THE TANKS IN BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 16629, 11 January 1918, Page 7

THE TANKS IN BATTLE

CAVALRY 1)0 THEIR BIT. A SURPRISE FOR FRITZ. On November 20 thousands of British cavalry were co-cpcrating with the great army of tanks and infantry operating' against the Hindenburg line in the Cambrai sector. Open lighting bad been going on for several days before, and Britain's horsemen, who had been waiting for a chance in tine war to vindicate their cxistf-nce, were on this occasion rendering valuable e-ervioe in “mopping up” enemy'territory Bitter fighting occurred at many places, but the Br tish forces, who up to this morning. had penetrated strong German positions for a distance of some, five miles, were still pushing onward this afternoon. Masnieres, Marcoing, Ribecourt, Havrincourt, Graincouit, and Flesquieres all lay behind the advancing troops, and by noon the cavalry were to be seen drawing in on the Bourlon Wood, which lies west of Cambrai and dominates that town. To General Byng. who fought on the Gallipoli Peninsula, and who won fame as the commander of the Canadians who took Vhny Ridge, on the western front, falls the honor of having planned and successfully carried out the present drive, in which tanks and' the cavalry have p ayrd such a leading part. General Byng staked his chances on the tanks, and the tanks made good beyond the wildest expectations. Just before these mighty engines went forward to prepare the way for the infantry and cavalry, the general commanding the iron monitors distributed an order of the day, in which he said; “We expect every tank to do its damnedest.” They did this, and dealt the Germans one of the most staggering blows they have received in many months. With the tank general leading them in a monitor which flew his flag, they charged through two of the strongest lines in the German defence system on Re western front, as though these fortified trenches had not been there, and behind them on a front of some six miles infantry and cavalry poured through the great gaps which had been made. The surprise attack was launched at dawn over a wide front. In the first few hours its progress was marked with evident, success, and up in the latest jeports received at this time (4 p.m.) ha.u been moving along regularly according to schedule. The resistance offered by tire dazed Germans ibis morning was negligible, and by noon British pioneers already were at work .laying roads across the old front Hue trenches, while prisoners in considerable numbers had begun to come back from various directions. The casualties of the attacking forces thus far have been light. Great numbers of Gorman dead lie before the main Hindenburg trenches, where the bewildered enemy, taken unawares, made a halfhearted attempt to stem the onrushing Britons. The battle was an innovation for the western front, for it was begun without any preliminary artillery work. Upon the army tanks rested the responsibility for victory or defeat, and they fulfilled all expectations. The iron giants went through the tremendous line of barbed wire entanglements in front of the main positions and on over„the trenches as though they were on parade. Tho tanks started forward at 6.20 o’clock, and by 11.30 the British infantry, which had swarmed into the holes made by the mighty machines, were engaging the enemy in open fighting along the Hindenburg support lino, back of the main defences, at many points. Up to noon to-day there had been no hard fighting, and the German artillery fire had been very weak. The Germans surrendered freely in numerous places, and’sevcral hundred were brought, in during tho first few hours of fighting Two determined counterattacks were smashed by the British infantry in the early hours—one in a tunnel trench

) near Bullecourt, the other at Havrincourt I Park, where one company of Germans essayed an attvance. The tanks this afternoon, - | followed by infantry, were continuing their I journey into German territory. Prisoners I admit ruefully that the attack was a suv- . prise to them, and caught many of them in | their dugouts. The secrecy with which the British made their preparations was one of the most striking features of the offensive. Guns, tanks, rnd troops were moved into the Oambrai sector at night, and carefully hidden during the day.