South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-12
Conflict in Northern France and
Western Belgium Continues
With Violence But No DeciS-
i've Victory on Either Side.
POSITIONS AT FRONT
REMAIN UNCHANGED
Fighting Extends Along Line
From Lombardtzyde and
NieupOrt to Region of ZOnne-
beke Near ArmentiereS.

PARIS. Nov. 12.-Fighting between
the allies and the Germans i'm north
ern France and western Belgium is
continuing with uninterrupted violence
II was officially announced by the
French war office this afternoon. The
conflict IN the northern sphere il
marked by alternate advances and re
pulses without either side scoring an
important and decisive triumph. The
Prussian guards assumed the offensive
in the northern zone against the
British but their attacks were re-
pulsed
There has been furious lighting
along the AiSne, the attacks and coun-
ter-attacks being marked by bloody
hand TO hand fighting.
The official communique in full fol
lows:
ION our left wing the battle con
I tlnueS uninterruptedly with the same
violence followed with alternate ad-
vances and repulses that have. how
ever, thus Tar been without decisive
, Importance.
In a general way the battle front
has not materially changed since the
evening OF Nov. 10. IL extends along
the line Of Eombardtzyde and Nieu-
port, the Nieuport canal TO Ypres. ad-
Nancing from Hpres 20 the region Cf
Zonnebeke and east OF Armentieres.
British Maintain Positions.
There has been no change in the
positions held by the British troops
who have repulsed the attacks Of The
enemy particularly an offensive move
ment undertaken by the Prussian
guard.
From the Labassee canal as far as
the river Oise. only minor engage
ments have occurred.
In the region of the river Aisne, in
the vicinity OF Vailly, we maintained
our position in the face OF a desperate
hand -to-hand counter attack We
nave made more effective our position
on the ground previously retaken from
the enemy ia this vicinity.
In the region of CraOnne at the
Heurtebiz farm our artillery brought
up TO silence the enemy's guns, has de-
mOlished several OF them
There has also been som progress
made by our forces near A;erry-Au-
Bac. In the ArgOnne region, in the
Woevre, in Lorraine and in the Nos-
ges the positions have undergone no
change"
Try 20 Turn Flank.
Following a long series OF bloody
frontal attacks which stand without
precedent for herceness. the allies are
now trying to launch fanking move
ment in the battle Of Flanders. Under
the protection OF the guns on the pow
erful AnglO-FreLch fleet which lies
of the Belgian coast. an army made
up OF British. French. BelgianS and
Indians is trying TO swing arour5 the
right wing Of the German forces or
the Ostend-DiXmude- Ipres end
H...H HEr
lied army. pressing eastward along
the North sea coast had for It's OBJ
ject the opening OF the road 20 Ant
werp, but IL is now believed that the
real object was 10 effect an envelop-
ing movement.
Night attacks have been a feature
Of the lighting over the Gpres-Arras
line especially In the vicinity OF Ar
mentieres, where the assaults and
counter attacks have been terrific
Farther 20 the east. In Belgium. the
Germans are said 20 have charged as
many as Is times in one night
Thousands Fall i'm Charge.
They came on in torrents" says a
press dispatch from behind the front
Especially in the lighting at Dix
nude the German officers hurled
huge bodies Of men into the fray re-
gardless OF the cost OF the victory
which they sought The invaders won
and took Dixmude but at what a ter
rible cost probably 10000 German
soldiers fell In the assaults uDon the
allies lines at Dixmude. The town
was finally taken by storm at night
The men on both sides fought like
demons Blasts OF death from ma
chine guns swept the ranks. rifle vol
leys devastated the grey-clad lines az
they swept forward. the thunUe- Of
artillery turned the night into the
hideOusness OF hell. When the street
lighting began the battle assumed
new intensity. The German legions
seemed ineXhaUstihIe. The streets
were soon cluttereG with bodies OF
dead and diving. Soldiers had 10 pick
up the corpses and cast them from the
roadway 10 omen a lone for the pas
ge OF artillery and ammunition
wa gons. Buildings caught ERE and be-
meath the glare Of c0n77 grafton and
the lurid glow OF burning gunnowder
the men clinched and fought IN q
hand tO-hand struggle IN this In
ferno."
Commands Road TO Duukirk.
DiXmude commands a straight road
leading 20 Dunklrk. one ~ the two
goals OF the invaders channel cam
paign, but the Germans VIII fnd
large obstacle in their path when +hey
try 70 advance along this highway.
The allies have built trenches on both
sides OF the road. have erected harrf
cades across IL and have PLANTED artil-
tery on heights dominating it 50 thaf
Il can be swept from distance.
The other zones Of activity alonl
the line from the Belgian border -
the Nosges are.