The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1916-10-04
$4,000 GERMANS
CRUSHEDONSO
LONDON DECLARES
2o,735 Prisoners Taken Since
Beginning of the Drive
for Bapaume.
NEW GAINS IN NIGHT
Eaucourt L'Abbaye Now En-
tirely Occupied-Frenc.i
Seize Line of Trenches.

-
LONDON. Oct 4.---Following the
| offlclal announce mcni to-day. in which
the War ONCE declared that the viii
lage OF Eaucourt L'Abbaye. three miles
from Bapaumc. was now entirely In
the hands os the British. a supple-
mental statement was givcn out show
ing the detaiIs Of the nghting since
Sept. ij.
The statement describes the capture
OF villages. including Combics, Gcudc-
court and Thiepvai. and proceeds:
These victories brought our front
line at moro than one point ,%ithIn a
milo OF the German fourth position
west OF the Bapsumo-Transloy Road.
The enemy has fought stubbornly
To cheek our advance. and since
sept. Is seven new divisions have
been brought against us and Ave
against tho French. The severe and
prolonged struggle demanded on the
part OF our troops very great deter
mination and courage.
AT the end OF September the sit
uation may bc summarized as follows:
Since the opening of the battle on
July I we have taken 2G.1S5 prisoners
and engaged thirty-eight German
divisions. OF which twenty nine (obout
/ $4,000 men) have been withdrawn
exhausted or broken. We hold the
half moon upland south OF the Ancre.
occupy every height OF Importance.
/ and 10 have direct observation round
to the east and northeast. Tho enemy
has fallen back upon a fourth live
behind low ridge Just west Of the
Bapaume -Transloy Road.
"The Importance OF the three
months offensive is not to be judged
by the distance advapced or the
number OF trench lines taken. II
must be looked for in the effect upon
the enemy's strength In numbers.
material and morale. The enemy has
used up his reserves in repeated.
costly and unsuccessful counter
attacks without causing our allies or
ourselves to relax our steady. meth
odical pressure.
in this action troops from every
part Of the British Empire and British
Islands have been engaged. Ali be-
haved with the discipline and resolu-
tion OF veterans.
Our aircraft have shown in the
highest degree the spirit OF the offen-
sive. They have patrolied regularly
far behind the enemy's lines and have
fought many battles In the air with
hostile machines and many with enemy
troops on the ground. For every enemy
machine that succeeds. in crossing ouI
front II Is safe to say two hundred
British machines cross tho enemy's
front"
In his report to-day Gen. Haig
says that Eaucourt L'Abbaye was
completely occupied last night.
The British lines were pushed for
ward into the village several days
ago. but the Germans clung tena-
ciously to several houses. These
were cleared Of the enemy In last
nights lighting.
PARIS. Oct. "A strongly fortified
line Of German defenses between
Morval and the st. Pierre Wood. on
the 6omlne front. has been captured
by the French. the War ONCE en-
nounced to-day. Three hundred pris-
oners were taken.
North OF the Somme," says the offi-
cial statement. I'VE completed the
capture OF a powerful line Of German
trenches between Morvai and the st
Pierre-vasst wood. We made about
800 prisoners. including ten officers.
South OF the Somme there was q
lively enemy bombardment OF the
region OF Belioy-en- -Santerre. TIT
night was calm on the rest OF the
front.
bad weather interfered with aerial
operations on the greater portion OF
the front"
BERLIN, Oct. 4.-The Germans re
pulsed English attacks near Thiep-
val and MouQuet Farm last night, and
also repelled French attacks along the
Sally -Rancourt road. near ct. Pierre
WAIST Wood. II was officially an.
nounced to-day.