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Show TEARS GREAT GAP Hi 11 DEFENSIVE WHIRLWIND THRUST BY THE BRITONS WRECKS THE ENTIRE HINDENBURG LINE. English, Scotch, Irish and Welsh Troops Make One of Most Spectacular Spectac-ular Raids of the War, Completely Complete-ly Surprising Germans. London. The great Hlndenburg defense de-fense line upon which the Gorman commander in chief had builded his hopes of holding the British from inroads in-roads Into the open territory beyond, has been smashed. And the task apparently ap-parently was an easy one. Attacking on Wednesday over a front of thirty-two miles, extending from the Searpe river east of Arras Ur St. Quentin, Field Marshal Hafg, with his English, Scotch, Irish and Welsh troops, has made one of the most rapid nnd spectacular drives of the war, catching the Germans completely by surprise, capturing numerous positions posi-tions regarded as Impregnable, and taking thousands of prisoners and numerous nu-merous guns. The apex of the offensive appar-, ently is centered on the Important rall- juuuuuu Ol vauiortll, imuwii.v ur tween Arras find St. Quentin. Here, hnvihjj taken the towns of Marcolng, Anneux, Graincourt and Xovellcs, tha victorious troops at last accounts were nenring Canibrui, with its railroad lines and roadways branching out toward to-ward all the main points of the coin-pass. coin-pass. The British drive was begun without with-out the usual artillery prelude, and as the tanks and infantrymen made their way through the wire entanglements entangle-ments and pressed Into the German, first position, the surprised enemy began be-gan sending up myriads of signal rockets calling for assistance. Whether aid was rushed up Is not definitely known, but seemingly the surprised Germans fled In disorder, leaving all kinds of equipment behind and in most cases did not even take time, as usual, to apply the torch to villages they evacuated. An Indication that the Germans' fortified for-tified line has been passing by the British at some points Is the entry of the cavalry into the fray. JJot since the famous retreat of the Germans along the Ancre and the Somme in the spring of the present year have the horsemen been engaged. At that tim they performed valiant service in harassing the retreating columns and in rounding up prisoners. The British casualties were extremely extreme-ly light, while German dead covered the ground. Reports indicate that the depth of penetration in the region of Cambral has exceeded five miles and that at one point at least the troops swept on five miles beyond the German lines, capturing additional villages. vil-lages. The offensive was under direct command of General Sir Julian Hed-worth Hed-worth Byng, and General John 3. Pershing, commander in chief of the American forces In France, was an Interested In-terested observer. |