Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-17

and the French armies in immediate
touch with it:
In describing the operations for TIN
six days from Nov. 4 to 9 1t can bt
said that during that period the Ger
mans have nowhere along our from
made an attack in great force, such
as was launched against Ypres at tho
end of October Their policy has APP
peared to be to wear us out by con-
tinual bombardment. interspersed with
local attacks at different points.
AS regards their artillery attack
wonder is aroused as to when this
prodigaI expenditure of ammunition
will cease. for it has not produced its
obviously calculated effect of breaking
the defence in preparation for an adj
vance of their infantry.
$50 far the latter have been the
chief sufferers from the tactics EN-
ployed. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, they
renewed the attack east of Ypres, but
their effort bore no resemblance u
those which preceded it, being more
in the nature of a demonstration and
was beaten off with ease.
by then our men had been rein
forced, had enjoyed some rest and had
had time to improve their trenches.
Moreover the consciousness that they
had repealed one great effort of the
enemy was factor of no small valuS.
Farther to the south on our left
center the French advanced under
cover of our guns and made some
progress.
''Or our right, our Indian troops
scored a success by capturing and fill
ing in some trenches in which the en-
envy haG established himself only 30
yards from our lines, under cover of
some heavy artillery brought up after
dark.
ION our extreme left, one of our
howitzer batteries selected as it's first
target a farm from which a machine
gun was harassing our line. 1t scored
hit at the first round and knocked
out the machine gun.
THE second target was a house oc-
capied by Shippers. This was set ahght
by a shell and when the occupants
belted, trey came under the rapid fire
of the infantry. The third target was
another building. from which the
Germans were driven and then were
caught in the. open by shrapnel One
of our heavy batteries also obtained
several direct hits on the enemy's
guns.
Thursday tNoy. s. was another
comparatively quiet day. South of
Ypres the Germans maintained a
heavy bombardment of one section of
our lines, but generally speaking, the
artillery fire was not so heavy as it
had been somewhat TO the south.
TIE French made slight progress
and recaptured some ground farther to
the south. Two villages which the en-
envy had captured and their line of
ridges close by were heavily lombard
ed by the British and French artillery
from the high ground to the west.
The effect of this cannonade could be
seen TO some extent. though the vii
lagos under fire were partly obscurcd
from view by the smoke of bursting
shells and resembled the craters of
volcanoes belching fire and fumes. At
one place the gaunt wreck of an old
church tower and the blaekened re-
mains of few houses around 1t would
emerge fol. a minute only to be blot
ted out in pail of smoke.
THE long and struggling villages
when they became temporarily visible
seemed to melt away and assume edo
and fantastic shapes, as the houses
crumbled.
THE result of this artillery work
was most satisfactory. When the Ger
mans were seen to be running from
shelter which had ceased to act as
such, they were caught and moved
down by the rapid fire guns of the field
artillery. On the whole, the ground
which the Germans have gained in
this direction has so far proved a
Small barren acquisition. 1t Is so ex-
posed that it proves death trap fol
their troops and they cannot derive
advantage from its possession.
Farther south our aeroplanes and
those of the French scored a success
by partly destroying two of the OLD
forts of Lille. Fort Englos was blown
up on the fourth and Fort sCarnot or
the fifth. They were most probably
used as magazines.
ION Friday, the 9Th, the attack was
renewed south of the Menin-Ypres
high road, but was repulsed without
difficulty Against the southeast OF
4 pres Inc loWH Idu bccH SoDJttAcN
to a bombardment during the nigh
and we shelled it during the day. A
strong advance was made during tht
afternoon.
The French. however, by nightfal
had recovered all the lost ground. A
French attack on two positions which
had been shelled on Thursday made
considerable progress, one point BEING
captured but the enemy contriyed te
render the position untenable and oui
allies retired from the hill.
ION our right south of the Lys, the
enemy made two unsuccessful night
attacks.
On Saturday the seventh. on our left
the enemy in the afternoon again at
tackled on the east and southeast OF
Ypres along the Menin road. Our line
was at one point forced back. only to
be regained after a few minutes.
Slightly farther to the south fighting
continued with undated fury and re-
suited in gains to our allies About foul
hundred of the enemy advanced from
the cover of a wood against the French
Half of them. with the most rockies:
bravery. came on to close quarters ant
were all shot or bayonetted. A tremen
dous eannonade was maintained by boil