The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-09-07
FRENCH GAIN ON !,
!. 2-M|LE FRONT
Paris Reports Bloody Battle Rag
ing on the Somme.
BRITISH HURL FOE BACK
Berlin Says English Entered German
Trenches Between Ginchy and
the Somme-Lose Guile
mont and Forest.

Paris, Sept. "a bloody battle is
in progress on both banks of the Som
me-" says the official statement issued
here. The French have made gains
on 13-mile front. More than 5000
prisoners have been taken in the last
two days"
Big Gains Made by French.
Ripping the German front below the
river wide open, the French captured
the first line trenches on the .BarlcuX-
DenicOurt road, gained firm foothold
in the outskirts of the village of Berry
and on the outer edges of Denicourt
and captured all of Soyecourt village.
Further south they took the entire Ger
man first line positions of the old Ger
man front between Vermandovillers
and Chilly, taking the whole of the lat
ter village. Moreover, they captured
the eastern slopes of the strategically
important Hill SIS ana the western
edges of the Chaulnes wood. ,..
In addition to driving the Germans
back on this 12l2-mile front south Of
the river, General Foche added to the
gains he made on Sunday between the
Somme and Combles. Attacking from
the village LeForest, which fell to
them on Sunday, the French swept for
ward to the east, taking the hospital
farm and a ridge west of Marrieres
wood. The Teutons, determined to
hold COmbles at all cost, debOuched in
strong forces from that town in at.
tempts to wrest from the French their
lew positions to the south. A hail of
shell and shrapnel met them and they
We're forced to give up their efforts, ac-
oording to the night communique, after
suffering very heavy losses" from the
French machine gun and barrier fire.
p. Germans Admit Loss.
Berlin (via London), Sept. 5.-In an
extensive and bitter battle developing
from the AnglO-French attacks begun
on Sunday. says the German official
statement Issued here, the Germans re-
tanned mastery over all their positions
on both sides of the Ancre Brook and
recaptured ground which they had lost
near Mouquet farm. wy .....
z SattIe on ts-MlIe Front,
The official statement says: d.
"AnglO-French attacks begun on Sun
day led to an extensive and bitter bat
tie. North of the Somme the battle
has been in. progress on a line of al
most thirty kilOmeters us miles) from
Beaumont to the SOmme. The Germans
commanded by General Won Stein and
General Baron Won Marshall retained
mastery of all their positions on both
sides of the Ancre and especially
against Thiepval and northwest Of PO-
Zieres. The Germans recaptured lost
ground near Mouquet farm.
Only at night did the enemy break
through at High wood. He was re-
pulsed. After the greatest artillery
preparation, at which a greater supply
of munitions was used than ever be-
fore, extended fighting developed be-
tween Ginchy and the SOmme.
Admit Loss of Trenches.
General Won Kirchbach and Cen
eral Won Fassbender contested yard by
yard the completely destroyed first po-
sitions entered by the enemy, stemmins
the attack at the second line. Guile
mont and Forest were lost.
South of the SOmme German artil-
lery held down the French attacks ex-
cept in the sector southwest of Bar
leaux, Forces advancing to attack
near Barleux were sanguinarily re-
pulsed. .... ..