The sun., 1916-12-26
DugOuts Blown to Atoms by
Hand Grenades When Occu.
pants Refuse to Yield.
CHRISTMAS DAY QUIET
Only Intermittent Artillery
Activity Is Reported on
French Front.

iSbNDpN t'ef. -J.- III UdN was cid
lively calm along the whole front" Thus
the French War once reports tonight
on the French army's third Christmas in
the trenches. The German statement to-
night says there were no important
events.
On Christmas eve German infantry
tried to destroy a small French post on
the Avre but were beaten back by hand
g%renades. At the same time French
raiders broke INTO a German trench near
Roye. killing some Of its occupants and
putting the rest to fiigh;.
Canadian troops carried out a success
full aid on German trenches In broad
daylight a few days ago. The official
statement Of the War ONCE this morn
ing mentions II as on a scale unusually
large in trench fighting. The Canadians
were In the German trenches IN hour and
a half. doing much damage, and brought
back ffty-eight prisoners.
lore Than . RAID.
TIL raid was made north Of Arras. but
Il is described In a despatch from a cor
respondent at the front az much more
than a raid" The despatch says $50
wv Y NduHut w uukOuts. WHICH
were blown to atoms after the Germans
refused TO surrender. The despatch con.
tinues
The raid took place at 3 o'clock In
the afternoon on q front OF 400 yards.
German prisoners admit they were taken
completely by surprise. An officer cap
tured said he was convinced that some
thing was about to happen but believed
that the attack was coming on Christ
mas eve. lie reported to the higher
but received no support.
The canadians. mostly talwar men
from the plains OF Manitoba. Saskat-
cneWah' ALBERTA had skilfuny estah-
ished themselves well forward no that
when the artillery had ceased the pre-
raratory hre they were In the German
front iine trenches In less than " min
uteS' ne orncer In command. who was
repor.ihs the RAID to brigade ~hcadquar-
'ers oy telephone. said he had hardly
uttered n words. They're on before
ne ns" 10 say Iheyre IN
"ms"s ARE ssrprised.
CONSERVATION reiRned among the
Germans. who scrambled for the sans
| and dugouts leading TO the rear ,repcbe.
while the Canadians pelted them with
! unprepsred many cermsn. i, ,ho Sror,
line offered no resistance but threw up
their hands with cries OF 'Kamerad.'
others were taken a. they Ned for the
second and third lines. for the Canadians
pushed on quickly to the second trenches.
l.. ABOUT twenty dugouts were destroyed
by The canadians. several with bombs
captured from the One OF the
o"ace.s eneasea sAia'
- 10 W ."'ereu 'ne trenches many
..,"lans oroke TOT 'ne dueouts' Al VINO
~" "e,e s"pSeauen'Is wen cared TOT
na." VI our men WAS s'Veh dehni'e IN
sru'''o.S ior MS precise TASK ana a
nlap vi .ne enemy trenches' wnicn
proven aosoluteiy correct rach man
Nhe" every de'aii OF the proposed opera
''on' They were Delighted at this and
entered me nsht WIN great cheers.
Wneh they came out two hours later they
were singing ana as happy as ~schoolboys
on a holiday
which the raid was carried out were
UNIQUE me artillery cooperation OF the
,T,tsn kuns VIZ per,e'tion, heau'l-
a.. ga oraannn go "n.,.,
-. q. - noo.sa.s o. ah.n o,,. 49,
-
~ ~ ~
riulshed ne fore Time Set
me prosram'ne nad e'Veh the mer
an nour AN" a han Ior tne'. WORK. ou'
the cleanup was accomplished IN an hou'
ana zen mInutes an" .ne Ialuers sig
nailed they were ready TO return TO theii
" trenches'
The French statement or tonight
says:
The day was relatively calm along