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Show i. HEIJCH lElIJS-dSEj HEl" jTTF..C'I.S I i 1 . Haig's Forces Pushing Ahead Northeast of Ypres .1 .and Keeping Up OffensiveiBegiin With Com- 1 bined Forces on Tuesday Good 1 Progress Reported. i BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM, OcL 12 (By the Associated Associat-ed Press.) At an early hour today, British troops which began an attack in Flanders this morning-, . had penetrated pene-trated several hundred yards into the enemy's territory on a six mile front from near Houtholst wood to a point1 a-, bfilow..lher.YpresjJa.QUlex5railA;ayw.andi were battling along the Passchcndaele ridge within 1000 yards of the center of the village of Passchendaele. By 7:45 o'clock this morning reports were received that everything was going go-ing well with today's British attack in Flanders. The troops along a wide front had pushed forward to a depth of 800 yards or more-Prisoners more-Prisoners were beginning to come in early, although slowly, owning to the condition of the ground. Indications are that the Germans early were aware that trouble was impending, as about 4 a. m., a large number of gas shells were fired by them along the British front. The main enemy today was not the Germans, but the mud. The Germans were far less formidable than previously, prev-iously, owing to the disorganization occasioned among them by the recent terrific blows of the British. The correspondent yesterday spoke to Field Marshal Haig, who does not confine himsolf to headquarters. The field marshal paid the highest tribute to his men for their gallant work In the bad weather. LONDON, Oct. 12. The British troops in FJanders attacked the Ger-manr, Ger-manr, this morning on a front of about six miles northeast of Ypres. They j are reported to be making satlsfac- I ij , torj' progress. Rain fell heavily dur- i h 1 ing last night. ! The official report from Field Mar- i shal Haig's headquarters today reads: I "We attacked at 5:25 o'clock this , morning on a front of about six miles ! ' northeast of Ypres . Our troops are re-j re-j ported to be making satisfactory prog-) prog-) ress. Rain fell heavily during the f night" . Field Marshal Haig's latest' effort is being pushed in the same region I i r as the attack of Tuesday, in which the British, in co-operation with tho French, drove back the Germaaa L along a front of seven miles and cap- tured more than 2,000 prisoners. It f is probablo that the present effort is ; an attempt to clear the Germans from j the remaining portions of tho domi- y , nant ridge-east of Ypres. Tuesday's A attack gave the British more ground 1 :j j on the ridge and left the Germans Lf wItn only a 8ma11 section in the region I o Passchendaele. The British now ihS. hold most of the. good positions on the 'XS" rId6c roni which they dominate eJTf with tholr nrtillery the important Sf& Rouler3-MenIn railroad and the rail- f - road towns of Roulers, Staden and , ' ; Menin. jj . , Apparently tho present drive is ! ; being made under weather conditions ! ! similar to those which existed Tues- j i I day. ,.' '. Following several days of heavy rain Field Marshal Haig threw his men forward and surprised the Germans, Ger-mans, who did not think that the British Brit-ish would attempt to attack while tho; battlefield was waterlogged. i Berlin Reports Fight. t ..LJIOtlSvaaLondonrJ Fresh attacks were begun on -a wide' front in Flanders today by entente, forces after drum fire had been directed direct-ed on the area from the Lys to the' Ypres-Menin road, army headquarters' announces. 1 Review of War Situation. , The British steam roller "goes up hill very slowly, but it Is now going! down hill and battles are following' each other more and more rapidly," said Major General Maurice, director of operations at the British war office, yesterday. The truth of this assertion was driven home less than 24 hours after it was made by the beginning this morning of another British attack in! Flanders. Only three days had elapsed i since the last attack made on Tuesday. Tues-day. Tuesday's push was launched after a four-day pause, the last previous prev-ious drive having been carried out, the preceding Thursday. Previously intervals of a week or more,- had elapsed between tho British attacks. 1 Troops Pushing Ahead. Good progress was reported early! by Field Marshal Haig along the six-1 mile front northeast of Ypres, on1 which today's assault is being dcllv-1 ered. Apparently the objective is the1 remainder of the ridge commanding' the Flanders plain over the dominant1 points of which tho British have al-: ready passed and aro driving down-1 ward. Another notable event in connection with the present series of drives is that each is now apparently being made regardless of" weather conditions. One good day for airplane observation observa-tion was enough for the British in this instance to get their ranges, lauch their drum fires, drop their barrage and push to the attack through the mud and renewed rainfall. Military observers In this connection connec-tion credit the British high command with the belief that it Is probably of little use to wait for good weather at this time of the year in Flanders. Anothor consideration pointed to isj the reported weakening state of tho I German army morale, an opportunity to bo seized with all possible promptitude prompti-tude if the utmost advantage is to bo taken of It. Thoro is no Indication that the French forces on the British left which pushed forward approximately a mile to the edge of the Houtholst wood in Tuesday's attack are participating in today's advance. Their task for the moment seems to have been completed by tho bringing up of their lines to a point where efficient protection would i bo given tho British loft flank in tho renowal of the wedge-driving process being carried between Passchendaelo and Gheluvell. |