New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
British Repel
Six Attacks
In Flanders
Repulse Spirited Efforts to
Recapture Westhoek
Positions
Gains Made on
Ypres-Menin Road
French Also Win Ground
Near St. Quentin and
North Of Aisne
DAYS DEVELOPMENTS

British hold village and ridge Of Wesihoek,
east Of Ypres, against six German counter
attacks and gain ground on Ypres-Menin
road. Artillery duel at height.
French reeonquer part of trench lost near
St. Quentin and regain positions on Chemin-
des-Dames. Germans launch two-mile at
tack in Champagne, with net gain of fifty
yards.
Strong gun duel on Italian front, with
Cadorns's men gaining slightly on Carso
Plateau.
Russian. completely repulse German par
hsl offensive near Brody, in northeast Ga
lca. Ru,so-Rumanans retiring slow y and
fighting shbbornly on Transylyanian border.
Mackensen's offensive on south making little
progress.
LONDON, Aug. 11.-Close and con-
tinuous fighting in Flanders last night
resulted in fresh gains for the British
near che Ypres- -Menin road and the re-
pulse of six German counter attacks
against the important Westhoek village
and Westhoek ridge positions lost to
General Haig yesterday morning. There
was also active skirmishing toward
Langemarck, north of Ypres, and along
the sand dunes of the coast.
Both in the Ypres sector and near the
Channel the guns are roaring with all
the volume they had before the recent
offensive, and this, cor.bined with the
almost feverish activity in the air,
foretells an imminent renewal OF the
Anglo-French drive into Belgium.
The French also won ground both
on the front before st. Quentin and
that north of the Aisne. At Fayet
Petain's troops won back what Paris
describes as "most of the trench ele-
ments" lost Thursday and what Ber-
lin insists was only a Small part"
South of ALLIES the French, without
waiting for the usual artillery prepara-
ton, swarmed over a trench which the
Germans had taken a fortnight ago
and held it against several counter
attacks.
Teutons Active in Champagne
In the Champagne German storming
troops attacked Mont Carnillet on q
front of nearly two miles, but at the
end of the battle, which fiuctuated be-
tween thrust and counter-thrust, they
were able TO retain only fifty yards Of
the first line positions, though Berlin
asserts that large number Of prison
ers were taken. In the same region,
near the Casoue, French scouts sur
prised a German pioneer detachment
and anninilated il.
The German description of the battle
around Westhoek paints it as a first
class engagement, in which the British
employed several divisions. The Ger
man day bulletin claims victory, but
is so worded as TO admit a defeat. 1t
says that the English troops which
broke into the German lines in deep
ranks were driven pack, after long
and bitter struggle, near Wcsthoek." F"
As the enemy held Westhoek up to the
present fighting the German COM
munique appears to confess the loss Of
the place. As a matter of fact, the
Germans gave up their fruitless coun-
ter-attacks at 10 o'clock last night and
contented themselves with turning a
violent battery fire on their old lines,
which the British have now consoli-
dated.
South of the village the British SOL
diers kept up the fighting for the high
ground astride the Ypres-Menin road,
winning a firm foothold. The German
report says that the British attack ex-
tended clear TO Hollebeke, more than
three miles 10 the south, but there is
no evidence of this in Haig's comuni-
cation.
New British Positions
The new British positions lie be-
tween the Ypres-Roulers railway and
the Ypres-Menin highroad and derive
their importance from this. A some
what similar Importance attaches to
the German line between Langemarck
and St. Julien, with branch rail line
running north TO the main railway be-
tween Ostend and Lille on one side and
the Ypres-Roulers highroad on the
other side. Haig is already feeling out
the German strength there and his next
stroke will probably fall either in that
area or on the coast. After that the
nglo-French armies will be ready for
another general offensive on a wide
and almost wide-open front.
The Crown Prince continues his at
tempted diversions along the Chemln-
des-Dames, but observers at the front
point out that the German attacks are
losing the vigor they had before the
recent offensive in Flanders and that
the attacking troops are beginning TO
sacrifice prisoners to the defending
units, something that has almost never
happened in the past. After futile
attack on Friday, for instance, nearly
hundred of the famous shock
troops remained in French hands,
each of them, without exception,
youth between eighteen and nineteen
years old.
Yesterday was lively one in the air.
Berlin declares that encounters in the
sky were numerous and that nineteen
Allied planes and two observation bal
looms were shot down, mostly in Flan-
ders.
now hold the eastern rim Of the Hpres.
saucer. with little probability of their
being dislodged. Evidence is coming in
that the strong and consistent pressure
on the West front, coupled with the
fear OF big development from the re-
cent British preliminary offensive, is
having an enormous effect IN Ger
many, where the question OF how long
the reserve power can hold out and
fears for the safety of all Westphalia
are taking . foremost place