Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-06-23
TERRIFIC BATTLE
ON FRENCH FRONT
Germans Report RepuIse of An
qIo-FrenCh Attack Near La
Bassee With Enormous
Losses.

Berlin. June l9. (via London).-Of-
f1cial announcements made here today
that an allied force which attacked
German positions north of La Bassee.
northwestern France, was destroyed
only a few succeeding in retreating.
The text Of the statement which was
given out at the German army head
quarters follows:
I'm the western theater: Our enemies
continue their attempts to break
Bassee canal and nave suffered a new
defeat. Their attacking troops Were
destroyed. Only IL few men succeeded
in retreating.
East of Angres, south of Souchez.
and north of Ecurie. the French pene-
trated our outer positions at intervals.
Due north of the Lorette hills we sur
rendered a section of a trench situated
within range of the enelny's fire, in ac-
c%ordance with our plans. The rest of
the enemy's attempts to attack We're
frustrated. Since June Is we have
captured on the battlefield to the north
of Arras. IL officers and CAT men. The
%sanguinary losses Of u opponents
We're equal to those of the battles i'm
the Champagne district.
I'm he Argonne we repulsed weak
enemy advances at Vauvois. Local
fights developed in the Vosges. En-
gagements around Metzeral still are
going on.
London, June 1s.--Heavy fighting
has been resumed on the Franco
Belgian front, desperate encounters
being reported along the line north
from Arras with severe fighting at AK
Noulette. Souchez, Melville. VT. WAIST
! and on the British front.
Shells to the number of 300. 900 were
poured into the ranks and trenches of
the Germans and at various points tho
c%ontending forces fought with bay
onet and grenade.
For two days the French report the
factions have been numerous and des-
perate; the artillery duel violent and
continuous. The French have carried
several lines of trenches on the road
from AK Noulette to SoucheZ. they
have advanced in all directions toward
what is recorded as a series Of bril-
! liant assaults"
The Germans brought IL divisions
approximately $4,000 men-into the
action. and on both sides the losses
were heavy. Counter attacks followed
obliged to make the best use Of their
defenses throughout an entire night to
save themselves from being over
whelmed by the masses Of troops
hurled at them.
The reports on the progress Of hostil-
ilieS lssueu ny inc FRENCH zWaF ONCE
this afternoon consisted of 10 words.
1t said there was nothing to add to the
announcement given out last night.
Frederick Palmer, who is at the
front in France for the Associated
Press, sends the following from gen.
eral headquarters Of the British army
in France under date of June 16:
1.-The distant bombardment by the
French in the region of the LADY
rinth.' which has continued like the
ceaseless roll of thunder for several
days. was drowned early this morn
ing by the nearer roll Of heavy artil-
lery-preparations for an attack, ac-
companying the offensive Of the al
lies at two points on the British front.
where for several days we had had
only a sniping exchange of rifle and
machine gun shots between trenches
n Of shells between batteries. and .
lull in h siege warfare. *