Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-21
NEW OFFENSIVE
STARTS AT DAWN
ON 8-M|LE FRONT
Haig Reports Occupation of
Important Positions by
Nightfall.
OVER 1000 PRISONERS
IN HANDS OF ENGLISH
Gain All Objectives Laid Down
in Plan of Operations for :.
First Day.
RESULT is GREAT SUCCESS
If Ground Is Held, 1t Will Be Ono
Of Most Notable Achievements
tn Month
RESULT is GREATS SUCCESS.
If Ground Is Held, 1t Will Be Ono
OF Most Notable Achievements
in Month.
IBy Assnciated Press.1


Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. the British,
commander-in-chief. to break down
the German defenses east of Ypres is
under way. A British drive along a."
front of eight miles between the Ypres-
Confines and the Ypres-Staden rail-
ways was started at dawn Thursday,
morning. At nightfall. the British.
commander reported the occupation OF.
important positions, the capture Of
more than 1000 prisoners. and the in
Fiction OF heavy casualties on the Cor
mans.
Heavy artillery preparation for days
had been going on, and extensive raids
In anticipation of a tremendous infan--
try assault. and when the British left
the trenches they were preceded by
row upon row of barrage fire. reach
Ing Into the German lines to greater
depth than on any previous occasion
Concrete redoubts, hundreds Of ma
chine guns. barbed wire entanglements
and marshy ground faced tho British
In their storming operations. but the
heavy, guns had cut down many OF the
barriers. and the British pushed for
ward steadily gaining all the objec-
tives laid down In the plan OF opera
tions for the first day. and penetrating
the German lines in places for a milo
or more.
RESULT OF DAYS BATTLE
CALLED GREAT SUCCESS
The unofficial report rom Field Mar
shall Haig characterizes the result of
the days battle as great success. and
the Associated Press staff correspon-
dent at the front declares that IL the
a Inf In ha
they have advanced. they will have
accomplished one Of the most remark
able and most important achievements
In recent months
Strong German forces had been as.
sembled for the purpose Of holding
back the British troops in this most
important SectGr. the tremendous
hombardment which had been going OF,
daily, several times reaching drum fire
intensity. presaged a determined efforS
to break through, and the German re-
sistance at many points was of the
hercest nature. The weather is report
ed favorable for the continuation of
the battle. and as the visibility is i'm
proving. the flying men are taking a
prominent part both in the way OF OBJ
servation. air fighting and attacks upon
the enemy Infantry and batteries.
or the French front no important
hghttng is reported except a German
attack southeast OF Cerny. which was
checked by III, French fire before the
enemy reached the French lines ana
French attacks near hill 344 and east
of SamogneuX, which broke down with.
out success, according to the Berlin
War Office.
RUSSIANS DETERMINEDLY
RESISTING TEUTONs
The Russians are determinedly re-
sistinG the attacks of the Teutonto
allies on the Riga front. After a
strong infantry attack of the Germans
in the region east of Lemberg. Lett
troops organized a daring counterat.
tack, which, with the energetic co..
operation OF the artillery, drove the
enemy back with heavy losses. In the
ocna region. on the Roumanian front,
the Germans. by counterattack.
forced the Roumanian troops to aban-
don positions they had previously
taken from the Teutons. In the Cau-
casus region, battles between the Rus
slams and Kurds continue In freezing
temperature. with the snow four feet
deep in places.
PekinG dispatches say that the
Chinese government is willing to send
100000 troops to France IL the entente
powers approve 4 Tokyo dispatch
says Japan has been sounded on this
proposition. and there are indications
that Japan will not oppose such action,
The battle OF the Menln road" as
the dispatches describe 1t, is being
fought over muddy ground. AMI in the
face of a wicked machine-gun hse
from the Germans. although the British
heavy guns had wiped out countless
defenses and the British harrage WAS
of the most effective character. This
attack. however, is being made unde4
improving weather conditions instead
OF during a ralnstorm. with the
weather constantly growing worse, rs
on so many previous occasions.
The renewal OF the offensive cams
after long pause. In which intensive
preparatory work has been carried out
INCREASINGLY The nghting in this
period. Indeed. was such as to pile Nd
heavy casualty lists on both Sides,
o . y ssL.if