy.
"stick to IT, Message From Air.
An airplane saw the detachment's
plight and dropped message: Stick
it," and soon after heavy British for
nations attacked at this point and
drove of the Germans, relieving their
hard-pressed comrades.
Since then Pys has been left well
behind. Pozieres, southeast of Thiep-
val. fell this morning. and later Ma
metz was occupied. as well as Mar
tinpuich.
Foe Brings Fresh Troops.
It seems certain that the Germans
have brought up large formations of
fresh troops. but it is believed that
up to the present these reinforce
ments are still some distance in the
rear. It Is problematical whether the
German high command intends to
throw them into the battle now or to
use them to hold the line to which
the enemy is now being driven.
Among the prisoners taken in to-
days and last nights fighting. which
progressed under brilliant moon.
are many Saxons. The officers among
these, In comparison with the Prus-
slams, who apparently care not for
such things, as soon as they got to
the cages stripped themselves and
asked for water with which to bathe
from their upturned shrapnel helmets.
Alsatians also appeared in the pris-
oner's cages. Happier men than these
It would be hard to find anywhere.
They fell on their captors. embraced
them. and spoke In French of being
liberated" They pulled pictures Of
their fathers. dressed in the French
uniform of 1870. from hidden pockets
and exhibited them proudly. They
said that all the Alsatians had been
placed in German regiments.
Deserters' Families Punished.
1T goes hard with US. II we are
caught deserting." said one youth,
IF it is ever found out that any
body deserts. his family is punished.
and even his female relatives are sent
to dig in the front line and other
trenches"
One of the prisoners said he was
carrying food to an advanced post
when the British appeared. He cried
I'VE surrender" and he. with the men
in the post, gave himself up.
Prisoners taken when Miraumont
fell. after a brave resistance by its
garrison, said they had been fighting
for three days without food.
Bray has been captured and the Aus
tralians here are pushing forward.
One force Is now nearing Longueyal,
and more Germans may be penned up.
High wood, strong position in this
general locality which was lined with
machine guns, has been reported cap
tured, probably by a hanking move
ment. and a large number of machine
guns have fallen into British hands
here, as we'll as many at other places.
Many thousands of machine guns
have been taken away from the Ger
mans during the past two days.