Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-07-05
TEUTOhs HALT FOE;
i RECAPTuRE Town
British Driven From La Boiselle
by Germans.
FRENCH LOSE AT THIAUM0NT
Paris Says Raidino Parties Brought
Back Many Prisoners - Crown
Prince Gets Re.enforcements-
Losses Are Heavy.

London, July 5.-The Anglo-French
armies confined themselves largely to
consolidating the territory won in the
first three days of the offensive on the
SOmme.
There was apparently little decisive
activity during the day, neither the
French nor the British war office
statements reporting any further
material progress. Berlin, on the
other hand, announced that the at
tacks that were attempted were
thrown back with serious losses to
the allies.
Thiaumont to Germans Again.
The most Important action on the
west front was once more in the Yer
dun region. The Thiaumont work,
the point over which French and Ger
man armies have battled for weeks,
was again captured by the Germans
for the fourth time.
1t was only last Saturday that the
French regained it. Since then the
crown princes army has stormed IT
In q steady succession of attacks,
eliminating in six assaults at regular
intervals.
All these, Paris announced in its
early communique, proved futile and
costly, the assaulting columns being
shattered against curtain Of fire
But the attacks were continued
throughout the day and night. Paris
officially admitted the Germans had
been successful.
Germans Get Fresh Troops.
On the British sector there was
heavy fighting through the night
Reinforced by many battalions
drawn from other fronts, the Ger
mans put up stubborn resistance and
at La Boisselle succeeded in recaptur
Ing portion of the defenses south Of
the village.
Heavy transforms interfered with
the operations and the general situa
ton south Of the Ancre was un
changed.
Further to the south the British
made some progress, capturing {
wood, quantities of materials ant
some prisoners. Beyond Fricour
they captured works with some
surrounding woods, and advanced tt
the main German second line of de
Tense
Entire Battalion Taken.
An entire battalion of the One Hun
bred and Eighty-sixth regiment Of
Prussian infantry, recruited from the
upper Rhine, surrendered to the Brit
ish near Fricourt. The prisoners
numbered 20 officers and 600 men
The battalion had been assigned fol
duty only a short time before to re
place heavy casualties.
The British fire was SO heavy ant
the trench occupied by the Prussian!
was damaged so badly that the mel
refused to fight longer. The situation
is regarded by the British as salts
factory. .
On the other parts Of the British
front there was continuous trench
warfare, both sides carrying out sue
cessiye raids. In the vicinity of Ar
mentieres the Germans followed {
heavy bombardment with a deter
mined attack, which London says wa!
beaten off. .,e
Quiet on French Front.
The French attempted little ag
gressive action and the night passed
quietly both north and south or the
Somme. The French troops are or
ganizing themselves in their new po
sitions without molestation by the
enemy.
Examination of the conquered ter
ritory, Paris says, shows the German
losses, in men and material, were
even more serious than at first re-
ported. Three more batteries, two OF
heavy caliber, have bene added to
those already aRnounced as captured
In a ravine north Of Assevillers and
on the northern slopes of the village
Of HerbecOurt the German dead and
wounded run into huge numbers.
Raiders Make Captures.
Between the Avre river and the
Aisne French accommodating parties
have been active, penetrating the first
trenches of the enemy as far as the
supporting trenches northwest Of
Beauvraignes. Many prisoners were
brought back.