The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-31
French Soldiers Are Fighting
Under Great Difficulties.
Their Guns Frozen Up So They
Cannot Shoot.
use BUTT ENDS OF MUSKETS
Sometimes They Even Fight
With Their Fists.
Review of Operation for the
Week Before Christmas.

Paris, Dec. 31.-There has been
given out in Paris the following recit-
al Of the principal effects of the war
between December 16 and December
"a:
This period Of nine days resulted in
consolidating the successes won by us
in the ten days preceding. Our ag-
gressive attitude has been continued
with increased energy. Everywhere
the enemy has been reduced to a de-
fensive attitude. The checking Of ev-
cry movement made by him in his en-
deavor to recapture ground lost to us
made our adv. -ntage the greater.
1t is proper to say that at various
points along the froLt. particularly
near Arras o the western boundary
of the Argonne district and near YER
dun, we have made ourselves the mas
tiers Of important points Of support
The operations to the north Of the
Lys have been attended by great
hardship because Of the bad weather.
The cold mud in which the men have
had to move has got into the breaches
of their rifles. This made 1t impossi
BILE to shoot. The fighting consequent
ly has been with e butt end of mus
kets and even 18th fists.
According to an expression used by
OHc u tIclI IcdueIS our SOiulcIS are
literally blots of mud. There has been
organized for them a system by which
they can battle and tlange their
clothes when they leave the trenches.
This they appreciate very much.
Their unfailing good humor helps
them to support in a wonderful way
the hard life at this rigorous winter
is inf1icting upon them.
Gallia Est Divisa in Parties Tres.
To-
ing this period along this part Of the
front we can divide the territory into
three parts: The region before Nieu-
port; the region to the north Of Ypres
and the region to the south Of Ypres.
In front of Newport there is on one
side the sea and on the other flooded
c. untry. Between them are the sand
dunes. Here it is that we have made
progress. December Is. in the even
ing. we moved out of Newport as far
as the western boundary of Lombaert-
zyde. December 16 we advanced as
far as the sea, occupied the lighthouse
and made 4nore than 100 prisoners.
December II we reached the point
where the Lombaertzyde road crosses
the dunes. This day we also made
certain progress more to the south in
front OF st. Georges.
December 10 we advanced 200
yards along this entire front. Decem-
Der 90 we occupied a German trench
and December 81, we made a farther
onward rush. gaining $50 yards in the
direction of Westende. All the
ground gained by us remains in our
possession.
December 20 to the north of Ypres
the fighting concentrated near Steen-
straete and near Bixschoote, in the
vicinity OF the Korteker inn and at a
point further to the southeast De-
cember II we captured in one engage
ment several trenches, four machine
guns and made $50 prisoners and ad-
vanced 500 yards.
Took Houses One by One.
December Is we took one by one
the houses close to our lines. The
next day the inn came under our con-
troll. We took possession of a forest,
certain houses and a redoubt. On the
22d of December We gained another
100 yards. The enemy delivered
counter attacks but in vain. The
operations of December II and IS
represented together an advance of
more than 700 yards.
To the south of. Ypres, near We'll
dock and near Hwartelen, we gained
on December 16 a total Of 400 yards.
December II and the days following
we continued our advance at this
point. Also the ground presented great
difficulties. 1t was necessary for our
men to fight in the water; neverthe-
less, our advances were continuous
and never once did we falter
From the Lys to the Disc in the
region of Lens and of Arras there oc-
CURED several very brilliant actions
which in their entirety presented the
same characteristics as those which
developed to the north of the LyS. To
the north of Lens, in the region Of
Bermelles, we made gains not far
from Notre Dame Demonstration on
December 16 running from 200 to 900
yards. On the 18th further rush
! forward won us 100 yards in one di-
rection and 500 in another. Our total
advance December Is was 500 yards.
| Like Football Game.
! December %, we made further
| progress of $50 yards, which brought
us to the junction of the roads from
Loos to Rutoire and from Loos to
Vermelles. In this fighting our artil-
lery was strikingly successful. To the
south of Lens there was fighting in
| the region of Carency and of Notre
Dame de Lorrette. Here the terri
tory. even on the heights. is clayey
and filled with springs. Trenches be-
come inundated as soon as they are
dug. AS happened in Belgium, the
rifles became Undiscovered and the
men made use of the butts.
December II, the first German
| branches at Notre Dame de LOrrette
came into our possession. Three days
later the first line trenches were oc-
| cupied by us.
The Germans endeavored to de-
bouch from Carency which position
they still held. They were driven
back with heavy losses. but still they
retained possession of Carency.
In the approaches Of Arras, at St
Laurent and at Blangy we delivered
attacks and were successful in win
ming ground. This we held in spite
Of violent counter attacks by day and
by night.
! Our artillery never loses time or Op-
| portunity when the weather is clear
| enough to shoot. Our guns succeeded
| in blowing up a depot of munitions at
| Thelus to the north of Arras. and sew
eral caisscns at a point to the east OF
I Blangy.
! Between Arras and Noya. the most