Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-07
FRENCH HOLD
TAHURE; FOES
LOSS TERRIFIC
Germans Fail in Desperate
Effort to Retake Posi-
tions in Champagne
CROWN PRINCE IN PERIL
Teuton Railway Line of Com
municauon Dominated by
Enemy's Guns

PARIS, Oct T.
Tremendous losses were sustained by
the Germans in efforts to retake from
the French the positions captured by
them In the Champagne yesterday, ac-
cording to an official communique issued
by the French War Office today.
Furious counter-assaults we're launched
BY the Germans in an effort to drive
back the French forces that captured
fTahure, northeast Of souain.
All these attacks we're repulsed. the
Germans leaving many dead and wound
ed upon the field.
The most violent efforts were made by
the Germans to dislodge the French from
Tahure Hill. from which point the French
guns commend the Basancourt-Challer-
ange Railway.
The text of the communque follows:
The enemy violently bombarded all our
front north OF Scarpe during the night.
he attempted four counter-attacks in
succession against the positions recently
taken by us In the wood 10 the west Of
the road from Souchez TO Angres. He
was completely repulsed.
"A violent bombardment was carried IN
by both sides to the south of the Somme
In the sectors of Andrechy. Dancourt
and Canny-sur-Matz, as well as to the
north OF the Aisne i'm the region of Tracy
le-Nal and OF the ST. hardwood.
In Champagne the enemy yesterday
afternoon launched an obstinate counter
offensive by successive lines against the
positions which he had lost to the north
OF Tahure. They were checked every
where, the enemy suffering very heavy
losses.
AT Eparges we blew up two mines, the
explosions seriously damaging the
enemy's works"
There was a violent cannonade car
ried on by both sides between the Meuse
and Moselle. In Lorraine a strong force
OF the enemy attempted to approach our
trenches in the region of Athieneville. 1t
was halted before our wire entanglements
and driven back by our curtains of fire.
and our infantry fire."
DOMINATE RAILWAY.
By capturing the Germans massive for
tificatiuns at Tahure French troops have
pierced the Kaiser's lines on a front of
more than five miles and their guns now
dominate the Challerange- -Besancourt
Railway. II is over this Hne that the
German forces i'm the Bloody Angle
formed by the Oise and Aisne have re-
ceived most Of their supplies, and their
position there has been rendered precar-
ious by the latest French success.
The French artillery battered the Ia
hure fort and its neighboring defenses
for six days before General Joffre or
derod his infantry to advance. Within an
hour the shattered Notifications were in
the hands of the footsoldiers, who dashed
through the waters of LOrmoise rivulet
and ended with their bayonets the lives
of all the Germans who resisted them.
Several companies of Teuton troops,
trapped in the deep concrete and steel
fortihcations, surrendered without resist
arce.
According to the Paris military experts,
the French victory at Tahure surpasses
in strategical value that which resulted
in the capture OF Hill No. 1871. north Of
Massiges, when the Allies offensive was
opened late in September. They assert
that the army of Crown Prince Frederick
William, which for more than a year
has held a salient position west of Ver-
dun. has been put in a dangerous posi-
tion because it is now open to attack
from two sides.
The latest French victory, which re-
suited in a gain of a mile In Champaign
shows that General Joffres offensive
movement to cut the German lines of
communication Is not slackening; rather,
Il Is gaining momentum.
With the southern line of the Besan-
court-Challerapge Railway under the
domination OF French guns, the Germans
must rely almost wholly upon wagon
trains and motor transports TO supply
their army In Champagne. There is an
other railway running from Besancourt
10 Challerange by way of Vousiers, Mas
signy and lie Chalet, but It Is many miles
In the rear Of the German army.