Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-08-17
Important Positions Are Car
ried and Strategic Bridge
head Is Captured by French
Forces,
BRITISH DRIVEN FROM
ONE PIECE OF GROUND
Prisoners and Guns Wrested
From Teutons; Progress Is
Made in Further Assaults on
Lens and Loos Salient.

IbN MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL WiNtl
London, Aug. 16.-British and
French troops, attacking on a nine
mile front east and northeast of Ypres
in Flanders today, gained all their
objectives except on the right flank.
The French drove the Germans
from between the User canal and
Martjevaart and captured the bridge
cad of Dreigrachten. The village of
Langemarck was carried by the Brit
ish after they had taken all their
first objectives in the center of the at
tacking line.
The official statement from British
headquarters in France tonight adds
that the Germans fought stubbornly
on Field Marshal Haigs right for the
possession of high ground north OF
the Menin road.
Suffering heavy losses, the Germans
finally pressed the British back from
the terrain they had gained early in
the day.
More than 1900 prisoners, includ-
ing thirty-eight officers, already have
been counted by the Anglo-French
forces. Some German guns also were
taken.
The British have made further
progress east of Loos, in the Lens
area, and the total of prisoners cap
tured there now has reached S96.
official statement.
The statement reads:
THE allied attacks delivered early
in the morning on front of nine miles
north of the YpresMenin road have
been continued during the day in the
face of strong enemy resistance.
ION the left the French troops ad-
vancing on both sides of the Zuyd-
-Dixmude road, drove the en-
emy from the tongue of land between
the User canal and Martjjevart and
captured the bridgehead of Diegrach-
ten.
in the center the British troops
rapidly captured their first objective
and, continuing their advance, carried
the village of Langemarce after heavy
fighting. They then forced their way
forward for distance of half mile
beyond the village and established
themselves in the German trench sys-
tenn which constituted their final OBJ
jective for the day.
Counter attacks Fierce.
"On our right there has been fierce
and continuous fighting since the ear
ly morning for the possession of the
high ground north of the Menin road.
The eney disputed our advance with
determination, counter-attacking with
large forces. AS the result of the
counter attacks, the enemy succeeded
during the afternoon at great cost in
pressing back our troops in this area
from part of the ground won earlier
in the day.
This evening further enemy coun-
in this neighborha cd were
broken up by our artillery fire. The
of prisoners taken by the al
lies in the course of this attacl. can
not be ascertained, but over 1900, in
cludng thirty-eight officers have al
ready been brought in. A few German
guns also were captured.
.'Our troops made further progress
this afternoon east of Loos. The num-
Der Of troops we captured on this
front since the opening of our attack
yesterday has now reached total of
sos, including twenty-five officers"
The checking up of the British cas-
ualties this morning indicated that
they had been moderate.
The German counter-attac were
most determined and resulted in
fierce hand-to-hand fighting among
the wrecked buildings in the suburbs
of Lens. Following their usual meth
DDS, the Germans hurled their men
into the combat without apparent
thought of the cost Of life and the
result was most disastrous.
Among the heaviest sufferers was
the Fourth division Of the Prussian
guard, who were sent into the battle
late, to endeavor to regain the lost po-
sitions. These famous troops ad-
vanced in columns of fours and imme-
diately were met by concentrated
machine gun fire which moved them
down in large numbers.
Division Amihilated.
Wave after wave of the guardsmen
were sent up into the terrific hail Of
death, and each succeeding wave met
the fate of the former wave, until vir-
tually the entire division had been an
initiated.
The German artillery gave the Brit
ish their most trouble, pouring a
heavy fire into the ranks of the ad-
infantry and shelling heavily
the rear areas.
The attack north OF Ypres began at
a quarter to o'clock this morning af-
ter the usual artillery preparation,