The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-15
FIRST EFFORT BY
THE GERMANS TO.
.RETAKE RIDGE.
BLOODY FAILURE
Forces of Crown Prince
Rupprecht Hurled Back
With Terrible Losses
TROOPS CAUGHT IN
BRITISH BARRAGE
Artillery Duel Most Ter
rife Heard in Flanders
For Many Weeks
CRy Associated Press.l


With the British Army in Bel
gium. Wednesday, Nov. 1.-THE
forces of Crown Prince Rupprecht,
of Bavaria have made their first
pretentious effort to regain Pas
schendaele village, in accordance
with the edict Of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg that the place should be
recaptured. and have failed.
The enemy's attack made late yes
terday afternoon against positions
on the crest Of the ridge north of the
hamlet, was attempted with large
forces and was q most determined
effort to retake this gem Of their
defenses. but the asSaulting troops
were hurled back after a grim strug-
gle, leaving the British line before
Passchendaele intact.
The greater part Of the enemy in
fantry was stopped by the tremend-
Gus British artillery barraEe. which
ploughed through their ranks as they
began the advance; but some Of
them. answering To that famous
discipline, ingrained by Prussian
military rule, pushed through this
rain Of death and reached the British
front line.
A sanguinary struggle followed at
close quarters. The Germans battled
doggedly, but the British soldiers
with such ferocity that he was com
PEELED to give ground and finaliy re-
tired, leaving many dead upon the
barren crest. ~
Terrific Bombardmont.
The enemy attack was prefaced by
. terrific bombardment. The German
guns opened on the right az o'clock
yesterday morning.
All day Passchendaele and the
forward area were sha3led continu-
ously BY the concentrated German
artillery. while the British heavies
and field guns replied with a violent
bombardment OF the enemy's lines
and battery positions. No such ar
tfIlery duel had occurred along the
British front in many weeks. For
hours Ii was maintained by both
sides with a drumfire intensity that
shook the country for miles about.
Windows in houses fifty miles away
ratified and in a town Is miles by
airpIane from the scene Of activities
the detonations could be plainly
heard. " 81. st'. @
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon
enemy infantry was seen advancing.
At the same time the Germans drop
ped a heavy barrage on Goeberg
spur to the west. preventing infantry
assistance coming to the British
from that quarter.
The "S. o. s." signal went up from
the British lines and the great Brit
lsh artillery machine responded.
Their myriad OF shells began break.
Ing in a steady rain across the ridge
In front Of the advancing GermanG
Caught i'm Steel Storm.
The enemy was attacking in force.
and as they surged along they were
caught in this tornado Of, jagged
steel. Many were killed. many more
wounded. The major part of the at
line was forced to retire aft
sr struggling blindly against this
awful deluge for q few moments.
Some Of the more determined men,
however. pushed on. The shritl chat
ter OF the machine guns and crack
of the rifles along the British posi-
tons Joined the chorus OF the guns.
and stream OF steel was whipped
1ut across the open ground, waist
nigh. into the German ranks. Never
theless. these men continued to ad-
vance determinedly. The order had
been given that Passchendaele must
De retaken regardless Of cost,
They reached the British front
inc and hurled themselves against
t. Then came the bitterest work of
llI-at close quarters. II is possible
hat very few of those Germans who
,raved the final rush ever regained
heir own line.
When the attack finally was
IL was a complete defeat
or the Germans. The spirit with
which the British met this assault
vas epitomized by a German officer
Who remarked the other day, witt
such men as that we could go any
where and do anything"