South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-12
Abandon Positions in flanders
Which Are Then Taken by
French - Heavy HOWitzer
Battery is Destroyed.
HAND -T0-HAND FIGHT
IN WESTERN FLANDERS
Grenadier and COIdStream
Guards, BritOn'S Famous
Regiments, Engaged in Ter
rifle Struggle.

PARIS Dec. 1.-THE German
troops in Flanders have been COM
PEELED to evacuate the west bank %
the User canal and the allies have oc-
cupied the positions abandoned by tho
zoe. This was officially announced
here this afternoon, An official state-
ment Issued by the war office shows
that the French artillery continues to
demonstrate its superiority over thaI.
Of the Germans, one of the German
howitzer batteries has been. complete
ly destroyed, the official statement
says,
The communique follows n fulls
The enemy has been compelled to
evacuatc the western bank of the
User canal 20 the north Of the house
Of the ferryman, We are Occupying
that Dauk.
'In the region OF Arras there are
artillery conflicts. In the region of
Nampcel our batteries have silenced
the batteries of the enemy.
I'm the region of the Alsne our
heavy artillery has silenced the Ger
man field artillery. one OF their bat
teries OF howitzers has been complete
y destroyed.
'To the northeast OF Valley, in the
region OF Perthes and in that OF the
forest of GTuTie there have been ar
tillery duels and some infantry en-
gagements which have turned 90 cur
advantage.
Artillery less Active.
ON the heights Of the Meuse the
enemys artillery has been less active.
On the contrary that OF our troops has
destroyed at DeuX-NOuds (to the west
OF Vigneulles) two of the enemy's bat
teries. one OF heavy caliber. the other
used for firing upon aviators.
I'm the same region we have blown
up a block house. Between the
Meuse and the Moselle there is nothing
TO report,
"In the Vosges there are artillery
duels. In the region OF Senones we
have strengthened the positions taken
the day before.
"Russla-In the region OF Mlawa,
the violent attacks or the Germans
have been repulsed. The Russians
have retaken the offensive against the
columns OF the enemy Withdrawing IN
disorder.
I'm the region 20 the north of
LowiCz the sanguinary attacks OF the
Germans have likewise been repulsed
everywhere with great losses for them.
In the region 90 the south OF Cracow
the Russian offensive continues salts
factorily, despite obstinate resistance.
"Servia-The Scrvian armies have
! reached the kolubara river, have
crossed that stream between NaljeVo,
which they have captured, and tho
continent OF the Liig TO the north,
they have occupied LaZarevatz The
number OF prisoners that they have
taken IN the course Of the latest bat
ties has reached the neighbOrhood %
5000"
Hand-tO- Hand Fighting.
Terrific counter attacks are being
made by the Germans IN West Fland-
ers 10 check the efforts OF the British
and French TO push forward on the
Roulers road from Ypres. During
the past As hours there has been furi-
Gus hand-to-hand fighting In which
some OF the most famous English
troops on the continent figured.
Among them were the grenaoier
guards and the c0ldstrcam guards
whose valor is traditional I'm the am
mails Of British military history
The contest for trenches east ot
Ypres resulted in heavy losses on both
sides and between the line are hum
dreds Of corpses which lie where they
feI on Thursday At various points
all along the line in the northern
sphere. heavy night and day bomb bard
ments are under way. The cannonade
around Armentieres and Arras IS IN
cessant and all the towns and villages
for miles around are deserted ruins
battered by shells
Along the center the battle cOntin-
ues 10 show all the characters or
siege with both sides living in dug
outs behind their trenches while the
opposing artillery struggle for mas
tery.
Artillery Fire Grows.
on the heights OF the Meuse on the
woevre district and in the Nosges
activity is Increasing particularly on
the part OF the artillery which is
kept IN action against the enemys
trenches most Of the time.
The battle Of the Aisne. which sub
sequently developed into the mighty
conflict which is raging over territory
Of three nations began just 3 weeks
ago today. IN that time the lines of
the allies and the Germans have 10th
been shifted but there has not been a
break AT any point.
From Rheims IL is reported that
both the French and Germans are
employing sapping operations on a
large scale. the sappers always be-
ing under artillery fire. Between tho
Argonne and the Meuse and around
the forest OF Ia Prerre the Germans
struggling desperately 20 retake
ground which was captured from
them hy the French
The French call the big German
shells sauce pans because theN
make noise ike big sauce par
'alling 90 the ground when they eA
plode.