Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-21
IMPORTANCE OF GAINS
NOT MEASURED BY YARDS
Distance Covered May BE Small.
While Character Of Action Is
Strategically Vital.
REPoRT OF AN "EYEwITNEss.'
Colonel f.. ID. S,vinton Continues His
Story of Fighting in Northern
France and Belgium-Progress OF
Allies Is Very Slow.

LONDON. December 2O.-The Off lcial
press bureau tonight issued an eye
witness account OF the activities OF
the British expeditionary force In
france and Belgium, continuing the
previous report by Colonel T.. ID. Swim
ton, and including the events up to
December IL The account follows:
There is now something definite on
our front to report. In conjunction
with operations conducted by the
French, who are also pressing forward,
movement has been started which
has resulted In Il small gain OF ground.
On the night of December 8 and IA,
to tho south OF the River Lys some of
the Indian troops rushed two German
'sapheads' and gained possession OF
them.
''On December IL. on our right. the
artillery Of both sides was kept en-
pioSed. our guns taking the greater
share OF the action, while there was
rifle fire all along the line.
SECTIONS OF ENEMY,s
TRENCHES ARE CAPTURED
on the left somewhat more i'm
portant operation was initiated After
the bombardment OF section OF the
German position, our infantry pushed
forward at point west of Wytschaetc.
where we captured some sections OF the
enemy's trenches at n loss to the enemy
OF 100 killed and two officers and sixty
men taken prisoners
Beyond our left the Germans were
also forced back for some distance
along line running between Saint
Eloy to the southeast OF Ypres and
Lonnebcke and north OF the Ypres-
Menin road
North OF Ypres the Germans also
Withdrew at certain points At night
the enemy fred $50 shells into Armcn-
there's.
"On Tuesday no advance was made
by either side To the north of the
-Ss our artillery action continued and
our infantry maintained the gain in
ground made on the day before.
on our Immediate left. the French.
opposed by stubborn resistance. made
no further progress. During the night
near GlVenchy. an assault was carried
out in three bodies against the Ger
man saps. These attacks were sue
cessfnl. And our troops retained posses
sion OF q certain length of each sap.
In the centre minor attacks against
Gcrman trench also were successful.
Beyond our right the French
gained some ground on Wednesday
The Germans started what looked like
an advance In force against our right.
but 1t did not develop. In the centre
sappinG operations alone occupied each
side.
"On our left we maintained ,h.
ground we had won on the 18th, while
to the north OF us the French made
some progress. capturing 400 yards OF
trehches on the north of the Mcntn
koad. from which we we're driven bv
the Prussian Guard on October IL.
On December u nothing happened
ON our right the enemy showed signs
or expectation OF an attack. while In
the centre sapping continued Some OF
our heavy guns obtained several hits
upon German howitzer battery and
what appeared to be their headounr-
ters On the left our action was CON
hned to artillery. the infantry not ad-
on the 18th.
TWO GERMAN SOLDIERS
BLOWN UP RY GRENADES
IN this quarter OF the field two
German soldiers. who crawled out OF
their trenches to throw hand grenades
were both blown up by the premature
bursting OF one OF these missiles.
Beyond our left, In the north. n
Continued on Second Page.)