The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-05
GERMAN TRENCHES
NEAR LILLE TAKEN
Invaders Batteries in Valley
of the Aisnc Are
Silcnced.
AVIATOR BROUGHT DOWN
specinr cahi. b.spntch 70 rnn sux.

Special Cable Despatch 10 THH suN.
PARIS. Feb THE Allies won impor-
tant advantages to-day IN Flanders and
northern France and defeated a German
attack In Alsace The report issued to-
night by the French Government indi-
Gates that the Allies have not merely
checked German effort in the all impor-
tant region between the La Bassee Canal
and the Aisne. but have retained the of
fensve and have delivered heavy blows
against the German line.
FROM the French point OF view the
most satisfactory success was in the des-
perately contested region Just west Of
the city of Lille Having maintained
their occupation of Lille for many weeks,
the Germans developed In the past two
weeks offensive thrusts which put the
allied line to great strain. There had
been rumors that terrific attack was
to be made in that quarter. To-day.
however. the allied troops made vio-
lent attack against the German posi-
lions, and at tho end of a hard fought
battle had captured about 900 yards Of
I
stroke and may prove a serious embar-
ragsment to the German occupation of
Lille
Once more the Government emphasizes
the superiority of the French artillery.
For months the German infantry ocCu-
pying the heights north of the Aisne
have been held at distance by the de-
structive fire Of the FrerSh cannon.
To-day the French guns found the range
OF German batteries which were being
operated at several places along the
river. silenced the batteries, destroyed
ammunition caissons, forced trench dig
s5rs 10 fec ana drove oe: German a":a J.
tors who we've on reconnaissance duty
A similar success was obtained by the
French artillery at Hebuterne, north Of
Albert, while near Verdun German
aviator was brought down and captured
Attack at UnboIz RepuIsed.
The Germans attempted an attack
near Unholz. directly north OF Cernay,
| In Alsace. but were repulsed. The text
Of the official report issued tonight was
as follows:
Artillery fighting has occurred in
Belgium and north of Arras. West
| of the road from Lille TO Arras we
| have captured from 200 to 300
meters OF the enemy's trenches.
Near Hebuterne north OF Alberto
our fire has reached the enemy's
formation and conveys.
our artillery has done some very
efficient work I'm the valley of the
! Aisne the enemy's batteries have
been silenced. their ammunition cais-
sons have been blown up their sap
pers dispersed and their aviators
| compelled TO flee.
| BEFORE Verdun we have brought
| down an aeroplane and captured the
| aviator.
In Alsace German attack near
Unholz has failed completely.
The hardest flgh,ing yesterday was in
the Champagne region near perthes.
where French advances have bent the
| German line dangerously and compelled
violent effort on the part OF the invaders
to prevent such a disaster as would COM
pei them 10 withdraw from the whole
district. Yesterday the Germans at
tackled with about 5000 men az Perthes,
Mesnil-les Hurlus and Nassigcs. At
Perthes and observation-disclosures the at
tack was hopeless from the start, as the
German infantry was under the fire of
| French artillery and appears 20 have
been checked easily.
At Massiges, however, the Germans
preceded their advance by mining and
blowing up a limo Of French trenches,
In the temporary disorder of the French
troops the Germans swept forward and
seized the position. The French. re-.
forming some distance in the rear, made
a fierce counter attack which drove the
Germans from the shattered trenches
and rcpulsed them so effectively that
the French were able to dig new trenches
a few yards from the line destroyed by
the German mines. The net result of
the sanguinary battles was the main
tenance by the French OF the ground
won by them in tho past few weeks.