The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-01-06
greatest sea battle in history.
BY Captain GEORGE L. KILMER, Late
u. S. v.

- URPRISES have not ceased in
- the surprising world war, now
we'll into its third year. The
more important of these sur
prises in 1916 have been in France, at
sea, on the Italian front and in the
Balkans. In January the Germans
who were supposed to be on the defen-
sive in France, Sprang vicious attack
along a five mile front in the Cham
pagne. Farther north, on Vimy ridge,
and at Ypres, Belgium, they stormed
British trenches, 800 yards and 600
yards in length. While attention was
thus drawn to the northern front the
Germans suddenly launched heavy at
tacks on Feb. % north of Yerdun,
starting a tremendous drive against
that famous Salient which the crown
prince originally struck at in August,
1914 Three days later Fort Douau-
mont, four miles from the city, was
captured following a bombardment
which nearly razed its walls. Next
day the Germans captured six fortified
French villages and on the Doth shifted
the attack from the north to the south
east. Fighting continued for weeks.
The middle of May it was evident that
the French line would hold in front Of
the city itself.
The element of surprise in the Yer
dun drive lay in that the Germans
would risk heavy losses in stOrming
Notifications for the mere purpose ap-
parently of shortening their front.
Counterdrive by the Allies.
1t has been limited that the German
offensive at Verdun was launched to
forestall an expected Anglo French of
fensive against the German communi-
cation farther north. Such a move
ment was launched the 1st of July
along the river Somme and the river
Ancre, Peronne and Bapaume being
the objectives. Every day for two
weeks either the French or British
plunged forward, now capturing a vii
lage, now a woods. Again the Ger
mans would retake ground by desper-
ate counterattack. Supposed keys like
COntalmaison and Combles were cap
tured but Peronne and Bapaume still
cover the railroad along which the
Germans on the battle line in France
receive their supplies through Belgium.
At the end of two weeks Of forward
movements on the Somme, Lloyd
George. British minister of war, ex-
claimed in a council of leaders, 'Yic-
tory is beginning to flow in our di-
rection."
Russia Comes Back.
Lloyd-George evidently included in
the flow of victory Russia's great en-
terprises in her southwest war zone,
Bukowina and eastern ,Galicia. The
Russians had been expelled from the
Warsaw and Vistula line in the au-
tumn Of 1915, but a considerable body
remained in eastern Bukowtna and
just outside its borders. The Austro-
Germans had also left garrisons for
their original Notifications there. Early
LII Jan ud4S the huSS1dAS OCSsAA q NAA' Z
in the vicinity of CZernOwitz. Moth
ing of consequence resulted, but the
movement, taken in connection with
attacks in the district Of Wilma and
Dvinsk, in the north, gave proof that
Russia still had aggressive power. In
June General Brusiloff assumed COM
mand in the southwest and, aiming for
Lemberg, turned the flank Of the Aus
.trian defenses in Volhynia and Buko-
wilma. In one week the Russians claim
ed $4,000 prisoners, captured the for