Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-08-18
Artillery Of Allies Shows Vast
Superiority Over That Of
Germans in Recent Often |
sive.
POSITIONS TAKEN ARE
HELD IN FIRM GRIP
Hand to- hand Fighting Before
Langemark Is Bitter but
Haig's Men Sweep For
ward,

tsY soss,ss ,oussA. SPECIAL lssssp w.s,
British Front in France and Bel
GUM. Aug. 17.-German troops last
night made a determined attack to
recover a small section of ground
taken by the Canadians yesterday
afternoon northeast Of Lens but three
successive counter-attacks were
driven off with heavy losses to the
enemy.
The first counter-attack on the
Canadian center made in the early
evening was an absolute failure. About
o'clock the Germans again surged
forward and succeeded in pushing
back a few advanced posts, but the
Canadians subsequently moved for
ward and re-occupied the positions.
Again the Germans came back but
they We're repulsed and appeared to
be satisfied to let matters remain as
they were for the time being.
On the north of the salient the
Germans put down a heavy barrage
last night and gave indications of a
counter-attack, but the British artil-
lery replied with such quick and
effective barrage that no infantry ac-
tion followed.
The same thing happened east and
southeast Of Monchy early this morn
ing.
Germans Consolidated.
tn Nd hos IA
sections which had seen such hard
fighting, were heavily shelled by the
Germans throughout the night. The
British and French were proceeding
satisfactorily with the consolidation
OF their new positions all along the
front.
Evidence continues to multiply
from both the prisoners and British
officers of the wonderful efficacy of
the British barrage fire yesterday
morning on the north end of the Brit
ish line where the advance was so
successful
The correspondent visited the cas-
ualties-clearing station for The Lange-
marck region and talked with a Brit
ish artillery observation officer who
was wounded in the fighting near
Langemarck. He said.
Il have seen much modern artillery
work but frankly l never dreamed
there could be such perfection
achieved in barrage fire as we ac-
complished Thursday morning. was
n ad,
l could see the full effects of our
fire on the Langemarck region. While
! directed the firing Of the guns in
the rear. l was amazed to see what
our gunners could not see.
Drops Curtain of Steel.
"At the jumping off hour, which
was 4:45 o'clock, the British batteries
dropped barrage in trout Of our
infantry for the advance. 1t was
as though a solid curtain Of steel had
been dropped before our men. II
moved forward with the mechanical
precision of clockwork. All our yurs
broke out with such a hurricane Of
fire that was stunned with the ef-
feet
II tried to say something to al
companion Standing beside me, but
could not make him hear my Ioddest
shouts, SO deafening was the thunder
from the breaking shells. The bar
rage moved forward with such ac-
curacy that our infantry was able to
keep quite close to it without danger
for there was no wavering of the
barrage line. Straight on over
Langemarck and the surrounding re-
gion passed the barrage with the m
fantry trailing. 1t was not more than
thirty minutes from the start before
we were in the town itself. 1t was
o'clock when our gunfire finally |
rested on German positions far to |
the rear. and there they continued |
to hammer away while the fighting
went on about Langemarck.
British Guns Superior.
The Germans undoubtedly were |
expecting our attack, for their |
pouter-barrage was dropped back |
of our lines almost as soon as our |
advance began. / could observe the |
whole thing, and there is absolutely |
no doubt Of the tremendous superior
ity of our artillery work and the |
preponderance Of our guns. The Ger
man counter-battery work was nil but
on the other hand our batteries were
doing excellent execution agains the
enemy's guns which was indicated by
the diminution of their firing as the |
battle progressed. AZ early as 8 |
o'clock ! saw one big German gun
being hastily removed from the
height north Of Langemarck and