Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-11-15
GREATEST ARTILLERY
BATTLE in FLANDERS
IN WEEKS is FOUGHT
Teutons, Driven on by Rup-
precht, Went Through
Terrible Barrage.
COMPLETE VICTORY. Z
FOR THE BRITISH
Detonations, Heard rs Miles
Away, Shook the Whole
Countryside.

ciated Press)-The forces of Crown
Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria have
made their first pretentious effort. to
regain Passchendaele village. in ac-
cordance with theAedict Of Field Mar
shall Won Hindenburg that the place
should be recaptured,, and have failed.
The enemy's attack made late yes
terday afternoon against positions on
the crest of the ridge north of the
Hamlet, was attempted with large
fort to retake this gem of their de-
fenses. but the assaulting troops were
hurled back after a grim struggle.
leaving the British line before Pass
chendaele intact.
British l3slrrage Terrific.
The greater part of the enemy in
fantry was stopped by the tremendous
British artillery barrage, which
ploughed through their ranks as they
began the advance: but some of them,
answering to that famous discipline,
ingrained by the Prussian military
rule, pushed through this rain of
4 death and reached the British front
line -.
A sanguinary struggle followed at
close quarters. The Germans battled
doggedly. but the British soldiers
4. flung themselves upon the enemy with
such ferocity that he was compelled
!. to give ground and finally retired,
leaving many dead upon the barren
crest.
The enemy attack waz4prefaced by
J, a terrific bombardment. The e'German
guns opened on the right at four
o'clock yesterday morning.
Village Shelled All Day.
An day Passchendaele and the for
ward area were shelled continuously
by the concentrated German artillery,
while the British heavies and Held
. guns replied with violent lombard
6 nient of the enemy's*1fnes and battery
positions No such artillery duel had
Occurred along the British front in
many weeks. For hours it was main
tafned by both sides with drumfire
intensity that, shook the country for
miles about. Windows, in houses fifty
miles away ratified and in a town 75
miles by airplane from the scene Of
activities the detonations could plainly
be heard.
About 4:3O o'clock in the afternoon
enemy infantry was seen advancing.
. At the same time the Germans drop
. ned a heavy barrage on Goeberg spur
to the west, preventing infantry as
sistance coming to the British from
that quarter.
British Send Up 8. O. s.
The "s.3 o. S." signal went up from
the British lines and the great British
artillery machine responded. Their
myriad of shells began breaking in a
steady rain across the ridge In front
of the advancing Germans.
The enemy was attacking IN force,
and as they surged along they were
caught in this tornado of jagged steel.
Many were killed. many more wound
The major part of the attacking
line was forced to retire after strug-
Cling hlindly against this awful de-
]uge for few moments.
Invaders Push On Grimly.
Some Of the more determined men.
however pushed on. The shrill chat
ter of the machine guns and crack OF
i the rifles along the British positions
ioined the chorus of the guns. and q
stream Of steel was whipped out
across the open ground waist hlgn
), into the German ranks. Nevertheless
these men continued to advance de-
terminedly. The order had been given
that Passchendaele must be >re-taken
regardless Of cost.
Bitter Work at Close Quarters.
They reached the British front line
i. and hurled themselves against It:
Then came the bitterest work of all
at close quarters. It is pOssiblei that
; very few Of those Germans who
braved the final rush ever regained
their own line.
When the attack finally was smash.
cd It was a complete defeat for the
S;ermans. The spirit with which the
british met this assault was epttom-
ized by German officer who remark
al the other day with such men as
that we could go anywhere and 90