The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-29
new ALLIED DRIVE
10000 GERMANS CAPTURED ON
FRONT OF 20 NILES
BERLIN ADMITS LOSSES

British Fail to Hold Advanced
Positions-Berlin Reports Evacua
ton of SoucheZ.
TIE long expected s'drive" by the
Allies on the western front has be-
gun ON land and sea. After week
Of intense preparation the details
(which have been kept secret, the
full strength of the English,
French and Beigians was directed
in a tremendous concentrated at
tack on the German front Satur-
day. Fighting continues. The at
tack developed into a general bat
tie by land and sea from the Bel
sian coast to the southern limit of
the German army.
Such complete censorship had been
esta blished concerning this great Of
fensive that the first actual news OF
its Inauguration came from Berlin in
an official communication from the
German war office which says that
latter an artillery preparation Of
great intensity, which at some points
lasted fifty hours, the expected Anglo
French offensive has begun on the
western front"
London reports: Heavy and con-
tinuous attacks by the British and
French have cost the Germans more
than twenty Thousand unwounded
men taken prisoners and twenty miles
of trenches in the west. Soucheh has
been stormed and captured and an
advance is reported north Of Arras.
The assaults began Saturday morning
and at last accounts battles were rag
ing ferociously.
While the Allies were advancing
into German entrenchments British
battleshipS were battering away at
German positions between Zeebrug gge
and Nieuport.
The French, who have the most
important gain to their credit, made
their chief onset around Perthes,
Beausejour and Suiphez in Cham
payne, where in December they made
a considerable gain. This attack
backed by a tremendous artillery fire
gave them possession of more terri
tory than they have retaken from
Germans since the latter dug them
selves in after the battle of the
Marne.
According to the French, the Ger
mans were driven out Of their
trenches over front of fifteen miles,
varying in depth from two-thirds OF
mile to two and half miles. The
French in this engagement captured
twelve thousand prisoners.
The Importance of this gain lies in
the fact that every yard of ground
taken in this region weakens the Ger
man position around Ferdun, from
which the Germans might be com
PEELED to retire should the French
make further advance.
The French have regained trenches
east Of the Labyrinth" in the Arras'
district, which was the scene Of much
heavy fighting earlier in the year.
There the Germans had built what
they considered almost impregnable
Notifications.
This attack was made in co-opera-
ton with the British, who attacked
on either side Of La Bassee canal.
The attack south of the canal, Field
, Marshal Sir John French reports. was
complete success. Trenches FIVE
miles in width and about four thou
sand yards in depth were taken at
this point.
This push forward gives the British
possession of the road from Lens to
La Bassee. which was used by the
Germans for moving troops and sup
plies north and south and threatens
to outflank the German troops which
hold the town of Lens.
Hill No. Seventy, one of the posi-
tions taken on the road, is less than
a mile directly north of Lens. while
Hulluch, which also fell into the
hands of the British, is at the end OF
the road near La Bassee. 1t is only
twelve miles from Hulluch to Lille
the capital of northern France.
North of the canal the British. al
though they fought ali day were un-
able to hold the ground gained and
had to fall back to the trenches which
they had left in the morning. The
attack, however, accomplished one
purpose, as, according to Field Mar
shall French, German reserves were
sent to check this move, thus giving
the British south of the canal an op-
portunity to consolidate their new
possessions unmolested.
a somewhat similar manoeuvre
took place north and south of the
Menin road, east Of Ypres, and the
results were the same North of the
road the British were unable to hold
the German trenches, but on the
south they gained about six hundred
wards of German trenches and con-
solidated the ground won.
So far as reported the British took
seventeen hundred prisoners with
eight guns and several machine guns.
Paris reports: The enemy has suf-
fered by our fire, and, in hand to
hand struggles, very important losses.
He left in the works which he aban-
doned considerable material, which
has not yet been inventoried. Al
ready the capture of twenty-four field
guns is regarded. The number OF
prisoners is increasing steadily and
is actually more than sixteen thou
sand men, not wounded, OF whom al
tctsl number Of prisoners captured
on the whole front by the Allies
troops in two days is more than
twenty Thousand men not wounded
Berlin reports: The battles in The
continuation of the British anc
French offensive, which have beer
prepared for months. have progressed
without bringing our aSSallants con
siderably nearer to their aim.
"On the coast also British warshlp
have attempted to interfere by thei
fire. especially on Zeehrugge. ou
without result.
In the sector of Ypres the enem.
suffered heavy losses and had no sue
cess.
Southwest Of Lille the enemy sue
ceeded in repulsing one OF our diVl
sions near Loos from its advance lin
of defense to its second line. Natural
iy we had considerable losses in