Bisbee daily review., 1917-09-23
FIGHTING Of
SORT
RAGING NEAR
MEN|N ROAD
Germans Attempt Counter At
tacks In Order to Win Back
Lost Ground. British Beat
Back Thrusts of Foe.
(By Review Leased wire.)

(By Review Leased Wire)
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE AND BELGIUM, sept. zz.-
(By Associated Press. Hard fighting
developed during the night at various
points along the front OF the new Brit
ish offensive east of Ypres as a result
of several heavy counter-attacks by
the Germans. But while local battles
are still continuing. the enemy was
thrown back in most places with Sc
we're losses.
Situation UNCHANGED
Generally speaking. the situation re-
mained unchanged. One of the heav-
lest counter-attacks made by the Ger
mans was west of Gravenstafel ridge,
about a mile and a half north of the
Ypres-Roulois railway. The enemy
surged forward from an elevation in
mass formation and hurled themselves
against the British along a front OF
nearly a mile. 1t is reported that the
Germans advanced under a white flag.
and ii they did they were fully re-
warded for their treachery. for they
repulsed with very heavy losses.
Assault Determined
The assault here was most deter
mined and sanguinary fighting fol-
lowed. At one point the rushing en-
emy penetrated the British line for a
distance of a fifth of a mile. but was
quickly driven out at the point of the
bayonet. and the whole attacking
force was compelled to retreat. leav-
ing the ground strewn with dead and
wounded.
Another small encounter which the
enemy attempted in an adjacent Sec
tor was broken by artillery fire before
the Germans came even in contact
with the British infantry.
Other counter-Attacks
Shortly after s o'clock last night
the Germans launched strong counter
attacks on a mile and a half front
stride the Ypres-Menin road. along the
British defenses east of Inverness
Copse and Dumbaton Lakes. The
fighting here was severe. and at latest
reports was still raging on the right
in the neighborhood of Tower Ham
lets. which have been the scene OF
almost continuous strift since the Of
fensive began. On the left of this at
tack the British line was reported in
tact. but no news had been received
about the situation on the right UP TO
the time of the sending Of this dis
patch.
East of langemarck
A hostile counterattack east OF
Langemarck was shattered by the
British artillery. and in the same sec
ton the British improved their posi-
tions in the neighborhoOc OF Schuler
farm. When the advance began on
Thursday the British purIosely push
ed by on both sides of German re
doubt at Schuler farm and left 1t in
pocket.
This was because of the marshy na-
ture of the ground around It. which
made infantry work difficult.
Gain Foothold
At one point the Germans succeeded
in gaining a foothold. Forcing the Brit
ish to retire The position is OF minor
and will have little effect
on the present situation as a whole.
Outside of this local battle. things are
quiet along the front OF
the new offensive a the latest re-
ports.
Artillery Effective
Evidence continues to accumulate
showing the tremendous effect of the
British artillery work before the open
ing of the offensive. One German Of
dcer. taken prisoner. who had fought
on all the fronts and participated in
the battle at Arras, declared that the
British bombardment during the twen-
ty-four hours prior to the attack was
the greatest he had ever experienced.
The Germans appear to have suffer
ed heavy casualties from gas as wes;
as from ordinary shell fire One drum
mer captured Thursday said that two
battalions in his regiment were in
process of relieving when the British
gas came on them. Twenty men out
Of fifty in his command were gassed.
and more in proportion in other COM
panies. The majority of the men af-
iected died. The gas was highly con-
,entrated and the men could not get
their masks on in time. The drum
ner declared there is genuine fear of