Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-28

Somme, Bapaume, Irles, Peronne,
Nesle, Fayette, Gricourt, Vaux, Roye,
Tergnier, Ham and hundreds of
other positions were lost by the
Germans. In an evacuation which
French critics regard as memorial
the Germans left a track of wide
spread devastation which aroused
worldwide indignation. The Brit
ish claimed capture of nearly 5000
prisoners in the three months of this
German retirement for a depth of
from five to fifteen miles along a
front of about As miles.
In April the British transferred
their offensive northeast of Arras,
forcing Won Hindenburg to redis-
tribute his forces along a fifteen
mile front. Canadians played a his
toric part in this fighting. Monchy-
le-PreuX was taken; and Vimy Ridge
was captured after one of the world S
bloodiest battles. Canadians held the
ridge against desperate counter at
tacks. This success east of Arras
turned Hindenburg's northern pivot,
and British critics regarded it as the
greatest in the history of British
arms in the present war. This often
sive, continued. placed the British
astride the Hindenburg line and the
Germans retired to positions a mile
OF TWO west Ol the DIOCOuII-S2ueduJ
line. These they he'' as the third
year closed.
Many Killed
Meanwhile the battles of Cham
paign and Aisne had been carried on
by the French, who in April captured
Auberive. In the first days of Cham
paign offensive. one of the greatest
struggles of the war. the Germans
sustained an estimated loss of 100. 900
killed, wounded and taken prisoners
through their desperate defensive op-
erations. Fighting in these regions
continues after three months, during
which the French have advanced
from one to five miles along a fifty
mile front. The present French line
runs from northwest of Scissors,
through Rheims to Auberive.
In June, 1917, the British began
all attack on Messines and Wyschaete
in an effort to straighten out the
Ypres salient. Again British flyers
dominated the air. The British had
spent an entire year mining the
earth for this offensive, which was
begun with an explosion so terrific
, that it was heard in London. Beyond
Messines, for two miles east and
northeast, the British won and con-
solidated ground, captured more than
7,400 prisoners and great stores of
artillery. Gaining every objective,
they placed themselves astride the
Ypres- canal. having ad-
vanced three miles on an eight-nile
front. Portuguese and Belgian troops
aided in this offensive. In recent
| days the fighting there had been
confined to raiding operations.
Germans Suffer Heavily
1t is estimated that during April,
May and June the Germans suffered
! 35O,0 600 casualties on the western
front.
The Russians, having in June OF
| 1916 begun an offensive from the
Pripet Marshes to the Rumanian
frontier, speedily captured Czernow-
itz and the rest OF Bukovina, to-
gether with Brody in. Galicia, and
in August they entered StanisIau for
the third time in the war. These
! operations forced the Austro- Ger
mans to relinquish lines they had
| held throughout the winter of 1916
1916.
This Russian operation broadened
by mid-July so that it extended from
the Gulf of Riga to the Rumanian
front, distance of 500 miles. The
Germans were reported to be rush
ing troops from the Italian and
French fronts. Widespread enthusi-
asm was created throughout Russia
and the moral effect on the other
entente powers was tremendous.
Russ Front Crumples
Before tn ethird year closed, how
ever, Russia's offensive suffered a
! collapse. German spies, anarchists
| peace fanatics and other agitators
succeeded in destroying the morale
of some of the Russian troops in
Galicia, where retreat became nee