New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-27
Furious Efforts of Ger
mans Fail to Check
Advance.
PRUSSIAN GUARD
LEADS ATTACK
Haig's Troops Hold Firm,
Inflicting Heavy
Losses.

London. Aug. 26.-Despite furious
efforts by the Germans to save Ihlep-
val the British drove their line
nearer to the village to-day. Halgs
troops are now less than 500 yards
from the southeastern edge Of this
important position in the German
second system. They have long been
close TO it on the west.
Rushing up picked men and mass
ing all the reserves and artillery at
their command, the German generals
onened a counter attack last night
I, was the heaviest blow they have
struck since the first days Of the
Somme offensive.
Guns Roar for Hours
ne guns prepared the way with
cn intense bombardment that started
Yesterday afternoon and lasted well
into the evening. Then the Prussiah
Guards. whose fighting qualities and
bravery have been felt many times
in this war, advanced to the attack
put the British lines held firm. They
,.ieIded not an inch of ground to the
German rush and beat oil the attack
inAicting heavy losses on the enemy
As soon as this assault had been re-
pulsed. Haig's troops resumed their re-
ien,less advance toward Thiepval
Stretch of Trenches Taken.
Along the road which runs IRON
Tbiepval to Courcelette the BRUSH
took a valuable stretch of trenches ex'
tending over 400 yards. Near the Mo-
ouet Farm. lying east of Thiepval, they
also made progress, thus narrowing the
nocket which has been cut around the
village.
The battle around the Moquet Farm
js still in progress. The Germans
sprayed with shells to-day the whole
sector between Thiepval and Guile
mont. but no new attack was attempt
ed. Apparently they are battering the
British defences TO prepare for other
counter thrusts.
At Guillemont, the southern bastion
Of the British line, the Germans made
an equally determined counter attack
Under cover of heavy artillery fire the
Teuton troops moved forward, but they
failed 10 reach the British line at any
point. Here, too, they paid heaVy
toll for their attack.
The determination of these counter
strokes emphasizes the importance the
Germans attach to the positions be-
fore Thiepval and Guillemont. In these
areas they have concentrated enormous
numbers Of guns, but the British push
forward steadily in the face OF their
intense fire.
Strong Patrols Repulsed.
Unable to make an impression on the
French gains at Maurepas, where
Foch's men repulsed strong patrols, the
Germans tried a counter move IN the
Champagne sector. They made two
heavy attacks on the French line near
Tshure, but managed only to gain a
footing at one point. From this they
were driven out quickly.
An effort 10 divert the British attack
north Of the Somme was also made by
the Germans to-day. In the Bethune
sector, north of Arras, they attempted
Two attacks on the British camp, but
both these were driven back by the
British rifle fire.
In the last two days the Allies have
taken 1850 prisoners, and, in addition,
quantity Of booty fell TO the French
az Maurepas. This, in itself. is an in
e6leation that the Allied troops on the
Somme have scored important sue
eSesses. If the progress is slow, never
tneess il is sure.
The French bombardment RACES now
southwark from the Somme 70 the
Aisne, growing in fury along the whole
hne. The constant shelling of the Ger
man line may be the forerunner of a
new attack. II gives the lie to German
~lk that the "Allied offensive IN PI-
Sdroy has been broken" i"