OCR Text |
Show Capture Ground Over a Sec-tor Sec-tor About Six Miles Long "Wunder Werk" Taken MUCH AERIAL FIGHTING H Railway Station at Bapaume Successfully Bombed ' Train Destroyed. jH London, Sept. 15, 2:15 p. m. The IH British returned to the attack on the Somme front last night, capturing over a sector -about six miles long. ( The war office announced today that j they had advanced from 2,000 to 8,000 yards and were continuing to pro jH The attack was made along the whole British front over which the ' heaviest fighting has been in progress jH recently. The British advanced on the line from Bouleaux wood between jH Combles and Ginchy to a point north of the Albert-Bapaume highway.' IH Preceding this morning's extensive offensive movement, the British last jH night drove forward, southeast of Thiepval, and captured about 1,000 1 yards of German trenches, including a I strongly fortified position. The statement follows: "Gains of about 1,000 yards wero 1 made, including the strong position k known as the "Wunder Werk," cap- jH tured by our troops. "This morning we attacked the en- fM emy on a front extending from Bou- lfl leaux wood to north o the Albert-Bapaume Albert-Bapaume road, a dis'tahce'oF 'about sic miles. Considerable successes al- ' ready have been obtained. Our troops have advanced some 2,000 to 3,000 fl yards at various places and the attack is progressing satisfactorily. "A large number of prisoners has been taken. "In this attack we employed for the vM first time a new type of heavy ar mored car which proved of consider' able utility. "Much aerial fighting has taken place. Four hostile machines were brought down in flames and at least four others wero driven down, dam-aged. dam-aged. One hostile kite balloon was brought down last night "Our aeroplanes co-operated with the advance of our infantry, from a IH low altitude, firing on the enemy on IH the ground. "Bombs were successfully dropped IH on three headquarters of the enemy. The railway station at Bapaume was also successfully bombed, much rail-way rail-way stock being damaged and one IH train destroyed." IH The dispatch dated at the British front in France says: IH "Today our troops in a great assault have broken through the enemy's third line of defense.' It Is reported that Flers is in our hands and that our in0 ; fan try is advancing further in the di rection of Morval (about two miles . east of Ginchy). "On our left we are at the moment JM in the outskirts of Martinpuich, and to the right we have moved forward along the whole line, encircling High wood and occupying the main part of Bouleaux wood. "Our men are filled with the spirit ' of victory and in several parts of tho j line the enemy is fleeing back to tha next line of defenses. ( "Prisoners are coming in fast. About 500 are already in cages and others are being brougnt down from the bat-tlefields." |