The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-06-23
CAPTURE OF LABYRINTH"
Details of Long Engagement Are Given
By an Observer

| ny an OUoelNSi.
Paris, June 24.--The fighting from May
30 to June 10, resulting in the conquest
by the French of the system OF works
and trenches which the soldiers call "the
labyrinth was described yesterday in a
| dispatch from an official observer at the
front. The labyrinth, lying between
Neuville st. Vast and Ecurie, fermed
salient of the German line and its posi-
tion, strong one, was greatly reinforced
from time to time.
French attacks on May 0 and days
| thereafter failed to modify the situa'
tion,' the observer writes. "At the end
of May the French decided to finish
things and the order was given to take
the labyrinth inch by inch.
"This meant an operation of two prin'
cipal phases of different nature. 1t wa.
necessary first by well l-prepared and Wig
orous assaults to get a footing in the
enemy organization, and then to progress
to the interior of the communicating
trenches, in repulsing the enemy step by
step. These two operations lasted more
than three weeks and resulted in com
plete success
1.-The debouch must have been difficult,
as numerous German batteries composed
of 77-mllimeter guns, the $50, 2l0, $50
and 3o5 millimeter guns, concentrated
their fire on us.
"They were stationed at Gavinchy, at
Alta Folie, at Athius, Farbus and Beau
rains, south of Arras. Nevertheless our
men understood and prepared to do their
duty 1t was May 30 that the assaults
began, our regiments marching out from
different points. Their ardor was admir-
able
Everywhere, except on the right, we
captured the first line. Behind this were |
!, great number of barricades rnd fort |
cts. We took some of these, while 9TH |
,rs stopped us. One hundred and fifty |
prisoners, surprised in their holes by the
'urious charges of the French infantry, |
ell into our hands.
''From this moment the war of the
trenches began. There
we're the trenches of Won kluck, OF Eu-
enburg and of the Sale des Fetes, with
nut counting numerous works giving
ceiling of unheardof difficulties, which
'ur troops had to overcome.
without stop from May 80 TO June
I they fought on this ground, full of
ig holes and filled with dead The com
'at never ceased either day or night.
The attacking elements, constantly re-
ewed, crushed the Germans with hand
renades and demolished their earth bar
icades.
"There was not an hour of truce nor
fpHf NJ nf |
er a sun SO hot in the trenches that
hey fought bare headed and in their
hirt sleeves.
"On each of these bloody days there
'ere acts of Incompatible heroism. From
hree sides at time we attained way
here the Germans had dug, 10 meters Q
formidable shelters. +
"1'he enemy artillery continued firing {
n our line without interruption, Our
,seryes suffered, for in this upturned s
lrth where every blow from the pick ,
xe would disnter body one can pre- !
are but slowly the deep shelters which
le situation demands.
'SNe lost many men. but the morale
the others was unshaken. The men
sked only one thing-to go forward and =
-hN NAAh iINAfdh VI q. UitAti-s
IN in hand, the unceasing fall of shells
"They were hard days. and il was nee
,sary constantly TO carry TO the fight
& men munitions and food. and especial. d
water. Everybody did his best and y
e continued our success. Little by little :
lr progress. indicated by cloud of dust
sulting from the combat OF the gre
Ides. brought us TO an extremity north :
the labyrinth The fighting contin- u
d in the Eulenburg and other trenches
lily aud ultimately the labyrinth be- a
nged TO us. =
"The Germans ,ost an entire regiment. g
e took 1000 prisoners. The rest were !.
lied. A Bavsrian regiment also was I
Our losses were 1000 men. I
nong whom many were slightly wound.
"The resistance was rs fierce as the a
tack. Despite the nature Of the ground u
a the organized defenses. which had nj
On in preparation for seven months. n
d despite the artillery, the bombthrow. f.
J and the quickfrers, We remained the b,
ctors.'