The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-08-13


eliminated in network of underground works ap-
proNimatcly half mile square between the villages
Of Souche2 and Ecurlc. The Labyrinth this was
called
Ii was battle fought almost entirely under
ground 1t ended with the French on the Lorrette
Heights in part Of the village OF Souchc2 and largely
In control of the Labyrinth but the Germans re-
NAMED solidy in Lens and rcgancd some of the LOST
ground in counter attacks
In the meantime the British, for tho first time
since the User found themselves strong enough to
undertake a local offensive. The public at home
had been clamoring for activity and had been max
ing unfortunate comparisons between French energy
and what was regarded as British lassitude. In
some way the impression had gone about that
big push" as the men in the trenches referred to
it. would come in the spring, and probably more FOR
political than military reasons an attack at Neuve
Chapcllc was decided on Field Marshal French
then in command, hoped to turn the Germans out
of La Bassce salient by heavy blow to the north'
but after an expenditure of shell that surpassed
according to English reports the total amount OF am
munitlon used in the Boer War, the offensive broke
down disastrously after Il gain of mile or SO OF
ground Control of the artillery lost, reserves
were not ready and the whole battle was marked by
admitted incfficcncy in the subordinate commands.
scNthcd
The Battle of Neuvc Chapec was fought the mid
die of March A month later the British made
sudden dash from the vicinity of St ElOI, south OF
Yures and stormed IllI No. GO, n commanding ee-
Walton southeast of the city. They held for two or
three DAYS when the Germans launched their great
cs offensive of the season in the west the second
Rottlc of Yprcs They struck north OF Ypres where
tbc British line held by the Canadians linked up
with the French in the neighbOrhOod OF Het SaS.
Asphyxiating gas was introduced into warfare here
and under its influence the allied line temporarily
broke The battle soon extended around Hpres 10
Hill No. 60 and continued with the utmost violence
for three days The Germans at one time were
across the User on front Of more than half mile
nut in a sangunary struggle they were thrown BACK
and the battle ended with tightening Of the Ger
man lines about Yprcs but with the road to Calais
still closed and sealed,
The September Offensive.
With the exception Of small local encounters ana
the customary patrol engagements, the opposing
armies were inactive from midJune to the first days
of September During the summer the Allies were
Vastly increasing their munitions output and were
building up large reserve of troops and shells IN
anticipation of great drive which they hoped would
France. The first signs OF the impending offensive
came in the first week in September in great In
crease in the violence Of the artillery fire along the
entire western front This gradually grew in volume
until II eliminated on September "a and the morn
Ing of the 25th in a vertable deluge Of high eXplo
IsIvc shells over the German line in Champagne ana
Artois.
In the afternoon Of the 25th the infantry was sent
forward on front of seventeen miles in Champagne
and front of nine miles In ArtoIs The French
alone were involved in the former sector. Both
armies Joined in the Arois attack.
The French objective as in March, was the rail-
wav supporting the German front. The first line
was crossed and at two or three points the second
was preached, but here the French were stopped
They continued the struggle for three or four DAYS
more. but their progress ended and while they
had gained few square miles of ground The sltua-
ton was left much as 1t was before. Six months
had been devoted to preparation for the attack, ana
the French commander hoped to be able to break
through, turn the Germans In the Argonne ana 1lank
them out of the Aisne country.
While the battle in Champagne was In progress
the allied forces moved on Lens from La Bassee
Canal TO Souchez The British captured Loos, two
miles from Lens and Hill No. 20, which dominates
to the northwest They lost the hill under counter
u
man pressure on their left was so severe they had
to turn the defence of oos over to the French, the
transfer being effected In the midst Of battle under
conditions which make It stand out brilliantly from
series of grave tactical errors which characterized
the engagement as whole. The French on their
mrt carried Souchcz and moved up to Hill No. l4O,
south of Lens, but nil further advance was barred
and in the subsequent counter attacks the hill and
mart of the adjoining upland were lost
Attack on the DardaHeleS,
Russias future salvation lies in Mediterranean
port England for two centuries has been fighting
around the green table and the battlefield to block
this path to warm water In her position as an ally,
however, it became necessary for her to undertake
to obtain for the Muscovte Power what she had
been consistently opposing for generations. She must
make u serious attempt to open the DaTdanGIles.
Russia struck first at Turkey in the Caucasus a
month after the latter rather unceremonousy Joined
in hostilities. Some sharp fighting developed along
the Armenian frontier in the early winter, but the
Battle of Sari Kamish put stop to all active opera
tons for a year and left the Ottoman organization
unlmpeded to prepare for the attack on the Oar
daneles of which the French and British had warned
It by bombardment of the lower Dardaneles forts
on February 49, 1915; and in which the largest fleet
ever engaged in siege operations took part
kaAkn afa1