The Allies—English, Canadians, Australians, and French— attacked at dawn on
the northern and western sides of the salient from near Morlanconrt, south of Albert, to Braches, north of Montdidier, a front of over twenty miles. After a furious bombard- ment lasting only three minutes, the infantry advanced, preceded by hundreds of fast and light tanks and aided from the air by swarms of aeroplanes. The enemy was taken completely by sur- prise and overwhelmed. On the whole line south of the Somme the Allies gained their allotted positions by the afternoon, advancing at least four miles, and at some points seven miles, towards Chaulnes and Roye. Tanks, motor machine-guns, and cavalry took up the pursuit and went far ahead, doing great execution on the retreating enemy. On the peninsula north of the Somme the Germans offered a most stubborn resistance. They had six divisions on this narrow front. They were not pushed back till late in the afternoon, and they regained part of their position at night. The day's fighting yielded over fourteen thousand prisoners, many guns, and immense quantities of material of every kind.
