Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-04
GERMANS LOSING.
BEFORE VERDUN
French Reoccupy Fleury,
and Extend Trenches
Daily
BRITISH ALSO GAIN
Positions Gained by Crown Prince
This Week Are Suddenly Wrested
From His Grasp

London, Aug. 1.-The left wing Of
the British army engaged in tht
Somme offensive gained some grount
,during the night as the result ot
minor operations west of the vii
large of Pozieres, General Hais re
ported to the war Office this after.
noon.
Paris, Aug. 4-In a most violent
battle northeast of Verdun last night
the Germans suffered enormous los
ses in repeated counter attacks with
massed formations, it was officially
announced this afternoon.
London, Aug. 1.-The French
counter-offensivd northeast of Yer
dun yesterday reached its climax in
a powerful blow, which has resulted
in the complete recapture of FleurS
and the whole system of highly or
ganized defenses from Southeast of
Thiamumont to the Froid Terre Ridge
British troops gained ground by a
bombing attack north of Bazentin-
LIE Petit.
After a series of almost uninter-
rupted attacks during the night and
in the forenoon on the four-mile front
from the Meuse to the woods west OF
Damloup, the French yesterday af-
ternoon concentrated all their powe,
in tremendous thrust on the one
mile Thiaumont-Fleury line. They
smashed forward on this front for a
distance of about quarter of mile
through the powerful field works on
The western front. Last night they
had counted more than $50 prisoners
The village Of Fleury was attack
ed from two sides, the northwest and
southeast. In previous attacks the
French had advanced as far as the
ruined railway station against furi-
Gus resistance. Then, after the big
guns had been given time to clear q
path. the infantry again swept for
ward, this time to complete victory.
All the gains made by the Germans
in their attacks of Tuesday have been
swept away. In an attack simultane,
GUS with that On Fleury, the French
in the Chenois sector, drove the Teu'
tons from the trenches they lad seiz.
ed in this wooded region, captures
more prisoners. Berlin previously had
admitted the loss of ground recently
taken in Laufee forest.
In the last three days the French
have captured more than 1850 un
wounded prisoners. They have alst
taken large quantity of militar!
supplies. But from all indications
they have done far more than that
With the descent of the clull on the
Somme, the Germans seriously resum
ed their operations against Verdur
They had large forces at their dis
posal and all of their powerful ar
tillery. But before they could ge
well under way the French Launched
their counter-offe ffensive.
The French have regained a footing
on two of the most important height
which look down on Verdun--Peppe
Hill and the Froid Terre. The cres
of the former is a No Mans Land
being constantly swept by shell fire
But from the latter the Germans holt
artillery control of the heart OF Yer
dun. They made much of the captur
of Froid Terre, declaring it the mos
important position on the northeast
ern front. Now the French are work
ing their way up to the crest again
The statement tonight from the Wa
Office at Paris reports that Frenc
troops are fighting at the edges 0
! Hill No. 320, one of the heights Q
the Froid Terre ridge.
| That French troops have pene
trated the German lines on Monac
Farm, in the region of the River Som
me, and have taken a trench sectio
/ to the north of that position.
In the region north of the fortres
of Verdun, the announcement add
the French have recaptured a trenc
section which they had lost in tn
Laufee wood. -.