New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-19
Eyewitness Describes OPP
eratiOns from Jan
uary 5 to Is.
GERMAN OFFENSIVE
BROKEN ON THE USER
Fighting Near scissors Reported
Checked by Flooding OF
the AiSne.


preceding period. marked by wretched
weather conditions rain. snow. wind
and fog. and mud. A consequence
/ the operations have slackened. me
events worthy OF note are:
"First. the extension and strengthen
ing Of our successful operations on the
/ right bank Of the User between 81
/ Georges and the sea. The German OF
fcnsive in this region has broken itself
on the User. We have, on the other
hand. gained broad, open space be
yond the river.
Second. the fighting near Solsson''
Whcro our offensive began brilliantly.
has been checked by the flooding oI
the Asne. with the consequent destruc-
I ton of three bridges, or foot bridges
/ preventing reinforcements from being
/ sent 20 the right bank TO oppose very
/ strong attack by the enemy.
French Withdrew n Mile
offence. there has been a withdrawal
Of our forces Of less than 500 metres
a little over milel on front OF less
than five kilometres more than three
miles.
Third. the new advances gained by
us in the region of Perthes and the
failure Of all the counter-attacks oil the
enemy.
Fourth. the failure Of the German
attacks IN the Argonne.
Fifth, the continuation and mamie
nance of our success in Upper Alsace.
The eyewitness then describes what
he terms "our success on the right bank
of the Yser." calling attention 10 I'M
portant results obtained IN this region
since the end Of December
al that time he says, I'VE neld IN
front Of the town OF Nieuport only
narrow bridge head. The Allies planned
to extend their lines, which object mas
been attained from the sea to the south
o. 81. Georges. .
The account completes the details OF
the taking of 81. Georges, beginning
with the attack on December p, ana
refers 10 the difficulties Of the opera
tions in the dunes. the failure OF the
counter-attacks by the enemy and Drill
amt charges made by the Colonial
troops.
II concludes with the statement that
tho Allies position on the right bank
Of the User was finally assured by the
possession Of a broad open space.
"The User i'm this region II says,
"stoppcd the great German offensive IN
October and November, but the river
failed to check ours
The developments from Newport 20
the Aisne during the period OF January
to 10 were rot characterized by I'M
portant events. relative lmmoolhty
being imposed upon both sides by the
unfavorable weather conditions.
During the fight around La Boisselle
and hveluy the Germans asked for a
truce to care for their injured, which
was refused.
con January H." says the eyewit,
ness. 1--WE were violently bombarded
but did not yield. Also on January 10
we repulsed a violent attack.
The Fighting at scissors.
The fighting at Scissors. which
began with an attack by the Allies on
January s, is graphically described.
an these combats. which were entirely
local" saws the account, "our offensive
was crowned with complete success on
January s. and 10, but was checked,
beginning January II, by the overflow
ing of the Asne.'
The battle on the first day was par
ticularly fierce and instances Of hero
ism were numerous. One hundred
French infantrymen who were sur
rounded in a bayOnet attack refused
TO surrender and were killed, after in
ficting heavy losses on the Germans
and preventing their progress.
Referring to the fighting on January
. 10, the chronicler says: THE morale
Of the troops is excellent despite the
severe losses, 548 being wounded and
the number Of dead not known
Beginning the night Of January II
and - the situation for the Alles pc
came complicated by reason of the
. ,,-o,or - Aiepa Ia German
offensive movement and the failure OF
the Allies reinforcements to arrive.
Preparations for a withdrawal began
and it was executed in good order on
the night of j anuary 1874. From
scissors TO Perthes the engagement
was limited 10 artillery duels. the ad-
vantage resting with the Allies.
"In the region of Perthes," continues
the account, "the Germans tried per
sistently by violent attacks TO regain
the lost ground. Not only did they
/ fail, but we realized further progress"
German Losses Heavy.
The German losses in this section
are declared to have been heavy. The
fighting in the Argonne is also de-
scribed as having been particularly
severe, the Allies losing numerous Of
iicers.
in the region Of Verdun and on the
heights Of the Meuse," says the eye
witness, "our artillery frequently ST.
fenced that Of the enemy. At the Bots
lie Pretre our progress was continuous
for two months without an lnstants
retreat. II is a veritable siege war.
"The excellent results obtained in
Upper Alsace would have been in
creased if the condition of the battle
field had not affected the operations,
the soldiers suffering greatly from the
rgors Of the weather, the rain, snow
and mud. We had many injured on
January because the guns of our men
were dirty and could not be fired, but
il is not true that the Germans capt
ured our wounded prisoners.
"ln the region Of Upper Alsace the
Germans were unable to pierce our
lines, although aided by heavy rein
forcements."
Referring to the exploits OF the
French aerial corps. the writer says:
at was lieutenant Won FalkeE-
stein. not Won Falkenhayn, as errone-
ously reported. who was killed by the
French army aviator Gilbert. This was
the third time that Gilbert, who is a
military medalist, succeeded in bring
ing down a hostile craft.