Evening star., 1917-01-12
POUNDING GERMANS
INVEST CONSTANTLY
British Operations Result irf
Growing Casualty Lists
for the Enemy.
BERLIN CLAIMS SUCCESS


FRANCE. January II. via London.
January 12.-Through rains. mist. fog
and deep mud the British army is con-
tinuing day by day to pound the Ger
man lines. Although there has been no
distinctly spectacular action recently
daily and nightly trench raids and the
drumming of the artillery have con-
tinued These operations have yielded
a constant inflow of prisoners and have
kept the casualty lists growing. Ac-
cording to the stories told by the
prisoners, the British tactics have
harassed the German troops almost be-
yond endurance.
The last week has witnessed some
typical so-called minor operations. cul-
minating with an attack before dawn
today north of Beaumont-Hamel THIS
action brought the total of prisoners
taken in this area in the last three days
to 800, and placed in British hands
some important sections Of trenches:
On Tuesday night the British attacked
desired section of the German lines,
which was taken with a yield of 14o
prisoners.
Germans Driven Out.
The operations this morning drove
the Germans from a position which
they had held for some time, and from
which they could observe part of the
British line. The attack was preceded
by the usual artillery preparation.
which, as a matter Of fact, had been
going on for nearly week, but had
grown particularly severe in the last
forty eight hours.
Just before dawn the British went
over Ahead of them, in that darkest
hour before the sun rose, was the fiery
curtain of shells from the guns far IN the
rear. The sodden stretch of No Man
Land over which they plodded was lit by
the glare of the exploding shells. AS the
barrage crept steadily forward the men
followed it so closely that the spectator
momentarily expected them to be smashed
by the fire of their own guns. Red rock
cts from the German trenches flashed
signals for aid to the defending guns in
the rear but the counter barrage failed to
check the advance. The German gunnery
in this instance was described by the at
tacking officers as weak and cratic
Meet Little Resistance.
The British soldiers encountered little
resistance when they entered the she'll
torn trenches. The Germans had taken
refuge from the terrific shell fire In the
dugouts and communicating trenches. The
prisoners taken in this raid had been on
the front line for long while and ap-
peared very much detected AS soon as
the captured trenches had been cleared of
the last hostile fighter squads OF engineers
were sent in to consolidate and repair khe
new positions and before night the regd-
lar booming Of the big guns told that the
battle had once more settled down into
its customary routine.
British Official Report.
,I pr;t;sb ofIicial communication is-
sued last night says:
"a number of minor enterprises were
undertaken last night with excellent
results South of the Ancre we entered
the enemy's trenches at two places in
the neighborhood of Grandcourt and
took prisoners. Early this morning
local operation on larger scale north
east of Beaumont Hamel was complete
ly successful. Our troops carried an
enemy trench on front of three-quar
ters of a mile and established our posi-
tion. An enemy counter attack this
afternoon was caught in the open by
our artillery and broken up with loss.
One hundred and seventy-six prisoners,
including four officers, were taken in
the course of the operations in this
area
last night east of Armentieres and
northeast of Ypres. Many casualties
were inflicted on the enemy.
The artillery activity has been
mes and in the neighborhood of LeSars,
Beaucourt and Forguevillers"
British Repulsed, Says Berlin.
BERLIN. January IL. by wireless to
Sayville.-Two attacks were made by
British troops early this morning on
nf
North of Beaucourt the British gain
ed initial success. the war office an
but were driven back with
heavy losses by counter attack. A
thrust near Serre broke down under the
German fire. The statement regarding
the Franco-Belgian front operations
reads:
western front: Army group of
Crown Prince Rupprecht-our posi-
tons near Armentieres and Lens, and |
On both sides of the Albert-Bapaume |
road were shelled by hostile artillery, |
10 which bombardment we replied Wig
North of the Ancre the Brit |
sh, in the early morning hours, twice |
attacked in vain. Near Serre their at
.ack broke down before our lines |
North of Beaucourt. after they had won
initial successes. they were driven back
nto their original positions with heavy
osses by a strongly pressed counter
attack. Fifty prisoners and two ma
,hine guns remained in our hands.
Near Beaumont minor infantry en-
,agements are still in progress
Army group of the German crown
of the Meuse and on the
>otes Lorraine and in the Vosges. ar
illery and mine fighting was revived
It some points. Raiding troops this
combres heights and east of Nomeny.
md returned, without losses with six-