Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-14
FRENCH HOLDF|RM
NNEW POSITIONS
Germans Make Vigorous At
lacks to Regain Territory
Lost on West Front.
GEN. DOFFRE'S TROOPS
NOW OPPOSITE COMPLIES
Teutonic Assaults Near Verdun
Also Fail-British Gain in
Vicinity of Ginchy.

mans made vigorous efforts last night
TO drive the French from territory
CAPTURED recently on the Somme and
verdun fronts The war office today
announced the repulse of several as
saults north and south of the Somme
and east of the Mouse, at Vaux-
Chapitre wood.
North of the Somme the French yes
terday enlarged their positions oppo-
site Combles and stormed an elaborate
trench system south of LIE Priez farm
After desperate attacks the Germans
recaptured a farm in Liable wood and
hill IS. But both were retaken by the
French, who maintained all their gains
on the center and right The total
French captures of yesterday and to-
day were 2,30o prisoners, ten guns and
forty machine guns
Germans Repulsed Near Fleury.
On the right bank of the Mouse
Cverdun 'front.'. after intense artillery
preparation. the Germans attacked the
positions the French recently carried
east of Fleury. They were completely
French hands. according to Paris.
The French announcement follows:
North of the Somme during the night
we repulsed several German attempts
at the southern extremity of Hill rs.
According to late reports the violent
by the Germans yesterday in this re-
gion were carried out by division
hastily brought from the Verdun front.
South of the Sonme the enemy made
several unsuccessful attempts against
various points on our new front
West of Chaulnes during one of
these attacks an enemy detachment
about a company strong was caught
under our fire and almost destroyed.
"On the right bank of the Meuse
(Verdun 'front.' two German attacks
against our new positions in Vaux-
Chapitre wood were repulsed easily.
Speed of Advance Surprises.
The speed of the French advance in
Tuesdays battle on the Somme front
took the Germans completely by sur
prise. according to a description of the
fighting given by an eyewitness. He
said:
THE attack began at 1890 pm, in
perfect order. The officers had difficulty
holding their men, some of whom started
even before the appointed time. In a
ried and at 1885 the news arrived that
the Ber1ingot trench was already occu-
pied. Then information came in fast
of further gains and the observers saw
a stream of surrendering Germans run
ming toward the French lines.
Many OF the Germans who surren-
dered we've hit by the curtain fire Of
their own artillery. Most of them were
the yerdun front The prisoners de-
clared that though they expected the
attack the rsl,idity with which 1t was
delivered took them by surprise. They
said that when they started to come
out from their shelters they found the
French troops already ia the trenches.
Suffer Heavy Losses.
The Germans seem to have suffered
bombardment alone. A captain said that
his company lost more than half of its
electives during this bombardment. The
coordination between the artillery and
infantry was perfect, thanks to the avia-
tors One aviator located a German
battery Of 105s and gave the range 20
the French artillery with satisfactory
results
by o'clock part of a brigade of light
infantry had reached the Bethune-St
Quentin road before Bouchavesnes. The
attack on Bouchavesnes began at 1870.
Half an hour later Bengal light blazed
up from the center of the village az
signal that the French troops had en-
tered, and at o'clock its capture was
completed. This brings our advance on
this front. since July. to a depth of ten
kilometer
British Make Progress.
The British have made further prog
ress on the Somme front north of
Ginchy. it was announced officially to-
day.
THE general situation is unchanged"
gays the statement. South Of the
Ancre there were the usual artillery
bonbardments on both sides. hostile ar
tillery being particularly active in the
nefghborhood of the Pozieres windmill
and south of ThiepvaL Some further
progress has been made by us north of
Ginchy. Z.
'In the neighborhood of Souchez we
carried out successful raid last night
taking some prisoners"
Sir Sigmund Neumann Dead.