The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-07
Severe Check to British
Army in Combined
Anglo French At
tack.
CONFIDENCE IN BERLIN
Not Denied That French Have Made
Some Gains, But They
Arc Not Deemed
oorlouA
CBy Carl W. Ackerman, United Press
Staff Correspondent.1

CBy Carl W. Ackerman, United Press
| Staff Correspondent
BERLIN. July IA severe check
has been administered to the British
army in the combined Anglo-French
offensive, according to reports receiv-
ed here today and the British have
suffered unusually heavy losses.
Since the opening day of the Brit
ish attack, General Haig's army has
been unable to make any important
gains against the German line. Forced
to abandon shell-wrecked first line
positions, the Germans retired to
their second line north OF the Somme,
where they threw back time ana
again, British Infantry assaults.
It IS well understood here that the
hapS with greater violence than mark
ed the first day Of the forward move
| ment, but the manner In which the
German wall withstood the first at
tack has inspired the greatest conf
dence in Berlin. A group OF British
prisoners, captured at the village OF
Serre, admitted their disappointment
at the stubborn nature of the German
defense.
1--WE thought It would be romp
across Serre after our guns had fin
ished their work" a captured officer
was quoted as saying. Instead Ger
mans popped out of all sorts of funny
places and got machine guns working
on u.s.
That the French have made some
substantial gains south Of the Somme
is not denied here. But the French
gains, it is stated, constitute no SER
ious menace to the German line,
which is amply prepared to repel any
serious menace on the sector around
Peronne.
Tho British Report.
LONDON, July british troops
have captured a thousand yards of
German trenches in severe fighting
east of LaBoisselle (east of Albert)
General Haig reported this afternoon.
The gain IS one of the most impor-
tant advances scored by the British
since the first day Of the allies great
offensive.
Severe fighting is going on on the
LaBoisselle sector, Haig reported.
Re Germans have suffered heavy
losses.
>"Southwest of Thiepval a deter
mined enemy attack was completely
repulsed," reported the British COM
mander in chief.
The British gain east of LaBo1sel1e
is of particular Importance because 1t
links up with the eastward advance OF
the French north of the Somme. The
Germans had massed large forces on
this sector and counter attacked des.
perate1y in efforts to fling back the
British line.
1000 Yards Of Trenches.
[By Ed l.. Keen, United Press Stan
Correspondent
LONDON, July British troops
resumed their great offensive against
the Germans at dawn today, with sim
ultaneous smashes against the Ger
man lines on a wide front.
An official statement from General
Haig. given out at 2:45 this after
noon. announced striking British
success east of LaBoiselle, where
/ 900 yards Of German trenches were
taken. and the capture Of several I'M
rortant tactical positions.
This morning we resumed Wig
orous offensive at dawn" reported
General Haig. THE Germans stimuli
taneously launched heavy attacks
against our new trenches near the
Ancre brook and north Of Fricourt,
resulting in violent fighting between
the Ancre and Montauban and in the
vicinity of Ovillers and LaBoisele
and Contalmaison-
Several important tactical success
ses were gained. East Of LaBoiselie
severe fighting occurred with heavy
enemy casualties. We captured 1000
Yards of German trench.
Northwest of Thiepval the enemy
temporarily regained two or three !
hundred yards of lost ground.
.During last night the enemy heav-