New-York tribune., 1918-10-25
Continued from Page /

this morning. north ana south of
Nalenciennes. All night 1ong-the Brit
ish had been engaged in local fighting
for coed jumping off" places.
The German reply to the British bar
rage at the opening of the attack was
strong. The very earth trembled with
tho vibrations from the continual roll
of terrific explosions. The advancinr
British infantry met with strong ma
chine gun resistance, in silencinp which
the tanks gave material assistance.
Good progress is being made every
where. juding from such reports AS are
available More prisoners and p',ns
are being taken.
In shelling the areas to the rear OF
the German lines the British gunners
dropped along the road between lie
Cateau and Bavai alone nearly fve
addition, ayiators sent down one and
cne-haif tons of bombs. The road was
jammed with a mass of wreckare.
On the battlefront south of VAL
enciennes the night was marked by in
cessant artillery Guels in which both
sides took part. The British gunners
paid special attention to the roads in
he rear of the German lines, which
wers crowded with eastbound traffic.
British Fight All Night
In brilliant moonlight, assisted BY
icaring focks of night bombing air.
planes, the British fought through
out the night and made Steady gains
They are using -see-saw tactics, and
not at any time since the new battle
began has the whole line attacked all
he series OF objectives at the same
:.me.
Guns are moved UP in relays, SO
mat there is constantly a heavy fire on
,;he German front and rear. Infantry
assaults arc launched at different times
tirst one end of the line, and then
another section some distance aWay is
sent smashing into the enemy.
These tactics bewildered the Ger
mans. No enemy unit knows where an
assault Is coming and all are forced to
stand In readiness under torrents of
steel, high explosives, shrapnel and
gas.
Enemy Is Scrambled
y concentration at Preux for d coun-
ier attack wss observed from the air.
Transports. ammunition trains and
masses OF men became mixed up on
me roads in that vicinity. When. the
concentration WAS sufficiently large
and the enemy traffic appeared to be
Il the greatest state of confusion the
british gunners opened up their
weapons and pumped in steel as rapidly
a. possible. Within a few minutes the
ground was strewn with dead men and
@orses, equipment, wagons, lorres and
hnbers.
Reports Just received from one sec
Ion of the front tell of fierce fighting
at several places. They particularly
mention Pomereuil, where the British
we're held up for time BY mur-
derous fire from heavy concentration
e1 German machine guns. The place
vas filled wit, the spluttering weapons.
The British waited for time until
'ae advance had progressed north and
south of them. Then they swept
round tho town on both sides
British Capture Pcmereui
At the rear the British found q
Triangular cleared space, in which the
German machine gunners retired to
around them and captured Pomereuil
Wood at the back OF the triangle, thus
surrounding the enemy.
For hours these Germans. knowing
they had failed to stop the advance
and realizing they We're doomed held
out, firing continuously. AT length
persons nearby observed they had
ceased firing. The British had stormed
the position.
AZ Escarmain also there was des-
re rate fighting British machine gun
4ers from behind cover sprinkled a
all OF bullets over the town. Then
ney advanced and found the town a
hembles. All over the place there
Nerc dead Germans.
argev towns within range, notwth
,tandns the fact that there are thou
ands of civilians i'll them. In addition
- Denain, where there are several
thousand persons, mostly women and
children, the Germans have been con-
iinuously shelling lie Cateau, in which
there are many more.
Looting Orgies Continue
he enemy shows no sign of ceasing
rs orgies of looting. Every town the
British have captured has been pill
AGED. Usually the Huns break up and
destroy whatever they are unable to
carry off.
There are further signs that the Ger
mans either are now carrying out or
are on the verge of beginning a re-
,reat from the Scheldt line, as the
British north of Valenciennes push out
in the direction of Mons and Maui
heuge. They are less than eighteen
niles from Mons and about fifteen
from Maubeuge
There was sharp fighting at Bousies
before it was captured, and after that
good deal Of work had been done be-
lore the Germans remaining in the
town were subducd As the enemy re-
treated ne exploded mines under roads
and railways, but no great damage was
done.
Many Alsatians have been captured.
\ large number Of these expressed a
desire to join the French army, say
ing they had been dragged into the
German army against their will and
desired more than anything else to
t-nht the En- ne rnE,s fnrces