New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-21
ZOUAVES PROVED
BRAVERY ON USER
Became Chief Factors in
Attack and Capture by
French of SteenStraete.

Paris, May o0.-The operations along
the User Canal in Belgium, ending IN
"the complete repulse Of the enemy on
me evening Of May l., are described
in a narrative written by the Official
observer with the French army at the
front. given out here to-day. II rs
said the Germans, "who had gained
momentary success by using asphyNl-
ating gas. were finally and definitely
mastered by the continued pressure Of
our offensive
Details are gwen OF the fighting
since April %. on which date the Ger
mans succeeded in forcing back a
French territorial division on the right
bank Of the User Canal. At the same
time the Germans forced their way
across the canal al Steenstraete ana
Het Sas, holding these two localities
and organizing further TO the west inc
bridgehead at Lizerne
4 "Our reply TO this surprise attack
the note continues. "was immediate
After violent combat. in which two
chiefs Of battalions were killed the
German offensive was comple'ey
checked.
4 "But this was not sufficient, ana we
began the task of cleaning the right
hank. Our attack lasted until May -
first on the two wings on the night
toward Het Sas. on the left toward
Tjzerne and Steenstraete. Llzerne was
frst conquered. We continued TO
nrooress II remained for us to take
! from the enemy the quadrbateIai
which they still held between Steeh-
straete and Het Sas.
in these actions the enemy Weeddee
severely tried. They left over I'oVo
men on the field, and we had aireauS
captured many men and much material
The nosition which we now wanted 70
a,air vas particularly difficult one
on low plain Of Flanders. There the
Germans had succeeded in installing
themselves strongly. To assure their
communications. they increased their
facilities for crossing the canal ana
doubled their lines of trenches: Ihere
was thiil line OF these deIenceS
alore tho bank Of the canal, album
Jantiv protected by earth sacks ana ODD
stacles Marshes and numerous large
holes filed with water added 10 inc
u'i M rs was selected for the attack
-. ctcenstraete. Our soldiers IN "A
,,;cions charge captured the second ana
tben the first German lines and reached
No viIlage. The village was nothing
hn, ruins. but the ruins, as always Us
H. csse were we'll organized enemy
nosi,ions. and the contest continued IN
the streets. .:...i ,.-o,,,,
"Zouaves and Algerians gained grounl
andy. capturing quick hrcrs, guns
"a bomb throWeTs. one battery OF
'be Germans which offered stun resist
snce was in deep cellars. The hghthG
mas taken into the cellars, but after
sa,,e,sl minutes the Zouaves could De
Coon coming up the stairways, masters
Of the positions. On our right we also
made progress, A. l.. o.. hod
Gained the canal up to the route from
eenstraete 10 the fperiee Dr'dge
"a 20 Lizerne. The spectacle IN ne
,,icinity Of Steenstraete and IN the WI
taoa itself was frightful. The Ger
mans left over six hundred dead. Vui
in"sos were serious, but less than
those Of the enemy.
meanwhile another attack had oc'
ia on the Het Sas-M aison du Col
ieg,e front, where at nighualI the
Tt"aves were in possession OF three
49, NJ the enemy's trenches and al
,he houses Of Het Sas on the rgh'
hsnk Of the canal. --..-