The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-19
Germans Make Furious Coun-
ter-Attack Just at NishtiaIl
Aided By Poison Gases
Won HINDENBURG Is
CALLED TO WEST FRONT
Kaiser Calls on His Mos,
Famous Commander ia
Meet Allies Great Push
in France

London, July 1s.--A furious battIo
Is raging tonight on front of more
tnan Two miles around the ruined vii
lage or Longueval and the shell-swept
Deiville woods, north of the Somme.
Inc Germans are striking heavy blows
at the new British front in an effort
TO recapture the village and forest.
I'he hrst German attack was launch
ed Just as night was falling after i
day of wind and rain The thick
weather had interfered seriously with
the British artillery and had cloaked
the German preparations.
Late in the afternoon the heavy
guns posted on the German third line.
east of 1rengHevai,- opened fire on the
British lines. High explosive shells
rained down on the trenches. while
tear protecting shells blinded the men.
who held them. In addition, the wind
carrying toward the British trenchea
the Germans loosed great clouds Of
noxious gases and then under cover OF
the clouds advanced to the attack.
At Close Quarters
Hand-to-hand fighting developed
early and along the front of attack IL
still being waged with great fury, ac-
cording 10 a report sent to the war
office at late hour by General Sir
Douglas Haig.
This report. the second OF the day. I
also tells of the unfavorable weather
conditions under which the British ara
laboring. The conmander-in in C hiefs
earlier report announced a gain Of
considerable proportions, won during
an attack last night. In this attack
the British were able to advance on
a front of two-thirds of a mile north;
OF 0villers. driving the Germans from
several strongly defended points and
capturing prisoners and machine
guns
The region immediately contiguous
to Ovillers has seen during the last
few days some of the hardest fighting
OF the Picardy offensive. II has re-
suited in the British gaining control
Of a long stretch of the Albert Ba-
paume high road. The village OF
Oviliers itself was captured only af-
ter two pitched battles which lasted
in all, two weeks, The second and
decisive struggle began on July Z. The
town was defended by two regiments
of the crack Prussian guard Only
1874 men of these regiments were LETT
according to correspondents at tho
front, when the British finally won
the town. South of the Somme. n
we'll as against the British north of &
the river. the Germans are delivering
determined counter-attack s in an ef-
fort TO win back lost ground. The
Berlin statement makes the claim that
Bianches, La Maisonette, Soycourt and
barieux are again in German hands.
This Is dentel by the French war Of
nee at Paris, The French communi-
cation states that strong German night
attacks on front stretching from
Biaches to La Maisonette were re-
pulsed and that the Germans wera
not able to gain nossession of the
former village despite their utmost
efforts.
That the Teutons did win a footing
in Biaches is indicated in the mid.
night communique from Paris which
states that they have been dislodged
from houses they had held in the
outer sections of the village.
Widening His Salient.
The strategy of General Haig &c.
cording to correspondents at front
now Is being concentrated in efforts to
widen the four-mile gap cut in the
Ieuton front north of the Somme.
Realizing that the driving forward OF
small wedges here and there, as the
British have done in previous often.
siVe EFFORTS, only Civ, the Germans an
onnortunit" to hammer in such
sahents later on. or costs the British
many men to hold them. the English
ommander-in-chief is directing his
main energies to the widening and
deepening of one salient. This Is the
Albert salient and every gain made
by the British In the past several dayn
has had the desired effect The steady
pressure exerted against the Germans
and the continued success of the Brit.
i.h stategv Is reported to have 10
alarmed the Teuton generals and the
emperor himself that Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg, genius OF the Ger-
man arms has been called to the wost>
ern front for conference
:. characterization GENES In dfspateA
from Amsterdam. which adds that, foi-
lowing the conference. 1t is likely vou
Hindenburg will be placed in supreme
command of all the German and Aua.
trian armies on the eastern front.
with Won Hindenburg. Idol Of Ger. "a 4
many, coming to the Pieardy 'front.' thu
two greatest soldiers the war has a.
veioped win be In this theater. Jonra II
the man who Ia In supreme comman~H
and direction OF the destinies OF Frana6 n
also Is in Picardy, and has revttWU S
his troops on the redeemed sotl D45 IL
patches from Paris today anaSn1 <S
that still more men have heA1 ~ q
to the colors. The latest to ~ e41
out are part OF the class az IN
from forty-s4vsh q 9ptkx-