The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-23
Attack on Strong Position
in Flanders Costly. but
Victorious.
MOST IMPORTANT
GAIN SINCE WINTER
Hand GrenadpS | Sed i'm the
Assault. Which Is Bitter
and Prolonged.
NEW POINTS TAKEN
IN ALSACE ADVANCE
Germans Fall Back Across
River Fccht-Dunkirk
Shelled Again.
>pscai coI,e Dsspotch TO Tnr srN.

>ps"H rob'c DssD6fch 10 THE SJN.
PARIS. June 2a.--The Labyrinth"
that section OF complicated trenches
just south of Neuville Saint-Vaast.
which the Germans have fought to re-
tain with tcnacity unequalled at any
other point in the western theatre OF
war. has fallen at last into French
hands
The victory is one of the greatest, if
not the greatest. since winter ceased
and the spring fighting began.
The losses on both sides have been
enormous. No; for momen, sinae May
20. when the ordsrr TO take the "I.aby-
rinth'' inch by inch was given. had the
conflict abated. The entire series of do
fences is now occupied by the French.
the Germans being driven well TO the
rear.
The capture OF the German position
known os the 'Ldbyrinth," is described
In a despatch received from an official
observer at the front:
French attacks on May and days
thereafter failed to modify the situa-
t!on.' the observer states 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 prn-
oipal phases, of different nature Il was
necessary first. by well prepared ana
vigorous assaults. to get a footing in
the enemy organization and then to
progress 70 the interior of the communl-
eating trenches, repusng the enemy
step by step. These two operations
lasted more than three weeks and re-
suited In complete success.
Hand Grenad-s I s.d.
'TDc debouch must have been difficult,
os numerous German batteries. composed
of - m!llimeter guns the $50. 2l0. 2su
aAd even Jp1 millimeter guns. concen-
iIated their fi'e o. us. They were sta
Toned at GiNenchy, at La Folie. at
! Thelus, Farhus ana Beaurains. Never
/ the.css. our men understood aud pre-
pared to do their duty. II was May 30
that the assaults heg.uG, our regiments
marching out from different points
Their ardor was admirable.
From this moment The wIr OF the
communicative trenches began There
were the trenches of Won kluck OF
Gutenberg and of the sale dos tete.
without counting innumerable numbered
Wolks. giving feeling OF uuheard Of
dlHl'u!'ies which our troops had to over
, come.
without a stop from May 80 TO June
tney fought on this ground, full OF
big holes and filled with dead The
COMBAT never ceased. either day or night
rhe attacking elements. constantly rs-
neWvd, crushed the Germans with hand
srenades and demolished their earth
parIlcadeS' There was not an hour OF
truce nor an nstaAt OF repose Tho
men We're under a sun so hot in tho
trenches that they fought bareheaded
and In their shirt sleeves
Ihey were hard days and il was
necessary constantly to carry to the
/ hghting men munitions and food ana
especially water. Everybody did his
nest, and We continued our success.
| Little oy little our progress. Indicated
bv cloud OF dust resulting from the
combat OF the grenades brought us 10
an extremity north OF the Labyrinth,
! TIE lighting continued in the Eulen-
/ ocrg ana other trenches daily and ulti.
mately the Labyrinth belonged to us.
! "rne Germans lost an entire reg!.
ment. We took thousand prisoners,
! The rest We're Killed A Bayariau repi,
ment also was decmated
"Our losses were :. 600 men. anon,
whom many were slightly wounded
The resistance was A. fierce as ths
attach Despite the nature OF tho
ground and the organl2ed drrences
which had been in preparation fn-
seven montrs, and despite tn, artillerS,
the bomb throwerS and the quick hrers.
We remained the N!Ctovs."
Further advances by the French In
the invasion of Alsaco are ,,uununced
In the official comn.un.lu"> Issued to-
day. After the capture ut A"t2-rdl yes
terday the Fr"lcA moved cIstN "a n. rth