The state herald., 1915-08-06

| Of Ypres. when the Germans suffered
enormous losses In attempts to break
through the line In Flanders and reach
Calais. They succeeded In pushing
back the allies only a little and the
invasion Of Silesia by the Cossacks
finally induced them to desist and
send rc-enforcements to Russia.
The Germans In September had per-
formed the feat OF pushing a salient
Into the French line south OF Verdun.
which terminated on the west bank OF
the Meuse river at St Mihiel; while
the French had taken the offensive
with some success in Champagne at
about the same time.
For the most part throughout the
winter the fighting consisted of regu-
lar siege warfare, with heavy artillery
combats and mine and countermlne.
The flooding of the River Aisne
from winter SHOWS gave the Germans
q chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side OF that river In the
vicinity Of Scissors for considerable
distance and kill or capture most of
them tJanuary 1D.
Take Offensive In Spring.
With the spring. the French and
English attempted to take the offensive
at several points. Always preparing
the way with tens o. hundreds OF thou.
Stands OF shells. they tried Joint after
Joint Of the German armor.
In the vosges the dominating height
OF Hartmannsweilerkopf was taken
and retaken several times In sanguin.
ary charges and finally remained In the
hands OF the French.
The salient OF St. Mihiel was also
subjected to tremendous French pres.
sure on both legs" The French sue.
ceeded in gaining a little ground. but
the Germans. despite the apparent
weakness OF the sharp wedge they had
driven into the French line. could not
be dislodged and later succeeded in re.
gaining some OF the territory they had
/ lost.
The British also reported ''victories''
at Neuve Chapelle and Hill No. 60. in
Flanders. Whether these should be
accounted successes for the allies Is
doubtful. The British suffered enor-
nous losses and at Neuve Chapelle
bungled Affairs to the extent OF shell.
Ing their own men who had taken Ger.
man trenches. In other cases they
left gallant little par .es lodged In
enemy's trenches without supports to
be annihilated.
The next development was the un.
expected use OF poisonous gas fumes
BY the Germans in attacks Just north
OF Ypres With this novel weapon
they succeeded in taking several small
villages and more than componsating
for the British gains south OF Ypres
The losses OF the French. Canadians
and British were severe. but they sue.
ceeded In stemming the German on.
slaught effectively n few miles back
from their former position.
Begin Series OF Attacks,
The German line makes salient Mt
Soissons, though not such pro.
nounced one as at 81. Mihlel The
French now began series OF nt.
tacks on the upper side OF thb salient.
to tho north OF Arras Expenoing hun.
dreds OF thousands OF shells, they time
and again blasted away the barbed
wire entanglements and concrete
trenches. held by Crown Prince Rup
prcoht OF Bnyaria'a men. and then
charged across the desolate ground 'or
slight gains.
The fighting centcred about the su
gar refinery Of souches and tho grca,
German work called the Labyrinth
Fighting went on IN eellnra and tun
nolr below tho earth and the casual
ties were heavy. The French bent tho
German line and captured the LADY
rinth, but whether tho gains Justified
their sacrifice In human life Ii qu.s
uonable.
In July. Grown Princa Frederick
Williams army attacked In the Ar
gonnc forest. wcnt OF vordun. and
sueeocdod In gaining several hundred
yards OF shattered woodland aud cap
turing several thousand Frcnchmon
There were rumorn that the Ter
mans were reinforcing for another
great drive toward Calais or Paris
but the Teu,onio campaign In IN,
Wnt continued 10 wait upon IN,
crushing Of tho much weaker enernj
In Poland