Middletown transcript., 1916-07-29
WIDEN WEDGE
IN GERMAN LINE
More Than 100000 Troops
Engaged in Terrific Battle
BATTLE FRONT OVER rs MILES
Rombarding the German Positions AZ
the Verdun Front-The French
Have $4,000 German
Prisoners.

London. - Under cover Of heavy
artillery fire, the French and British
are engaged in feeling out the Ger
man third line in Picardy, which has
been greatly reinforced and strength
ened.
The most extensive of these attacks
was launched simultaneously by the
British and French on the sixmile
twisting front from Pozieres to Maure-
pas.
The German lines were found to be
tremendously strong. Military head
quarters at Berlin, in an official state
ment, says that the German fire was
effective in stopping this attack at GER
tain points, while at others the Allies
were repulsed in sharp handtO-hand
fighting.
North of Pozieres, however, the
British and Australian troops made
further gains, as well as in the village
itself while south of Estrees the
French Strengthened their lines by
seizing a group of strongly fortified
houses. The French also had local
success north of Vermandovillers, on
the southern tip of the Picardy battle
front, occupying some German
trenches.
A Strategic Artery.
Of these advances the most import
ant was that made by the British north
of Pozieres. Here the wedge which
was driven across the Bapaume high
road was widened and strengthened,
so that now a firm grip has been estab-
nshed on this stragetic artery.
The Germans are battering at the
French and British lines, but General
Haig notified the War Office that they
were uniformly repulsed by the Eng
lish gunfre. The heaviest attacks
were aimed at the British center, but
massed batteries poured so terrific
fire into the closely packed ranks,
which could be dimly seen advancing
in the weak moonlight, that the Teu-
tons were not even able to reach the
British trenches.
Violent as they were, the night at
tacks of the Germans were complete
ly surpassed by an assault launched
against Pozieres, practically all of
which is now in the hands of the Aus
tralian and New Zealand corps. This
smash aimed from the northeast was
delivered with the full power Of the
reinforced Teuton divisions. 1t was
met with a furious shrapnel fire which
sprayed the advancing columns with
lead, while the heavier shells tore
great gaps in the ranks. The attack
was completely broken up, General
Hag wires.
Military experts estimate that more
than 100000 men are engaged in the
fearful struggle in Northern France.
The main battle front is little over 25
miles, although there is fighting for
fully Is miles beyond the original
limits.
That the German general staff be-
lieYes the crisis of the battle is rapid
ly approaching is the information con-
tanned in a dispatch from Geneva,
Switzerland, which quotes an Austrian
correspondent with the German Army
to that effect A prolonged offensive
at the pressure being exerted at pres
ent by the Allies "is regarded as i'm
possible by the German generals" says
the dispatch.
An official statement issued by the
war office, at Paris, says that so far
the French have captured more than
1000 prisoners, 140 cannon, several
hundred machine guns and number
of trench mortars.
The statement from Paris records
violent bombarding on the La Laufee
sector of the Verdun front. This artil-
lery action is believed to herald an
attack against the strong field work
by the Germans. There has been ter
rife infantry fighting both northeast
and northwest of Verdun German as
sautls on the hill No. 304 region, west
of the river, were repulsed, while Ber-
lin reports that the French unsuccess-
fully attempted to regain positions on
Froid Tere ridge.