Show MILLION b t BRITISH SOLDIERS i r h J h BEGIN r iAM iA M HURRICANE DRIVE l lh AT SOMME SOME fL TERRifiC i i TE OFFENSE OFF CRUSHES A 1 f Front Extends Twenty Miles l on the West German First Lines Taken Also Prisoners BOMBARDMENT BIG Allies Allies' Casualties Are Art Light French Troops operate Co-operate Infantry Charges as on Parade LONDON July 1 After weeks of intense bombardment I guns of every caliber firing a million shells daily the early this morning launched general offensive against the German line along a front of twenty miles north of the River Somme They sue suc in t taking king the German front frontline frontline line trenches and capturing many men i The French on the British right cooperated co cooperated jl operated in the attack When the thelast thelast last dispatches thus far received left eH I British headquarters the fighting was still progressing and further suc suo ceases it was said were being re reo corded Th The Front selected for the Brith offensive was decided upon m ma weeks ago and the bombardment the rest of the line as well a as frequent raids raids' which procure procured British headquarters formation as to the disposition d o J Germans was designed to keep German generals uncertain as ti V point at which the they would be c cupon upon to meet the brunt of theat Plan Was Advertised d T This is the first time since L L. outbreak of the war that the inteL inte tion of an army to undertake an offensive of ot offensive has been so well advertised A week ago when the German attacks atI attacks at at- I tacks against Verdun began to mako make further headway and it was feared the army of the crown prince was getting within a distance of Verdun which was dangerous for tor the allies the British Brit ish gun guns began to o speak Since then except for the hours when British infantrymen infantrymen in in- were raiding German trenches a continual bombardment has been maintained Batteries which now are arc innumerable ble hIe took turns at smashing tho the German German German Ger Ger- man defenses destroying communicating I eating cating ca ting trenches and blowing up ammunition am j am-j i depot New trench mortars morais B particularly destructive tore away aIRY wire entanglements broke roke down parapets para pars pets and generally opened the way ay for men with rifles and bayonets Big BiK DJ guns of 15 inches and other largo Continued on page e 2 I BRITONS LAUNCH Continued Continue from page 1 I calibers prevented the Germans from bringing brining up supports wrecking everything everything everything every every- thing within range Artillery Fire Intense The artillery fire was particularly intense on a stretch of the front north of the Somme and earlier dispatches I told of the destruction of the towns of Thiepval and Beaucourt where the Germans had concentrated tion Early this morning more guns were brought Into action on this twentymile mile ty-mile sector and for an hour and a half the Germans were subjected to a bombardment which Is described as the fiercest experienced In this war of ot havy hairy artillery This morning the correspondents at atthe atthe atthe the front for British newspapers while writing of the British artillery and raiding successes warned the public that an advance must be made by infantry and not by artillery and that the British army could not expect ex expect to come out of the engagement First accounts of the battle bat battie tie tle however state mat the British casualties were not heavy The news spread throughout London London Lon Lou don Ion like wildfire There was a f frantic iran fran ran ran- tic rush to obtain special editions of the evening newspapers The war office announced that the necessary passenger traffic between Great Britain and the continent would be regulated closely and restricted as asfar asfar asfar far as possible Only those having serious reasons are permitted to travel The number of oC Germans opposite the British front and in reserve behind behind be hind the lines was estimated a month ago at At this hour the British are making good progress behind the front lines in German held territory Serre and Montauban which the British have captured are important tactical points Serre is southeast of terne and Montauban l Is northeast ot of Bray The British are fighting for the villages of ot Mametz and Contalmaison portions of which they hold The British are fighting gallantly and have taken many prisoners In the front lines The French advancing on the tho British Brit ish lab right are moving with great stead iness mess After the assault they very quickly covered a distance of two kilometers beyond the German front line This far the day lies has gone well for France and England |