Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-27
INVADERS GATHERING
FOR SUPREME EFFORT
They Hope to Make Emperor's Birth
day Memorable by Winning
Notable Victory.
TODAY IS TIME FOR ATTACK
Already There Is Desperate Fighting
Along Western Front-Great Holes
Torn In Allies Defense, but Are
Quickly Patched Up.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.
LONDON. January 26.-The German
forces appear 10 be gathering for u
supreme effort from Ypres to the Ar
gonne In what is popularity believed to
he a desperate attempt to score II vic
tory which will make the heart OF the
Kaiser glad on his birthday, tomorrow.
Already German forces have been
driven forward like great tidal wave
against the allies stone wall. great
gaps have been torn in the defensive
. line. but they have heen repaired and
strengthened Heavy losses have been
inflicted on both sides.
About La BusSee the Germans opened
their attack yesterday morning. They
battered the British on both sides Of
the canal In the direction of Givenchy
and La Bassee five attacks were made
in quick succession. British flankers
forced them to retire without gains.
leaving on the ground n number Of
dead They lost sixty prisoners, two
OF whom were officers. a final night
, attack was repulsed by the British after
n terrific engagement.
TERRIFIC CoUNTERATTACkS
AND TRENCHES ARE RECOVERED
South OF the canal the Germans at
tackled from the direction of Baden.
and. according to the Berlin statement.
carried more than l,l00 yards Of
supporting positions. Three British
officers and 10 men were captured.
The British vainly tried to rctake their
positions last night, but to-day, ac-
cording to the French statement. terrific
countcrattacks resulted In the recap
ture by kitchcners men OF all the
trenches they lost the day before. The
battle was one Of the hardest Fought
combats seen I'm this region. The Ger
mans left 800 dead on the Bcthune-La
Bassec Road. says the French COM
muniuue.
German success is claimed on the
heights OF Craonne and TO the southeast
Of Laon. where the French statement
admits that to the west OF Craonnc. be-
tween IIuertebise and the Foulon
woods. the Germans succeeded in enter
ing the allies trenches. French avi
ators Immediately began hurting high
explosives among the invaders and
they were thrown into complete con-
fusion. whereupon counterattacks were
begun By the French with the result.
according to latest reports received In
Paris, I'm the recartnre OF the Foulon
woods positions.
on the offensive themselves In tho
ArGonnc, the French made two attacks
in the direction Of ST. Hubert and Fon-
tame Madame, and retrieved several
lost trenches and destroyed 4 number OF
German saps used in mining opera
tions.
Earlier reports received from Paris
told OF vigorous attack against Ypres.
The attack was by full battalion. but
while British rifles were moving down
the ranks Of the advance body, the
heavy guns were brought within range
or the supporting batteries. Three hun
dred Germans We're found i'm front Of
the British trenches. including the
commander Of the leading company
POSITIONS OBsCURED
4 -
Alsace and tho Vosges remain quiet
under blanket OF fog which obscures
the hostile positions
Correspondents on the western front
give details rs follows:
dispatch to the Amsterdam Tvd
from IT'S correspondent at Sluis, says
the German officers In Belgium are
advertising a big military venture
preparations for which are ostenta-
tiouSiy spectacular. All the RAILWAYS
OF Belgium have been employed OK
clusivcly for military purposes for the
past two days. and large quantities OF
material for crossing rivers and swamps
Is being sent forward. The correspon-
dent of the ]. y. S. and London Tele-
graph at Rotterdam sends the follow
ing:
German soldiers on the Dutch from
tier have talked much during tho last
few days OF a big surprise for the al
lies Tomorrow rs Il sort of celebration
OF the Fmpcrors birthday
although it would be urwisc 10 as
sumo 1t has any connection with this
gossip, there is certainly much ac-
tivity in Belgium. Troops from garri
sons in occupied towns have gone in tho
direction OF Courtrai, and lighting is
reported from the area of which Ypres
is the centre.
''Pacschendalle is again in the hands
OF tho enemy. But the allies are main
tanning their position at Rixschoote
and have made Il little progress here
"a message from Puttc, on the Dutch
frontier, states that important trans
fers of troops are taking place. and
all railway traffic is suspended exccnt
for military purposes, while material
for crossing streams and the flooded
stretches of the country is being taken
into Flanders"
To-mOrrow's celebration OF the Kai
| ser's birthday in Berlin will take tho
form of religious services, attended ~bv
the crown prince, the crown princess.
all the princes OF the royal house and
the other princes Of the empire who
are in Berlin.
LOSSES EXAGGERATED