The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-08-02
LAUNCH
GREAT OFFENSIVE,
FIELD MARSHAL HAie STRIKES
OVER A WIDE FRONT.
CAPTURE FIRST DETECTIVES
French Resume Offensive Against
Germans and sweep Forward over
a Front of More Than . Mile
in chevreuny.


France signaled at the beginning of
the fourth year of the war by begin
ming a joint offensive over front of
several miles in width
In Flanders and in the Messines
Wytscheate ridge there are preparing
vast artillery firing.
On the Lady's Highway Paris re-
ports a sudden offensive, in the Chere-
regny sector and are fighting hand to
hand with the Germans on front of
more than mile
Field Marshal Haig's report from
the British war front today did not
explain much of the lighting with the
exception of pointing as north of the
river Lys" there is violent artillery.
Front dispatches today asserted
that the fighting in this district is
growing fiercer each day. I,
ing gigantic offensive in Flanders
today.
Field Marshal Haig struck lover a
wide 'front.'" north of the river Lys
which is in the Belgium sector.
1.-THE allies captured their first OBJ
jectives," Haig reported. I'VE made
satisfactory gains elsewhere. A con.
siderable number of prisoners have
already been taken"
Field Marshal Haig asserted that
the British advance began about $3.50
a. m. today.
The assault was the second often
sive on this Messines ridge sector
which was followed by great artillery
firing. In the seventh day of the
fighting the great roar of the British
and German guns could be heard
along the Belgium coast.
The Germans apparently started
the great concentration fire. presuma-
bly, knowing that the British were
preparing a great offensive against
them. ..
For a week now there has been ar
tillery bombardment almost continu-
ally along the front of Armentiers on
the Belgium coast. Front dispatches
describe it as the most superlatiye
concentrated fighting of the whole
war.
Some of the detonations of this
gun fire can be heard at several
places in London and around at night
when the wind is blowing from the
east.
Dispatches from William Phillip
Simms today from the war front say
that the fire is increasing in fury each
day.
The German bombardments began
with violent fury on the Bird day OF
July. Ever since that day 1t has been
roaring at Neauxport. Ypres, Armen'
tiers, Oosterverne. and at many other
places. ..........
Every description of German guns
have apparently been brought into
the German service. Long ranges
of shell continually keep pouring
over the British lines.
The British artillery has not been
whipped behind but has been increas
ing and in many places along this
front has exceeded that of the enemy
Front dispatches say that it is the
worst fighting and firing along this
front at the present time than any
other battling during the entire war
The mentioning of the allies first
detectives were made by Haig In his
report today. They were made some
where in the region of the river Lys
The river Lys flows northward above
Armentiers into the Lile-Ypres canal
at CONFINES. The canal and the
river form an obtuse angle in the
Wytsehaete ridge, Missines, Hole
beke and Wafenton. And it was In
this region where Field Marshal Haie
struck his great offensive blow
againse the Germans several weeks
ago.
French Assume Offensive. go.
Paris, July 31.-Suddenly assuming
the offensive, the French troops to
day swept forward against the Ger
mans after they had gained their frs
detectives over front of more thar
mile in the Chevregny. sector on the
Lady's Highway, according to the
official war statement from the from
today.
The report also announced that at
ter the Germans had gained their frs
detectives they were driven back o,
the French In fierce shell fire.
Prisoners taken in the sudden OF
fensive of the French were one hun
dred and sixty-seven enlisted men
two officers and fifteen non-commis
stoned officers belonging to three diff
ferent regiments.
The statement also declared yiolen
artillery preparations around Germ!
and Hurtebise on the Lady's Highwa!
with infantry attacks.
In the Champagne sector a German
raid northwest OF Prosmes was dis
persed.
On both banks of the Mouse rive
'lnere was also violent artillery actiy
ity