Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-06-23
CLAIMS FRENCH
GUT FOES LINE
Paris Reports Victory North OF
ArraS.
ALL COMBINATIONS FAIL
Statement That 1t Was a Sanguinary
and Desperate ConfIict-Impor-
tant Successes Reported
From Alsace.

London, June 21.-Oficially it is
disclosed from Paris that the great
French offensive movement north OF
Arras cut through the German line OF
trenches.
I'VE hold the slopes of hill 119,
says the French statement, where
our troops are maintaining them
selves beyond the last German
trenches, Notwithstanding counter-at
tacks by the enemy. South of these
slopes our front has been carried for
ward to the northeast of the Lady
rinth."
1t was a sanguinary and desperate
conflict that brought this browning
success to the allies.
French First Win Buval.
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 mum
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. IL a counter-attacB
the night of June Is the Germans re
captured part of the great passage
way" The morning of June 10, 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 O.
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 HODGE on a 250-yarC
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
on the electric power station at La
Bassee.
French Win Metzeral.
Important French successes are re
ported from Alsace. French troops
completely invested" Metzeral, which
the Germans set on fire before evacu
ating it"
There have been torrentiaf 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. Steinbruci
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 Hilgenfrst and ad
vanced on. the slopes toward Landers
bach.
Blow Up Munition Depors.
Ammunition depots at Munster
were blown up by 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, 80 miles cas-
of Nancy, and the repulse. of British
attack north of LaBassee canal
French attempts to advance north o
Arras are said to have been fruitless.
The Germans report evacuating En-
bermenil as of no military Importance
but the later Paris statement declare!
the French troops recaptured the plac,
in spirited engagement.