Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-09-29
ANOTHER ''|.I' ATTACK
r.. BY ALLIES NEAR
Terrific Artillery Bombardment
Forecasts New Drive.
GERMANS RECAPTURE GROUND
Official Report From Berlin Says Teu-
tons Have Checked Enemy
Field Marshal French Claims
Progress at Loos.


London, Sept. 29-Field Marshal
French reports that the British troops
| now hold all the ground north of Hill
No. 70 and that they have made fur
Their progress at Loos. The total num-
with 81 guns and 40 machine guns.
The report states that British aero
planes wrecked train near Bapaume.
While official statements from Ber-
lin and Paris are somewhat contradic-
tory as to the success Of the con-
tinued allied offensive, a careful
analysis of the reports shows that the
drive has been checked for the most
part, and in some places the Germans
have recovered territory.
While Berlin characterizes the al
lied drive as a failure, Paris is still
optimistic, and late reports describe
a renewal Of the terrific artillery
bombardment, which is believed to
forecast another general attack along
the entire front such as that which in
three days nettej the French and
British gains of as much as three
miles in some sections.
Paris, Sept. 29-Further progress
by the French troops in the Arras re-
gion and in Champagne is announced
in the official communique sfrom the
war office. The official report also
chronicles a severe check for the army
of the German crown prince in the
Argonne.
The German forces which opened
an attack In the Argonne to relieve
the pressure which the French troops
were bringing to bear on the Cham
payne front numbered Is battalions.
The communique states that the
ground before the French trenches
was covered with bodies of Germans
killed in obstinate assaults.
French Renew eombardment.
French artillery is deluging with
shells the second line German
trenches in Champagne. Officers who
arrived from the front asserted that
the bombardment now in progress is
more terrific than that which preceded
the victorious attack of the French
troops on the first-line defenses.
Heavy artillery has been brought to
bear upon Tahure, where the Ger.
mans have constructed with concrete
and steel the strongest underground
fort along the entire front.
mo fortification can stand against
the blast Of guns now being directed
against Tahure," said one. officer.
"Our shells are finding their marks
and spreading destruction. Tahure is
the center Of the defenses built along
the Grand st. aHilaire- Cernay highway.
These are of great strength. and it is
expected that General Joffre will
maintain the bombardment for at least
three days before again throwing in
his infantry"
Fort Tahure lies northeast of Sou.
ain and almost due north of Perthes
and about three miles from the latter
town. It is at the eastern edge Of q
thick forest.
Charging over blasted German
trenches heaped with corpses, the
TIOuCu I1OOpS tudt IO1lcu UdCA Luo
Germans in the Champagne region
fought amidst such scenes Of destruc.
ton and carnage as has not been seen
in the western theater for many a
month.
"Details Of the engagement, which |
were brought here by the first batch
OF wounded French soldiers to arrive
from the scene. make up a thrilling
chapter.
German Soldiers Dazed.
Many>of the German soldiers were !
so dazed and stupefied by the mighty
cannonade that they could not resist
but others. who had been rushed for
ward to support the first line, en-.
gagged the French soldiers in furi.
GUS hand-to-hand struggle in the shell
craters and amidst the piles of dead |
and wounded. The Germans fought |
bravely but they could not withstand |
the wave of steel that engulfed them.
Most of the slightlywounded French |
soldiers arriving here bore such troph.
les as helmets, petrol cans. officers
binoculars and German bayonets. One
soldier calmly smoked huge German |
pipe which he had picked up on the |
battlefield