Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-23
Germans Suffer Terrible Loss
es in Counter Attacks
in Flanders.
OBJECTIVES OF FRENCH
GAINED NEAR VERDUh
Number of Prisoners Increased to
1,63S-Petain's Men Also In
fict Great Losses on Foe.
BY the Associated Press.

Lens. the war Office announces An at
tack east of Langemarck was repulsed.
British posts in the neighborhood OF
Lombaertzyde. Belgium, were raided by
the Germans.
Inc British troops, attacking fiercely
again yesterday. captured important
s.rategic positions for a mile along the
ipres-Menin road. to a depth of nearly
third OF mile and farther to the
north carried forward their front about
half mile over an extent of two and a
half miles The fighting, according TO
the official report from British head
quarters last night was of the most
desperate nature, the prisoners taken
bearing a small ratio to the losses in
ficted on the Germans.
Take Fortified Farms.
The text of last nights statement
reads:
successful operations were under
taken by our troops this morning to the
east and northeast of Ypres for the
capture of a series of strong points and
fortified farms lying a few hundred
yards in front of our positions astride
the Ypres-Menin road and between the
marck.
Bitter fighting has taken place at all
points. The enemy again launched re-
peated counter attacks. which suffered
heavy losses from our artillery ana
machine gun fire.
The struggle was particularly fierce
in the neighborhood of the Ypres-
Menin road. where the enemy fought
desperately to retain command of the
high ground. Here our line has been
advanced to a depth of about 500 yards
on a front of about mile.
Line Carried Forward.
"A position giving important OBJ
servation to the eastward was cap
tured by US, and our troops estab-
lished themselves in the western por-
tion of Inverness copse. Farther north
our line has been carried forward on
a front of two and one-half miles to
greatest depth of more than half a
mile.
THE garrisons of the captured farms
and strong points resisted with the
greatest stubbornness In many cases
isolated positions were only reduced
after fighting lasting throughout the
greater part of the day
Many Aeros Brought Down.
TN these operations we captured
over $50 prisoners, but, by reason Of
the obstinate nature of the fighting.
the prisoners taken bear more than q
usually small proportion TO the total
losses inflicted on the enemy. The
number of prisoners taken by us in the
course of yesterdays fighting in the
neighborhood of Lens is 1874. bringing
the total in this neighborhood since
the morning of August Is to 1.37s In
the same period we also captured in
this area thirty-four machine guns and
twenty-one trench mortars. so far
counted. Yesterday there was again
s~-ftxr in hn a In m
Severe fighting took place. Twelve
German airplanes were brought down
by our machines. Five others were
brought down out of control Twelve
of our airships are missing, including
two which collided behind the enemy's
lines during bombing raid
Prisoners Increase.
PARIS, August 23.-The number of
prisoners taken by the French In their
front has been increased to 1888. the
war Office reports. The French last
night captured fortified German posi-
ton north of Mortmont farm.
The French objectives north of Ver-
dun appear to have been attained II
the offensive were continued fresh ar
tillery preparation would be necessary
The German counter attacks yester-
day against dominant positions such
as Dead Man hill and Hill 344 proved
to be costly failures. leaving the French
masters of the points they held before
the beginning of the great battle of
yerdun last year. with the exception
of Hill 3o4. which as yet is in the en-
emy's hands.
No Rain Since Friday.
Those who believe in the theory that
cannon fire brings on rain always re-
fer to the offensives of the allies in
support of their contention, as they
have frequently been hampered by
downpours after a day or two of fight
ing In the present instance, however,
their argument has failed. Although
the firing on the Verdun front has
never been equaled, there has been no
rain since Friday.
tery which was silencing enemy bat
teries struck a depot of asphyxiating
gas. 1t burst, silencing three bat
teries.
of the French artillery
fire. mo troops could have got
through your barrages," said one.
Great Artillery Activity.
The announcement follows:
.sThe German artillery was very ac-
tive north of the Aisne. especially In
the sector between Braye-en-Laonnois
and Hurtebise. Several enemy at
tacks in the regions Of Laffaux mill.
ALLIES ana OeTug WcIc IcPu3sSu
ION the left bank of the Meuse
tverdun 'front.' our artillery. which
had the upper hand, was very active
during the night On the right bank
~ the river a detail operation enabled
MS to reduce a small point of resistance
of the enemy north of Mortmont farm.
we took seventeen prisoners.
"The number OF prisoners taken
since August 20 has reached 1888. in
cluding 1s5 officers and 500 wounded
The captured material listed included
twenty-four cannon Of all caiiber and
more than 200 machine guns. in addi-
lion to nine cannon which were de-
stroyed-
remainder of the front"
Gas Reservoirs Destroyed.
..The artillery lighting was quite vio-
ent in the regions of Braye and Cerny.
avs the official communication issued
,y the war ONCE last night.
In Champagne our batteries carried