The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-21
Momentary Success of Ger mans Is Lost Before Con- tinued Allied Offensive,
 Claims Reviewer
FINAL REFUSE OF GERMAN OFFENSIVE
 OCCURRED MAY IF
Sudden Dash of kaiser's Troops Re- suited In Rapid Advance, But Pressure of Counter Attacks
 Turns the Day

Paris. May 20.-(3.i0 D. m.)-The operations along the 1ser canal in Belgium, ending in the complete re- pulse of the enemy on the evening of May IF are described in narrative written by the official observer with the French army at the front, given out here today. It is said the Ger mans, "who had gained momentary success in using asphyxiating gas, were finally and definitely mastered by the continued pressure of our of- fensve.'
 l Details are given of the fighting since April a. on which date the Germans suc- ceeded in forcing back French terri 1 torial division the right back of the l ser canal At the same time the Ger mans forced their way across the canal at Steenstrate and fet-Sas, holding these two localities and organizing further to the west the bridge head at Ilzerne
 "our reply to this surprise attack the note continues. was immediate After 
 a violent combat in which two chiefs of battaions were killed. the German of- fensive was completely checked.
 But this was not sufficient, and we began the task of clearing the right bank. our attack lasted until the l7th of May, first on the two wings-on the right to- ward IIet-sas. on the left toward Lzerne and Steenstraete.
 ..I ppputtpred We tinued to profrcss. It remained for us to take from the enemy the quadrilateral wh,ch they stlli held between Steenstraete and. Het-ss,s.
 Enemy Severely Tried
 In these actions the enemy were se- verely tried. They left over 1000 men on the field. and we had already captured many men and mucn material. The posi- lion which we now wanted to gain was particuarly difficult one on low plain of Flanders.
 .erhere the Germans had succeeded in Installing themselves strongly. First, to assure their communications. they in- creased their facilities for crossing tho canal and doubled their lines of trenches. Finally. there was a thhd line or tneso defenses along the bank of the canal. pbundantly protected by earth sacks and obstacles Marshes and numerous large holes filled with water added to the dif- faculties.
 eThe capture of so strong a position re- uilred prepa ration. On May we tried to rush things but failed. Fog. asphyx- iating gas and quick flrers stopped us
 ,,The .Maison Du Colleague so named because German major had installed there in the face of a French major ms post of combat. is farm well proteettf lhv deep water The men in the Mafson Du Colleague moved down our lines ana many men succumbed. It then became necessary to increase our trenches ana our works generally and also to strensth- on our investment. particularly on the two wings We began sappng and accu- ss nulating our artillery. We also received aid from the artillery of the Belgians May lb was selected for the attack on VI Steenstraete Our soldier m Vlcious v charge captured the second and then tho ' first German lines and reached the vii- > are The village was nothing but ruins Il but the ruins as always is the case. were | well organized enemy position and the contest continued in the streets. > Gain Ground Rapidly
 "Zo,,ayes and Algerans gained ground \ rapidly capturing quick firers guns anu 7 bomb throwers. One battery or the ter
 mans who offered stiff resistance was Tn
 deep cellars The fighting was taken into
 cellars but after several minutes the f Zouaves could be seen coming up tne stairvays They were the masters tners.> On our right we also made progress.
 "At the end of the day we had gained the canal up to the route from Steen- straete to the yperiee bridge and to ids- erne The spectacle in the vicinity or Steenstraete and the village itself was
 frightful The Germans left over 500 dead Our losses were serious, but less than those of the enemy.
 ID Meanwhile another. attack had oc- cured on the Het- s-Maison Du Colleague
 front. where at nighfall the zouaves 's were in possession of three lines of the ,a enemy trenches and all the houses ot
 Het- -Sas on the right bank of the canal 2" .'Ourg progress continued toward me ,n north along the canal and we also sur
 rounded the advance works of the Maison pu Colleague. In the trenches the numper st of German bodies found exceeded sv. h, On the i7th our troops entered tne Maisoh
 Du Colleague and there were no more
 enemy troops the right bank or th" r. canal The counter attacks on the oay u before were made to cover thelr retreat
 "t,urlng our attack on the Maison Du 'o Colleague heavy explosion occurred ana ln n cloud of yellow smoke mounted SKY ot wards It was evidently asphyxiatnx pv gas our Zouaves were happy, as It was ,r beiieyed the .;ermans had suffered rom = tbis effusicG of gas.