The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-02-24
GERMANS CRUSH
FRENCH IN DRIVE
PARIS ADMITS SMASHING AT.
TAcKS AT TWO PLACES.
ALLIES WORKS ARE DESTROYED
Teutcns Penetrate the First Line
Trenches tor Half a Mile in the
Forest of Givenchy, in Artols,
and North of Verdun.

Paris, Feb. 23-The Germans have
penetrated the first line French
trenches over front of 500 yards zap
proximately half mile) in the forest
of Givenehy, in Artois, but were later
expelled from the position. Official
admission of the German success in
Artois was made by the war office in
| its daily communique.
The attack, which was very strong
! one, was carried out after a violent
bombardment which practically wiped
out the French defensive works.
German Loss Enormous.
Enormous losses have been suffered
by the Germans in their attacks north
of Verdun. In that region the invad.
ers captured some advanced trenches
and some supporting trenches, but
were afterwards expelled from the
latter.
Mighty forces of men are being
thrown forward by the Germans who
have resumed the massed formation
attacks. The text of the official COM
munique follows:
In Artois, after the violent bonn
bardment of the Germans which was
referred to in the communique Of Mon
day, the enemy carried out strong
attack on our positions in the forest
of Givenchy and succeeded in pene-
trating our first line over a front of
800 yards. The trenches taken by the
Germans had been practically de-
stroyed by the German cannonade.
The Germans also succeeded in en-
tering at several points Of our Sec
ond line works, but after a counter
attack they were elected from some of
the positions which they had wrested
from us At the conclusion of the
fighting the holdings of the Germans
were small.
The enemy, whose troops in this
attack numbered at least seven bat
talions, suffered heavy losses from our
hand grenades and the fire Of our in
fantry and mitrailleuses. ,
ITO the southeast of Reclincourt
the enemy exploded mine the crater
of which was occupied by us.
I'm the region of Verdun the activ.
ity of the artillery has continued with.
out abatement
Forced Germans to Retire.
The Germans attacked on Monday
about the hour of sunset, the assault
being directed against our position
east of Observation-Disclosures between
the Haumet wood and Hebe-Bois.
They succeeded in gaining foothold
in some of our advanced trenches and
pushed forward to our second line
trenches, but our counter-attacks
elected them from the latter (the sup
porting trenches) and forced them to
retire leaving in our hands fifty pris-
oners.
ITO the east of Seppois Tin Upper
Alsace), two German attacks were re-
pulsed.
There has been great activity by
the artillery upon the Chapelotte- Ban
de Sept front
Germans Report Gain.
Berlin. via London, Feb. 23.-The
capture of 800 meters of French posi-
tions east of Souchez by German
troops is announced by the German
war Office.
The official statement follows:
There was lively artillery activity
at many points between La Bassee
canal and Arras, where, following
up our effective artillery lombard
ment, we captured by storm 500
meters of French positions east of
Souchez, and made seven officers and
319 men prisoners.
Between the Somme and the Disc,
on the Aisne front, and at several
points in the Champagne, fighting &C
tivity, grew increasingly violent.
Northwest of Tahure a French hand
grenade attack failed.
In the hills on both banks of the
Mouse above Dun, artillery battles
developed which grew at certain
points to considerable violence and