The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-06-24
CLAIMS FRENCH
CUT FOES LINE
Paris Reports Victory North Of
ArraS.
ALL COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL
Statement That u Was a sanuulnary
and Desperate confilet-Impor-
tant Successes Reported
From Alsaee.


London, June 21.-Oficially Il is
disclosed from Paris that the great
French offensive movement north OF
Aras cut through the German line OF
trenches.
I'VE hold the slopes of hill 49,
says the French statement, where
our troops are maintaining them.
selves beyond the last German
trenches, Notwithstanding counter-at'
taeks by the enemy. South of these
slopes our front has been carried for
ward to the northeast Of the LADY
rinth." ... ...
II was a sanguinary and desperate
conflict that brought this GROWING
success to the akies. ...--
French First Win BuvaI.
First the French surrounded and by
assault carried Fond de Buval, where
obstinate fighting had been going on
since May 8. The fighting there was
so furious that prisoners taken by the
French were bodily torn away from
their captors by Germans who could
not be seized. Nevertheless, the
French succeeded in retaining a num-
Der Of prisoners and in capturing nu-
merous machine guns. -
When the French infantry made
their assault on the slopes east of
Lorette, charging toward Souchez, the
attack proved irresistible. Several
German trenches were captured in the
first onset and 800 Germans were
made prisoners. -.
Lose and Gain In Labyrinth.
] The fighting in the labyrinth was of
extreme violence. In counter-attaek
the night of June Is the Germans re-
captured part OF the great passage
way" The morning of June IS, how
ever, the French renewed the conflict
and wrested back the position. Before
night the Germans essayed several
times to GUST the conquerors, but
proved unable to do so.
Contributing to the French chances
OF success, the British kept a large
number OF Germans engaged east of
Ypres, and thus prevented the sending
of German re-enforcements to the
north Of Arras district. The war Office
in London announces that British
forces captured several German
trenches north of Hooge on a 250-yard
front June IS. They took $50 prisoners
and cylinder filled with asphyxiating
gas.
The British also blew up parts of
German trenches northeast of Armen-
there's, and their aviators threw bombs
on the electric power station at La
Bassee. . g.. 70 .''- 81 -
French Win MetzeraI.
Important French successes are re-
ported from Aisace. French troops
completely invested" Metzeral, which
the Germans set on fire before evacu-
ating it," ..f ..'H
There have been torrential rains
along the River Fecht and a heavy
fog prevailed all day, but the French
advanced on both banks. Already
holding the group of hills of Braun
kopf, Hill $50, Leichwalde, Steinbruck
and Allenhof, they captured between
the two branches Of the Fecht the
clearing OF Anlasswasen.
On the right bank of the western
branch of the river the French gained
the heights of Hilgenfirst and ad-
vanced on the slopes toward Landers.
bach. .-a...
Blow Up Munitlon Depots.
Ammunition depots at Munster
were blown up by a French lombard
ment Of the town.
Offsetting these French and British
claims to gains the Berlin army head
quarters report, made earlier, an
nounces the capture of the French
village of Embermenil, 30 miles east
of Nancy, and the repulse OF a British
attack north of LaBassee canal.
French attempts to advance north of
Arras are said to have been fruitless.
The Germans report evacuating EN-
bermenil as of no military Importance.
but the later Paris statement declares
the French troops recaptured the place
in spirited engagement.