The sun., 1916-11-02
BRITISH ATTACK ON
LIE TRANSL0Y FAILS
French Capture Two Trenches
in Desperate Fight for
Village.
FACE DIFFICULT TASK
Must Take St. Pierre Vast
Wood, Strongly Defended
by Germans.
FACE DIFFICULT TASK

PARIS. Nov. lie TTansloy SIN
holds out against every EFFORT OF French
and british 10 storm Il. but the French
to-day crept a little nearer this strongly
held village southeast Of B%apautne.
Working In cooperation with the British,
the French infantry captured two
trenches southwest OF lie Transloy.
The struggle for lie Transloy /. be-
coming one OF the mos; stubborn OF any
Of tine series Of desperate lights for
strong positions that have mad. W the
Somme battle. To-day the attack was
made west. south and southeast Of tho
village, and at one point only success is
claimed. The Germans say the British
attack west OF the village reached their
trenches. hut broke down after bloody
hand TO- hand lighting.
soon after the lie Trausluy attacSs
.he From ii shifted the attack southeast,
and logan what will lie IL difiicult and
costly undertaking. the conquest of the
~ Pierre Vast wood. They took q
strongly organized and defended Ger
man trench system on the western edg.
NJ tle wood. which linked the Sailliscl
NNAso vi VIZ -SdAallStl ~ l"R N'i"A
Built In the form OF IL crescent and pro-
,ccted by double entangl-ments q:
barbed wire. tn. trench was "a serious
obstacle.
Desperate " orb 10 Come.
There will be far more desperate work
Ia taking the wood, which is twice as
iarge as the famous Deiville wood shat
cost the British 50 dear Though most
~ the larger 'rees have been cut down.
lie small raviues that run 'hrUush the
wool make Il cas.iy defenslbie.
Tn. only other engagements north Of
the Sotu;ns were about Sailly-Saillisel
carly ~ the day. The Germans mad. a
very strong attae; oE this double village
from north and east. In which wave
after wave % infantry WAS sent at the
4, position. The French broke up ever!
attack and took seventy prisoners.
At Nerdun. .ahrr. there wa only a
sever" c~anlUnade to-day. the French an
nouncc tonight that since October -, II
week AZ" yesterday. when they suddenly
retock strong positions from the Ger
mans. they have taken S.sll prisoners.
The material taker - very lnrc" in
amount and In value. Fifteen guns. i've
| of them ~ llrg. caiinr- tifty-oie trench
nortars. la machine guns. two wireless
plants and u great quantity OF shells.
rifles. bombs and other material have
fallen into French hands as q result, OF
this stunning blow 10 the Crown Prince.
The French statement.
The French statement tO-rich. says:
North of the Sonme We made I'M
poriant gains. Northeast VI Les Bo.fs.
pushit. our gains Of last '.ishi. W. tool,
after a swift at;a";,. two more enemy
trenches. capturing L.: prisoners.
Another attack southeast OF Sa!ll!s"l
made us masters Of Il system Of strongly
organized trenches in the western out
skirts ~ 81. Pierre Waist wood t'ft.
prisoners r.m4ired in our hands after
this action.
"T. Is confirmed that tn. attack
launched 10y the iierinans on Sai.ly-Sa!l-
lisel was an ambitious effort 20 "us' US
from the village It's failure was COM
plete, costing tn" enemy heavy losses
Judging Icy III" humble Of dead which
covered thc battlefield"
'on the right bank oc the Neuse
NVerdun 'front.' tn. night was relatively
calm"
The British statement to-n!gh, says
This afternoon, IN conjunction with
the French. W. mrd. n locsl attack cas;
OF Lea Bpufs. where some ground was
gained.
iUtTe wa Ati!t HpttlAt SUl'illlS
against oar mont between L.v Sars and
Gue2decourt. and IN the neighborhooi -.
Schwaben Eedoub'.
south of Hulluch this morning Nc
bomharded enemy trenches with good re-
suits. An enemy aid west Of Angrcs
was easily -epulsed.
Yesterday our air craft did some use.
fui work IN reconnaissance and lomhinr
enemy batteries. one hostile machine
was driven down in a damaged ccndi-
ton one OF ours Is missing
The German statement says:
Army Group Of Crown Prince Rup-
precht-The weather growing brighter
IL the Somme district q lively artillery
activity was begun in several sectors.
In the evening hours the English adj
vanced from the district OF Courcelle,te
and With strong forces from the linz Of
Guerd-court-Les i3oeufs for attack.
North OF Courcellctte the attack was
unable to a under our defensive
fire, West OF Le Transloy the attack
broke down unle losses. AT some places
IN hnNl 70 hand fighting"