, 1916-07-15

from Headquarters in France reads: After
ten days and nights of continuous fighting,
our troops have completed The methodical
capture Of the whole of the enemy's first
system of defence on a front of Ia, 900 yards.
The system of defence consisted of numerous
and continuous lines of fre-trenches, support
trenches, and reserve trenches extending for
various depths from two thousand to 1000
yards. 1t included five strongly fortified
villages, numerous heavily wired and entrench-
ed woods, and q large number Of strong re-
doukts The capture of each of these trench
es represented an operation of some import
ance and the whole of them are now i'll our
hands. The German success in the recap
ture of Tropes wood after costly casualties
was of short duration. To-day we captured
nearly the whole of this wood. All but
the northernmost end is again in our hands.
Apart from the number of guns hidden in
houses and buried in the debris etc. we have,
in the course of these operations, brought i'll
rs field guns, one naval gun, one anti-aircraft
gun and one heavy h~owitz1r, while the num-
Der Of German prisoners captured exceeds
$500.
Paris, July 11th.-The Official communi-
que issued 10y the War Office tonight reads.
On both sides of the Somme the day was
relatively calm. Small operations enabled
us to completely occupy the wood north If
La Maieonette, and to occupy some under
ground passages between Astrees and Bel
J0y-en-Santelre. We made prisoners. On
the right bank of the Mouse, the Germans
this morning renewed their attacks on
the front Of the Fleury station, the Vaux
wood, Capitre, and Chenois. After several
fIuitless attempts which cost him heavy loss
es, The enemy succeeded in gaining a footing
in the DNmloup battery and III some elements
& $500. Is~A: = IIo IH-: -1 IL
baldment is being maintained intensely in
the whole region. On the left bank, there
was less artillery activity. The usual cam
Honading occurred on he rest of the front.
In the region OF the Somme, our aeroplanes
were engaged in fourteen colnbats yesterday.
Four enemy machine seriously hit by our
mltrallleuSes were compelled 10 plunge
abruptly. One Of our pilots was able to
bring back his machine afame to our lines
and made Il landing without accident. Our
bombing squadrons have been active. On
the night OF July 10th-11th 220 shells w,re
dropped on various railway stations where
activity was reported, particularly on those
at Ham, la Fere, and Chtuny. The Belgian
communication reads: In the region of Pes
vyse there was an artillery duel tbs after
noon. The German positions pt Dixmude
and Joumen were taken to-day under the
fire of our heavy guns which proved very
effective.
Paris, July 11th-The French Official
statement is as follows: On both sides of
the Somme, the night passed in quiet. The
total number of prisoners taken by us south
of the Somme in the fighting in the last few
days is now more than 300. On the left
bank of the Meuse (Verdun trout, here
were several artillery engagements in the
sectors Of Avocourt and Chattancourt. To
the right of the river, the bombardment yes
terday of our positions from Fleury TO a
point east of Chenois was redoubled in ip-
tensity. At 4 am to-day the Germans de-
livered an attack over the whole front thus
bombarded. East of Fumin wood and Che,
nois wood, the enemy gained, a foothold in
our advanced trenches but Immediately was
elected by counter-attacks Elsewhere our
curtain of fire and our machine-guns broke
up the attacks. The bombardment contin-
ued in this region. West of Pont-a"Mous-
son, a surprise attack delivered by the enc
my against one of trenches west of Mortmare
wood was broken up completely. In Lor-
raine after spirited artillery preparation, the
Germans attacked the salient in our line east
of Reillon and succeeded in penetrating por-
tons of our first line over a front of 200