The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-11-19
BELGIANS OPEN
DYKE AND FLOODl
|. FOES At DIXMUDE
One Entire German Regiment Is
Wiped Out.
TEUToNS WIN IN ARGoNNE
French Claim Victory Between Dix.
nude and sixschoote In Flanders
Bad Weather Hard on
Men In Trenches.


London, Nov. 1.-THE Belgians
again have wrecked the German plans.
The allies for nearly a week have
been trying to dislodge the invaders,
who held Dixmude and its enViFons,
but without success, owing to the iso'
lated position of the German strong
hold and the impregnable defensive
works erected by the. Germans.
During the day several Belgian de-.
tachments of engineers, with a strong
force OF sappers, worked around to
the south Of the town and cut an
other dixie, which has flooded the rear
of the German position to an impas-
sable depth, NARROWING the occupants
of the town and cutting them off from
their main body.
Germans Lose Thousands.
The supporting columns of German
infantry and machine gun detachments
were driven back to the westward by
the food. and thousands Of lives were
lost in the withdrawal. $40. st&.aE
The field east and south of Dixmude
is covered with dead, hundreds OF
bodies of men and horses floating in
the swirling waters of the food.
The inundated region now extends
from a point just south of Newport
to the forest of Houthurst, about
three miles north of Bixschoote.
Between Bixschoote and Dixmude
or hninD
hurled forward en- masse in an effort
to force the canal again and regain
the western bank. But the torrents
loosed by the opening of the dikes
caught them on the front and they
fed in great disorder in their anxiety
to escape being wiped out.
One entire regiment $1,000 mem
which had sought to escape the wall
Of water withdrew along ridge Of
ground running parallel with the
canal When they reached a point
just to the south of Bixschoote a ter
rife bombardment opened from the
allies trenches with artillery. rapid.
frers and rifles. The column was
within easy range and the Germans
were moved down rank upon rank
until the regiment was annihilated.
The semi-official news from Bor-
deaux that all of the official govern
ment staff and the members of the
chamber of deputies will return to
Paris today to re-establish the govern
meIt here, which is interpreted to
mean that General Joffre has given
President Poincare assurances that
there is no further danger Of Ger
man drive on Paris, and that the effort
to cut through to the French coast
likewise is failure.
Germans Win In Argonne.
An official announcement given out
in Berlin says that the German at
tacks in Flanders are progressing
slowly, but that in the Argonne the
Germans have obtained further impor-
tant successes.
A semiofficial explanation of the
French position in the forest of Ar
gonne was given out In Paris. 1t said
THE fighting line has not changed
perceptibly in the last two months.
The French and German trenches are
separated at some points by a dis
lance not exceeding fifty yards. In
fantry fire is constantly going on.
while all the expedients of siege opera,
tions are being utilized. This siege
resembles greatly that of Sebastopol
Daily engagements occur, resulting
sometimes in bending either the
French or the German lines back for
q distance of $50 yards.
The casualties have been heavy
for both armies, but here, as else
where, the German losses certainly
have been superior to those of the
French"
st Fighting South of Ypres.
South of Ypres the fighting RACES
with great fury, although the burden
of the conflict is on the artillery, the
biting gale, driving hail, rain and snow
before 1t, bringing practically to a halt
the furious attacks and counterat
tacks that have made this region an
inferno during the past month, 49,
Artillery conflicts continue along the
Aisnel
The roadsides in Flanders have been
turned into channels of mud by the
fall Of snow and the subsequent
drenching rains. The provisioning Of
the troops on the front has become q
difficult problem In consequence,
Crippled DirioibIe Over Holland.
-. \ 10y -. ~ ! - ~ FUNn- n l.