South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-02
French Official Statement Says
Terrific Engagement Ends
With Tide Against Germans
Who Abandon Trenches.
ARTILLERY BOMBARDS
BELGIANS IN FLANDERS
Big Guns Direct Heavy Fire
Against Points of Support
Recently Captured by King
AIbert'S Troops.

PARIS, Feb. 2.-The tide of battle
on the LABassee front, in northern
France. has swung in favor of the
British after a terrific engagement.
The Official statement issued by the
war office this afternoon stated that
the Germans launched a fierce assault
against the British lines at Guinchy,
near LaBassee, but the British rallied
and in counter attacks not only re-
gained all the ground that they lost
but took some German trenches in
addition.
Heavy French artillery is lombard
ing the railway station at Noyon,
where the Germans were carrying out
cOmmissary work.
In West Flanders German artillery
has been carrying on severe can
nOnade against Belgian works.
The official cOmmunique follows:
THE day OF Feb. was marked by
an increase of the intensity of the ar
tillery duels on both sides.
1T was also noted by a series of
German attacks of secondary import
ance which were all repulsed with
heavy losses 10 the enemy iE proper
tion to the forces engaged.
Artillery Is Active.
In Belgium the German heavy ar
tillery has shown great deal or ac-
tivity upon the whole front occupied
10y the Belgian troops and especially
against the several points of support
which they (the Belgians) mad cap
tured some time ago.
In the region OF the User around
Ypres, very violent cannonade has
taken place.
From the Lys to the SOmme, a
German regiment attacked an English
post near Gunienchy and succeeded in
throwing back the English but the
British by a series OF counter attacks
reoccupied the ground lost and then
made some progress, capturing some
of the enemy's trenches.
The action referred TO in the COM
munique of Feb. 1, IL D. m, as hav-
ing taken place along the road from
Bethune TO lSaBaSsee was particularly
brilliant for our infantry. The num-
ber of troops employed by the Ger
mans IN this fighting seems TO have
been at least "a battalion. The two
opening attacks v ere checked by our
fire: the first succeeded in entering
one of our trenches but a counter at
tack made Immediately with the bay
Onet permitted us TO repulse the en-
emy Some Germans alone succeeded
in regaining their trenches. All the
others were killed or made prisoners.
Between the Somme and the Oise
and along the front Of the Aisne no
important event has taken place with
the exception Of the German attack
made upon BeaumOnt-Hamel which
was not renewed.
Bombard Railroad Station.
"Our heavy artillery has lombard
ed the railroad station at NoyO
where the enemS was carrying out his
commissary work Our guns caused
% II "
hung IN the air for more than two
and a half hours.
I'm the region IL Perthe our meth
odical progress continues. We have
occupied another small forest TO the
northwest OF this village.
I'm tfSs Woevre the enemy has at
tempted an attack upon the western
corner OF the forest of BouchOt, 10 the
northeast OF TrOyOn. This attack was
Immediately stopped.
There is nothing new TO report on
the front of Lorraine or of the Nos-
ges."
Fire set by German shells is sweep
ing the city OF Thanh. in upper Al
SAGE. which is now held by the
French. IL Is reported from BelfOrt
Artillery duels are again raging ali
along the lire. In the Nosges and in
Alsace Lorraine the big gun combats
are going on in binding snow storm.
Engineers Hart Hit.
The German engineers and sappers
attached 20 the German army OF the
Aisne have suffered heavily from the
French cannOnade directed toward
new German trenches which were in
the course of construction.
French marines have been sent TO
reinforce the Belgian troops in West
Flanders.
Fast OF Amiens. near Albert and on
the IaBassee canal the German in
fantrv attacks against the first line
French and British field works have
been repulsed and the corpses OF
men who fell in the fighting on Fri
day and Saturday still lay upon the
muddy battle field.