The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-01
German Second Line in
Champagne Is Pierced;
III Big Guns Captured
French Occupy Important Position Close to Railroad
Serving Crown Princes Argonne Amy-Batte
for Lens Key to Lille, Is Proceeding
AIR SQUADRONS RAIN BOMBS ON INVADERS

Special Cobie Despatch TO TuE SrN.
PARIS. Sept. 3O.-More ground was
gained last night and to-day by the
French and everywhere in Artois and
In Champagne the great offensive was
continued.
The booty captured in the first rush
OF the forward movement Is growing
rapidly as the work of counting is COM
pleted and the seriousness OF the Ger
man losses is now clear. The number
OF field and heavy guns taken in Cham
pagne alone totals l2l.
a bombardment OF unusual intensity
directed against the newly won posi-
tions in Artois has failed completely to
dislodge the French troops or even to
. shake the security OF their hold. The
latest intrenchments taken in this sector
on the heights between Souchez and
Nimy are being planted with heavy bat
/ teres.
In Champagne the hottest fighting Of
the last twenty-four hours occurred
| West of the Tahure heights French
troops charged into the second line of
German trenches, captured and held the
positions and advanced even further.
but were compelled to return by Il
thanking fire North OF lie Mesnil and
Massiges additional progress was made
and south Of Ripont the first line Ger
man positions previously taken have
been enlarged
The night communicate was as fol-
lows:
In Belgium our heavy artiller! sup
! ported the action Of the British fleet
against the coast batteries.
There Was no important action in
Artois. The enemy showed some ac-
tiNity near Armancourt. In the neigh
! horhood Of Roye strong recon-
4 noitrng force was dispersed by our
| fire. We exploded several mines be-
fore EeuvrYirncs which destroyed the
German trenches
IN Champagne We gained ground
rorth OF lie Mesni and to the east
between Ilill lso. north Of Ma ssiges
and the road from Vile sur. .Tourbe
to Cernay -en- Dermois. At the latter
place we made some prisoners. \
second counter attack enabled IN"
enemy to gain "a fouthold in the
"Ouvras" de IA Defai,r." A very
violent attack in the same sector was
completely repulsed
Tn" enemy has suffered import ~
lossS The Old German position"
having been cleared out. We haN" been
able IT, .uumeratc more completely
the guns captured. Their number is
much greater than had been an
uouuccd. The total number ~ field
guns and the heavy guns captured
from the enemy since september %
ON In" Champagne front alone ~
actually l2l
\ group of aViitors threw seventy
two bombs on the station At iuig1l-
court to-day. The homhlrdm-nt APP
pvtrcd to- h" effectiv-. The aV!ators
were violently bombarded hut re-
turned safely TO their starting point
The afternoon communique MAS as
follows.
The oulN resi- 7tduce of the enemy
Dr. tho A'ius district has U-en a very
violent hnmb,,tdmrnt OF our new posi-
t.ouS 10 TN, east of Souchez.
In tn, champagne district We have
g.Iu.d = footing at several points in
the ir, uches of the German second
lin. OF defence to the west of Tahure
heights and 10 the west OF III. Na-
warm farm. At the latter point GER
tain datachn"uts Of our troops made
4 their way through and resOlut-ly dd-
Nau,-d beyond the German lines. but
II was impossible for them To main