Barton County democrat., 1915-01-29

GOOD GAINS BY GERMANS.
French COmmunique Admits Re-
verses in the Days Fighting

French COmmunique Admits Re-
verses in the Days Fighting
London, Jan. 27.-MoSt of the
activity in the fighting in France
seems to be in the neighborhood
OF the center. Severe weather
conditions both in Flanders and
the VoSgeS have forced a period of
temporary inactivity, compara-
lively speaking, at the opposite
ends of the long battle line from
the sea to the Lorraine frontier.
Both the French and the Ger
mans in today's official reports
tell of heavy losses in men and
ordinance inflicted on their oppo-
nentS. The advantage for the day
seems to resi- with the Germans,
their early claims of successes in
The vicinity of La Greute being
corroborated by tOnight'S commu-
nique from the Paris war office.
1t is possible to construct from
the dry, technical language of the
Official reports stirring picture
of stubborn fighting, heroic resiS-
lance and gallant charge and coun
ter charge on many parts of the
front and particularly all about
CraOnne.
Two Reports Conflict.
The charge of inacuracy must
be laid at the door of one side or
the other in respect to the action
about LebaSSee, Givenchy and
Guinchy. OF these engagements
the French say that the Germans,
attacking with an entire brigade,
suffered losses aggregating two
full battalionS. They were thrown
back in utter disorder, Paris re-
ports, and along the road of their
retreat from LebaSSee to Bethune
the bodies of six officers and 400
men were found by the pursuing
forces of the allies.
OF this same action, however.
Berlin reports that the British and
French troops tried to recapture
positions which the Germans had
won on Monday, and says; "They
were unsuccessful, the attack
breaking down under our fire."
1t was the accuracy of the Ger
man artillery fire that caused the
allies to suffer in the environs of
La Creute. Here the garriSonS
manning the trenches had fitted
up a magazine and shelter in an
ancient stone quarry. Entrance
to the cavity, which seems to have
been of considerable depth and
with steep sides, was had through
a sort of passage.
French Garrison Entrapped.
The Germans pounded away at
this old quarry until finally they
dlSIodged the timberS with which
The entrance was held up. A ,
great cavein of plankS and loos-
ened stones resulted and when !
The German infantry rushed in to
follow up the advantage, they
found the entire French garrison :
trapped and unable to offer effec- .
tive resistance.
The garrison caught in the quar- ,
ry was responsible for a line of
trenches 1,4OO meters long (about q
a mlle), and when these trenches
were left comparatively undefend-
ed, the Germans found it a sim
pie task to get through the first ,
line into the Foulon woods, af- 4,
Ter which they compelled the al
lies to evacuate the entire line of '
trenches. G
Berlin says that S65 wounded Q
Frenchmen were captured here, |
with eight machine guns, while
a depot used by the corps of sap d
perS and miners was captured wit !,
perS and miners was captured 7
with much valuable war material.
ParlS reports, on the contrary, :,
that despite this setback, caused J
primarily by the quarry cave-in, Il
our troops rallied with remark !
able bravery, and in series of Z :,
daShlng counter charges, sue :,
eeeded in regaining a large part !,
OF the lost ground. !,
French Regain Lost Trenches c
AT another point in the woods S
OF st. Mard, near Tracy lie Val, L
the allies refused to be Stampeded
In the face of a desperate Ger !.
man attack and repulsed with ar n
tlllery fire on a short line of !.
trenches which had been thrown !,
into confusion by the sudden ex- L
plOSiOn of some mines. The :