South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-21
Artillery Drives KaiSer'S Men
From Partly Constructed
Trenches Along the AiSne-
Enemies Within 80 Yards.
OFFENSIVE CHECKED;
ARTILLERY IN DUEL
Commission Gives Out Report
Alleging Massacre of Civil
lians After Capture and OC-
CupatiOn of AndenneS.

PARIS. Nov. 2l.-A series OF minor
successes over the Germans most Of
them artillery engagements. were re-
ported i'm the official statement issued
I,v the French war Office this after
noon. Along the Aisne the French
artillery was able TO drive the GER
mans from some partly constructed
trenches. preventing the invaders
from completing the work they had
begun. On the Verdun slopes the
French have pushed forward until
some sections of the trenches of the
opDosfng forces are only about 30
meters apart.
The official statement follows:
sThe dav of the goth was as a
whole similar to the two preceding
davs In Belgium our artillery as
sumed the advantage over the enemy.
From DiXmude to point south or
Ypres there has been intermittent ar
tillery action both on our part and on
that of the enemy.
AT HoHebeke two infantry attacks
of the enemy were swiftly repulsed.
From the Belgian frontier to the
Disc there is nothing Of Importance
TO report.
I'm the region Of the Aisne and in
Champagne the advantage seized by
our batteries over those of the Ger
mans has been increased, preventing
the enemy from continuing the con-
struction Of trenches previously be-
gun.
I'm the Argonne weahave blown up
some Of the enemy's trenches.
ION the Nerdun slopes and in the
Vosges we have made advances es-
tablishing our trenches at certain
points at less than 80 meters Ga lit
tie less than S3 yards) from the Ger
man positions"
Baked in Offensive.
In the shell-ravaged ruins Of Flan-
ders, the contending armies, baked IN
their offensive movements by the
snow and floods, are engaged today in
a deadly artillery duel, while the Ger
man infantry has renewed with some
success the move against the barrier
forts TO the east. in the forests of
ArgOnne, between Verdun and TOul
and across the border in Alsace.
Around YpreS where the Germans
have been driven back from the coast
by the fierce bOmbardment Of the
British fleet, the exhausted troops in
the trenches are resting while the
heavy artillery wages a duel. Snow
is falling and the gales have driven
the tide water inland, increasing the
area of the inundated district.
In official circles the reported gains
of the Germans in the region of the
barrier forts and their recrossing of
ly important Tt is pointed out that
the French are SO well fortified in
that section that it will be as i'm
possible for the Germans To break
through there as il was for them to
ram their way TO the coast.
Before the energy of the infantry
iE Flanders was numbed by the cold
the allies gained several notable vic
tories. To the British left wing credit
is given for notable gain at
BiNschoOte after desperate infantry
attack.
French Gain Victories.
The French. too. gained several
victories. The Bavarian regiment
which took Weidendraft was turned
out by a desperate bayonet charge
which was made by French troops
against superior numbers during a
snow storm.
The allies also scored minor sue
cesses at several points notably near
Schoore and Mannehensvere. and thus
forced the Germans extreme right
further back from the coast. The
allies continue 10 hold YpreS despite
the fact that the Germans continue TO
bring mp large reinfOrCements. Ypres
has been almost battered 20 pieces
Its LARGEST houses have beer lemOl-
iShed by huge shells. each weighing
nearly a a.. and a half. arriving al
most vertically at a speed OF 200 yards
ing their lines intact against the con-
centrated German force in the Ipres
region is attributed 10y expert OBJ
servers 10 the care which the COM
manding officers are beStowing upon
the comfort of their men.
Troops Get Rest.
The troops re getting a rest from
the trenches Instead Of being In
them for DAYS ana amid all the horror
that trench work entails. they are re-
Heyed at frequent intervals. They
are supplied with hot food. their
clothes are dried and they get COM
Dlete If brief vacations. Supervision
probably never before seen in warfare
ID being closely exercised over the
health OF the men. The army service
corps is working with eNactness. The
British position gees beyond the Off
cial word favorable" il is now COM
Portable.
The Germans attempted "a raid on
the big locks at Nieuport. through
which the waters Of the North sea are
sweeping inland. Their attack. which
was conducted in 9 number OF armed
automobiles. was repulsed-
The Germans have lately stumbled
across "a new weapon which has ter
rOrized their rank and hle and nom
plussed their generals. i Is "a new
British gun. These guns have raZed
whole forests 20 the ground and the
Germans have. therefore. shown dis
position not 40 entrench themselves
too systematically in the thick woods
around Ypres. Lille and lsabassee. In