The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-06
BERLIN ADMITS LOSS
Barrage Trapped German
Troops Massed for Great
Attack.
"BIGGEST VICTORY YET"
Allied Guns Now Dominate
TeutOn Trenches-French
Repulse Attacks.

LONDON. Oct. b-Stunned by the
frightful shock of the latest British ad-
vance In Flanders. the Germans to-day
still seemed demoralized by yesterdays
defeat. Field Marshal Haig apparently
had expected an Immediate series OF se-
vere counter attacks. similar t. hose
which marked the last advanc the
Ypres salient, but the shatter nemy
divisions did not attempt f. .Ler A.
saults. Tho new ground Won by the
Allied troops has been kept under .
heavy artillery fire. but that has not
interfered with tho work Of consolida-
tion.
Every report received to-day added
to the extent of the triumph. Some
military critics claimed 1t might be
classed as the most decisive action Of
the war to date. The weakening OF
the enemy morale is ascribed to the
fact that great masses of troops, as
sembled for an attack upon the Old
British lines. fell victims to the barrage.
The proportion of wounded amork the
prisoners and the statements Of various
captured Teuton officers amply corrobo-
rate this fact Tho London War Office
announces that the prisoners total 4,446,
including IN officers.
Berlin Admits IIoss.
The Berlin War Office admits the loss
OF ground but seeks to offset Its state
ment by the customary assertion that
the British ob1ectives were not attained
and that they doubtless were very far
away. Coupled with the assertion that
the German fourth army succeeded in
withstanding an attack Of unusual So
aHYpiSli Of ~ lnsa n afrin
Of land. AZ places more than a mile
deep. running from lcapelle to Ghe!-
uvet ia made.
Gheluvelt still remains in German
hands and 80 does a part Of poelcapelle.
but both towns are masses of ruins. The
enemy also retains Becelaere. which
marked the farthest point OF the Allied
advance.
Broodseinde, which lies on the Craven
stafe ridge was the extreme point actu-
ally carried in the great drive. Most of
the ridge has been overrun. Terr tory
from point near the ipres-Staden
railway on the north to the Ipres-
Menin highway to the south Is held
curely. The villages OF Reutel Moor
denhoek, Poderhoek. Molenaarelsthoek
and Gravenstafel were captured.
The tremendous stra tegic advantage of
the British now is apparent to all. The
remaining strong positions of the Ger
mans on this front are dominated, to a
great extent. by the new ground F elo
Marshal Haig holds on tho ridges. The
Yprcs salient has been extended go far
that the line Of German communications
to the northwest is menaced seriously
and the prestige OF the foe is believed
TO have suffered the greatest shock Of
4 the campaign,
French troops have been active in the
last twenty-four hours. rerulsins several
especially severe surprise attacks in
Champagne and In the Nerdun region.
| Omcial Reports.
! OtHcial reports of the fighting fol-
low:
British tDay)--Our new positions
east OF Ypres were heavily shelled by
! the enemy during the night, but no
! further counter attacks were made.
! Our troops have been engaged in or
! Earzing the captured positions.
\ hostile raiding party endcavored
! ~ enter our trenches last night north
OF Gouzeaucourt. hut was driven on
with loss by rifo and machine gun
! fire. Three other raids were attempted
by tho enemy IN the neighborhood Of
Lens. All three were rcpulsed. in one
case after stiff fighting.
British tNighD No important IN
|
front to-day. our troops have consoR-
dated their positions. There is nothing
, TO report from tho remalnder of tho
front
The number Of prisoners taken since
| yesterday morning amount TO 444s,
including ia officers.
French ,DayJ--The enemy at
tempted without success several SUR
prise attacks during the night. ospe-
ciallv in Champagne. east Of the Butte
de Souain and in Upper Alsace, near
| Mache bach.
There were violent artillery actions
on the right bank of the Meuse. in tho
region Of Bezonaux and Hill 344.
French tNighD On the front of
the Aisne, to the southeast OF Chew
reuX ard to the east of Rerny. We
repulsed two surprise at acks In
! Champagne. L. the west of NaNarian
Farm and in the rea!1' Of the MoAts.
there was reciprocal arl.lcry activity.
on the right bank ~ the Meuse our
artillery CAucht urder is nro and
scattered in the region Of the Bois
des Caurieres enemy a'scmblages.
Battle OF "Unusunl IntenSity."
German (Day). western theatre:
Front Of Crown Prince Rupprecht Of
Bavar!a-Yesterday was a day Of bat
tie Of unusual intensity for the lead
ers and the troops OF the Fourth
army, 1t was withstood from early
morning until into the night, Ths
struggle was continued by repeated
English attacks let loose again and
agaie from The region northwest OF
Langemarck to south Of tho Menin-
fpr"s road, hftceu kIlometers ,ten
miesl,
ON the terrain on which this hitter
huctuatiug fighting Of infantry took
place massed artillery, both man and
gun, worked uninterruptedly at their
maximum effort The hottest points
Of the battle were at Poelcapelle, the
lsola ted farms three kilometers west
Of Passchendaele. the roads crossing
l saSt Sl5 s.octksSst of Zolastu,l. n.,.