New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-09
Gains Made in Night At
tacks on Both Sides
of the AnCre
FARM TRENCH AND
PRISONERS TAKEN
Raid Shows Offensive on
SOmme Has Widened to
17-Mile Front

London, Feb. s.-The success Of the
British squeezing movement which IL
closing in on Bapaume from the cast
and southwest was accentuated to-day
when General Haig's troops captured
the highest point Of the Sailly-Saililsel
Hill, just northeast Of the village, Wnere
the French were held up in the Somme
drive last fall. Advances are also re-
corded beyond the village OF Grand
court, which was captured yesterday
Referring TO this sector the ofhclal
statement saws: 1.-THE ground we have
gained on the Ancre since the new year
now represents an advance of an aver
age depth Of nearly three-quarters OF
mile on a front of over three miles
On the crown of the elevation al
Sailly-Saillisel was an important Ger
man position which the British report
declares was captured in its entirety
Seventy-eight prisoners. including two
officers, were taken, together with a
machine Gun. The German statement
refers to this engagement as IN prog
rcss." but is silent on any further fght-
ing along the Ancre. II.
The British. however, declare that
they have made progress on both SIDES
of the Ancre. During the night the
Baillescourt Farm, on the road be
tween Beaucourt and Miraumont' was
attacked and captured. and on the
south side of the stream a hostlle
trench near Grandcourt was carried
These two operations Melted an addl-
tional eighty-two prisoners, with one
officer. That the resumption OF the
British offensive on the Somme mas
widened TO a front Of about seventeen
miles is indicated by the report OF a
successful raid south Of Bouchavennes,
near Peronne.
General Haig also chronicles the re-
pulso of German attacks at Gueudc-
court and La Bassee and an explosion
caused by artillery fire behind the enc
my's lines near Ipres.
Paris announces spirited fighting on
the Verdun sector, both at Hill BOA
and the Avocourt Wood. A German
patrol was captured at Bonzee. In Al
SAGE there were patrol encounters at
several points, and later the French
soldiers made surprise attack near
Boland, returning with about twenty
prisoners. A German attack on the
Belgian lines appears to have failed.
The Belgians report receiving the as
sault south of Dixmude, decimating the
assailants and retaining dozen prls-
oners, one of them an officer.
Restless aerial activity is reported
by both sides. The British say they
have destroyed one German machine
and brought down three others. One
of their own machines is missing. The
Germans tell of prosecuting successful
air raids during the last few days and
dropping thousands of pounds Of ex-
plosives on French posts. On February
4. says their report, four enemy planes
were brought down on the West front.
The greater part of the East front is
quiescent. Petrograd, however, reports
a successful operation near kirlibaba,
in the Carpathan Mountains, where
the Cars attachments, Ignoring artil-
lery, small arm fire and mine eXplo-
sions, dashed through the German
barbed wire entanglements and occu-
pied a first line trench. from which the
Teutons were Unable to eject them.
There arc hints in the German Off
cial report, and more than hints in
the French statement, that activity is
increasing on the Macedonian front.
"The enemy has shown certain &C
tivity along the whole 'front.'" says
Paris, and reference is made to heavy
gun duels on the Vardar, on the Franco
Italian front, and at Monastir The
French have occupied Ojani and are be-
fore Vesteni. The Germans mention
bringing down a flaming Allied aero
plane on this sector.