The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-11-19
ALLIES CUT DOWN
BEFORE tDIXMUDE
Town StiII Held by Germans After
Hard Fight.
PUSH TEUToNS ACROSS USER
French War Office Asserts Left Bank
Of River 10 Now Free Of KaISeTs
, Troops-Dead Cover
., 49,. Battlefield.

London, Nov. 16.--The left bank Of
the User has been cleared entirely Of
the Germans and the French war Of
fee reports telling defeat was admin
istered by the allies in contact with
invaders on the right bank.
Complete evacuation OF the western
bank of the canal, which the Germans
have held for so long, was announced
in the French Official communtque
from Bordeaux.
The official statement lays the great
est stress, however, on the lighting on
the right bank, where fierce attack
by the Germans in the direction OF
,Ypres was checked and a wooded posi-
ton was retaken by the allies, indicat-
ing progress In Strengthening their sa-
lent based on Ypres.
On the right bank, also, the fury
of the allies offensive was directed
against Dixmude, where the Germans
held a strongly advantageous position.
The afternoon communiQue admits
Dixmude is still held by the Germans.
Unofficial accounts of the fighting
described a terrific battle for this po-
sition. The Germans had mounted
machine guns in the few remaining
towers left In the ruined village. and
cannon had been trained down the
thoroughfares leading to the west
ward and commanding the trenches
of the heavily REINFORCED sllies. From
the western edge of the town new and
heavily protected, trenches had been
dug by the Germans.
81. H.. Allies Are Checked. ,.ss
The allies bonn barded the Germans
In the town from the western bank
and under cover of the heavy cannon
aiding made repeated attempts to cross
and take the town on the other side
of the canal by storm. The vigor Of
the artillery and small arms fusillade
made the crossing such a perilous eff
tort that the frontal attack finally was
abandoned. $751;. &c.,, n.
Armored trains did signal service or
the railway between Newport and Dix
nude. They threw $50 shells into the
German position west Of the User
keeping down their fire and assistins
the movement Of the British troops II
the direction of the river.
For the last few days heavy rain
storms have swept over the battle
fields, making it difficult to move
heavy guns. The men in the solder
trenches are having an unhappy time
Many have to fight knee deep in the
water. Some are even waist deep
There are limits to human endurance
and military movements may for &
time become well-nigh impossible.
Strengthening of the allies salien
or wedge based on Ypres progresses
To the south. of Bixschoote the allies
as q result Of a fierce encounter ii
which masked batteries and bidder
machine guns played an importan
part, succeeded in retaking a ,littl,
wood which the Germans captured
three nights ago in a night attack.
Repulse Germans at Ypres!
At dusk the Germans attempted {
supreme effort In the direction o
Ypres, attacking in force from thu
south, but the onslaught was met b!
flawless defensive, and the attack
ers were hurled back with consider
able losses.
When night came on the field II
front of the British and FrencI
trenches was covered thick with tn
German dead. .... ~. ........
The scope Of the battle on the re
mainder of the front has been re
stricted to trench fighting and to e1
change OF artillery fire, owing to tn
excessive rains and the chill weather
'4gnF ~ . as