Evening star., 1916-07-04
PART OF LA BOISSELLE
is RETAKEN BY ENEMY
Further Progress Made by British
South of the Somme, Says
Official Report.
FRENCH HOLD THEIR GROUND
Take Advantage Of Comparatively
Quiet Night to Organize and
Consolidate Conquered
Positions.

Positions.
| BRITISH HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE. July 4, via London,
p.m.-An entire battalion of the
I85th Regiment of Prussian In
fantry, recruited from the upper
Rhine, surrendered yesterday to
the British near Fricourt.
The prisoners numbered twen-
ty officers and 600 men. The
battalion had been assigned for
duty only a short time before to
replace heavy casualties. The
British fire was so heavy and the
trench occupied by the Prussians
was damaged SO badly that the
men refused to fight longer.
The situation this morning IS
regarded by the British as salts
factory.
Germans Regain Ground.
LONDON, July 4. 2:1o p.m.-The Ger
mans last night recaptured small part
of La Boisselle, which was taken by
the British in the new offensive north
of the Somme. Farther to the south. an
official announcement says. the British
made some progress. capturing a wood.
they took prisoners and war material.
Stubborn Resistance offered.
The announcement follows:
THE enemy. reinforced by many bat
talions drawn from other parts of the
line. continues to offer very stubborn
resistance to us at all points. During
the night there was heavy fighting in
the vicinity of La Boisselle. Our
troops fought with great gallantry
against heavy attacks by the enemy.
The enemy recaptured a small portion
of the defenses south of the village.
Otherwise the situation in this neigh
borhood is unchanged.
Further south some progress was
made during the night. We captured
a wood, further war material and
prisoners.
"On other portions of the front con-
tinuous trench warfare activity was
maintained. Several raids were car
ried out. In particular, raids by the
rife brigade and the Sherwood forest
ers were especially successful.
"In the vicinity of Armentieres. after
heavy bomb rdment attempted
raid by the enemy was repulsed with
losses to them some wounded prison.
ers remaining in our hands"
Organize Captured Positions.
PARIS, July 4, 1910 m.-The night
was quiet north and south of the
Somme with the French organizing the
conquered positions. says the French
official statement issued today.
The Germans made no attempt to
interfere with French troops which
were consolidating the new positions.
In addition to the batteries already
two Of which were composed Of heavy
guns. French artillery is proving most
destructive. In one dugout which was
wrecked by shell forty corpses were
found.
The Germans are said to have suf-
fered enormous losses In the fighting
near Herbecourt, which the French cap
tured.
At one point between the Avre and
the Aisne French reconnaissance
penetrated as far as the support
trenches.
Heavy fighting continued last night
on the Verdun front. The Germans
made six successive attacks northwest
nf hi rny,f jr1, 1aNy
were driven by the French recently
few hours after they had carried 1t.
Last nights attacks were repulsed.
the Germans sustaining considerable
French made some slight progress.
French Official Statement.
The text of the statement follows:
North and south Of the River Somme
the night passed quietly. The enemy
undertook no offensive action against
our troops. who have organized them
selves in the positions they conquered
yesterday.
Further information confirms pre-
vious reports that the war material
captured by US is considerable. New
batteries, two of them of heavy caliber.
have been added to the batteries al
ready enumerated. The effects of our
destructive fire have been noted. In
one shelter forty bodies of German
soldiers were found.
I'm ravine north of Assevillers
and on the northern slopes of the viii
lage of Herbecourt the Germans suf-
fered enormous losses. North of Frise
one of our aviators yesterday set on
fire another German captive balloon.
Penetrate German Trenches.
Between the River Avre and the
| River Aisne French reconnoitering
parties have been very active. pene-
trating the first trenches of the enemy
| as far as the supporting trenches To-
| Gated northeast of Beauvraignes and
opposite Vingre. These expeditions
brought back prisoners
H'on the left bank of the River Meuse