The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-12-09
ALLIES GAIN IN
HARD FIGHTING
Drive Wedge in German Line
Near Ypres
1EuToN ATTACK REFUSED
The Kaiser's Forces, Fighting IN
Furious Storm, Advance to Town
Near the Coast.

Near the Coast.
London, Dec 9.-Another great bat
Tie is raging in Flanders. Both OF
the armies have resumed their ohea-
sive tactics in that section OF the
western zone of the war.
From the reports reaching LONDON
from Paris it is declared that the al
lied forces have gained considerable
ground in Flanders, as well as along
the battle front in France and In the
ArEonne.
Heavy rains and the poor condition
of the roads in west Flanders nave
hampered the movement OF troops
and artillery and there IS lull In the
conflict there, although both armies
have continued their heavy gun ire.
Official communications from Pa is
declare that the allies are gaining
ground and that their offensive is pro-
crossing at many points.
Heavy fighting has been continued
along the User and toward Ypres,
where the two hostile armies have
been directing their efforts In an at
tempt to cut each others lines. Here
It is said in unofficial dispatches that
the British forces have driven
wedge in the German lines and that
the Germans may be forced to with
draw their forces near the coast.
The dispatch says that the British
forces have recaptured Passchen-
daele, q town in Flanders, between
Ypres and Roulers, after some des-
perate fighting and that, II true. the
invaders will be forced to relinQuish
their lines in that section of the zone
Of war and fall back toward their
other position In Belgium and nearer
their own frontier.
From Paris comes the official state
ment that the allies have halted the
onensive movements of the Germans
Id the region of st. Eloy, south Of
Ypres, and that they inflicted severe
losses on the invaders. Here the Ger
mans violently assailed the lines of
the allies, but all of the attacks Of the
Teutons were repulsed.
Additional dispatches from the
French war Office say that the fight
ing has becrne more violent at many
points along the lines in France. and
particularly In the Argonnes, where
the French forces are pushing their
offensive.
From that section OF the war the
reports are conflicting. Berlin claims
that the Germans have made gains
there, while Paris declares that the
French forces have made some pro-
gress. Paris declares that the fight
ing In that section Of the battle front
b very lively.
Taking advantage of the fierce gales
on the Belgian coast, which made the
British and French war vessels in the
North sea helpless, the Germans have
made q sudden shift of pressure
09ai;ist the extreme left wing OF the
allies, beating back the Belgians who
held positions there.
Fighting in the midst Of a furious
storm, which drove In from the North
sea, the German soldiers, while dashed
BY wind and rain, hurled themselves
against the Belgians with such force
that King Albert's men were COM
PEELED to fall back. Then the Ger
mans pushed long-range artillery
westward along the Newport Furness
road. and are now Smelling Oost-Duin-
kerke, only fifteen miles from Dun.
kirk, France, one of the two chief OBJ
jectives of the drive towards the
coast.
Oost-Duinkerke is two and q half
miles west Of Nieuport, about mile
from the coast, and only nine miles
from the French border.
Official dispatches announce that
the German artillery is bombarding
the town, but they fail to say how
near the Germans ere to the place.
This information. however, has es.
tablished the fact that the allied
forces, which were recently reported
to be on the outskirts of Ostend,
ready to enter at any time they chose,
have been forced to retire; that the
Belgian army, whose duty it was to
hold the extreme left of the allies
line, has fallen back under the as.
saults Of the Germans. and that the
Germans are in possession of a con-
siderable section of the Newport
Furness road, which is high out Of
reach Of the floods.
It Is also apparent that the recent
attempts of the allies in the extreme
north to swing around the northern
end Of the German right flank have
been effectually checked.
The official bulletins are as follows:
FRENCH.
I'm Belgium a violent German at
tack on st. Eloy, south of Ypres, has
been repulsed. The struggle at al
times is very lively in the forests and
to the east of the Argonne.
During the day of the 7th the en-
envy has been more active than the
day before, in the region of the User
and in the neighborhood Of Ypres.
Our artillery has answered back with
success.
"In the region of Arras a very bril-.
liant attack has given us possession
Of Vermelles and Rutoire. VermeIles
had been for nearly two months the
scene Of desperate fighting. The en-.
envy had taken footing there on Oct
-16, and from Oct. q to Oct. Is sue
ceeded in forcing us back from the
locality. From the 25th of October
sapping and mining operations had
brought us back until we were again
In cIOsa contact and nm tho LOT of