Gilpin observer., 1915-08-05
celerated by . strong attack from the
French fortified zone of Verdun.

iuiidu ucleuelfe pOSltlOn. IL ran
Just north of the Aisne river, on a
series Of bluffs, then just north Of
Chalons and through the wooded,
rough regions of the Argonne and the
Woevre, joining hands here with the
troops besieging Verdun. The allies
have tried this line in vain ever since.
Both combatants now tried to turn
the west flank. Enormous bodies of
cavalry. On the part of the French
| Flanders. On the part of the French
there was largely the desire to link up
with the Belgians, now being attacked
in Antwerp. The mighty siege guns
of the Germans made short work of
the Belgian seaport, however, and it
fell on October 9. The remnants of
the Belgian army retreated along the
sea coast and the Germans in a final
rush reached Ostend October 15).
Line Extended to the Sea.
The battle line of the Aisne was now
extended to the sea, the Germans hold
ing the important French city of Lille,
while the allies kept Ypres in Belgium
and, partly by flooding the lowlands,
held the position Of the User river and
canal.
From October 16 to November 10
was fought the desperate first battle
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 little and the
invasion of Silesia by the Cossacks
finally induced them to desist and
send re-enforcements to Russia.
The Germans in September had per
formed the feat of pushing salient
into the French line south Of Verdun,
the Meuse river at st. Mihiel; while
the French had taken the offensive
with some success in Champagne at
about the same time.
For tho most part throughout the
winter the fighting consisted of regu-
lar siege warfare, with heavy artillery
combats and mine and counter-mine.
The flooding Of the River Aisne
from winter SHOWS gave the Germans
= chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side Of that river in the
vicinity of Scissors for q considerable
distance and kill or capture most OF
them (January 1D.
Take Offensive In Spring.
With the spring, the French and
English attempted to take the offensive
at several points.
| 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 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-
/
bungled affairs to the extent of she'll
ing their own men who had taken Ger
man trenches.
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 compensating
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 few miles back
from their former position.
Begin Series Of Attacks,
The German line makes a salient at
Scissors, though not such pro-
| nounced one as at st. Mihiel. The
French now began series of at
tacks on the upper side of this salient,
to the north OF Arras. Expending hun
dreds OF thousands Of shells, they time
and again blasted away the barbeu
wire entanglements and concrete
trenches, held by Crown Prince Rup-
precht of Bavaria's men. and then
charged across the desolate ground for
slight gains.
The fighting centered about the su.
gar refinery Of Souchez and the great
German work called the Labyrinth
Fighting went on in cellars and tun-
nels below the earth and the casual
ties were heavy. The French bent the
German line and captured the Laby-
rinth. but whether the gains justified
their sacrifice In human life is cues.
tionable.
In July. Crown Prince Frederick
Williams army attacked in the Ar.
gonne forest. west Of Verdun, and
succeeded in gaining several hundred
yards of shattered woodland and cap.
turing several thousand Frenchmen.
There were rumors that the Ger.