Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-16
RAIN OF STEEL
FEELS TEUTONS
BLOODY BATTLE AT PASScHEN.
DAZZLE SEES HEAVY LOSS
FOR FOE
rRv ThS Associated Press. I

LBy Thy Associated Press.l
With the British Army in Belgium.
Nov. 14-Delayed)- forces OF
lCrown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria
have made their first pretentious Of
fort to regain Passchendaele village In
accordance with the edict Of Field
Marshal 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
forces and was a most determined ef-
fort to retake this gem of their defenses
but the assaulting troops were hurled
back after a grim struggle. leaving the
British line before Passchendaele in
| tact.
BLOODY TRENCH FIGHT.
! The greater part of the enemy in
fantry was stopped by the tremend-
Gus British artillery barage, which
ploughed through their ranks as they
began the advance; but some of them,
answering to that famous discipline
ingrained by Prussian military rule,
|
reached the British front line.
A sanguinary struggle followed at
close quarters. The Germans battfed
doggedly, but the British soldiers
flung themselves upon the enemy with
such ferocity that he was compelled
to give ground and finally retired,
leaving many dead on the barren
crest.
BIG GUNS CRASH.
The enemy attack was prefaced by
a terrific bombardment. The German
guns opened on the ridge at 4
O'Clock yesterday morning. The Brit
ish had been expecting the counter at
tack for several days.
All day Passchendaele and the for.
ward area were shelled continuously
by the concentrated German artillery
while the British heavies and field
guns replied with violent lombard
ment. No such artillery duel had &C.
CURED along the British front in many
weeks. For hours 1t was maintained
by both sides with drumfire inten.
sity that shook the country for miles
about. II.
BARRAcE AIDS INFANTRY.
About 4:3O o'clock in the afternoon,
enemy infantry was seen advancing
southwark along the ridge on front
of about 700 yards toward the British
positions. At the same time the Ger
mans dropped heavy barrage on
Goeberg spur to the west. preventing
infantry assistance coming to the
British from that quarter.
The IS. o. S." signal went up from
the British lines and the great British |
artillery machine responded as though
a lever had been thrown. All the
British guns within range came into
action with an inferno Of noise that
was appalling and their myriad shells
began breaking in steady rain
across the ridge in front Of the adj
vancing Germans.
The enemy was attacking in force,
and as they surged along the high |
ground they were caught in this tor.
nado of jagged steel. Many Of them |
went down, never to rise again.
Many more were wounded and the
major part of the attacking line was
forced to retire after struggling blind |
ly against this awful deluge for few |
Some of the more determined men,
however, pushed on. The order had
been given that Passchendaele must |
be retaken regardless Of cost. They |
were paying the cost now in their |
spectacular but futile charge.
They reached the British front line |
and hurled themselves against 1t.
Then came the bitterest work Of ALL
at close quarters. 1t is possible that |
very few of those Germans who
braved the final rush ever regained
their own line. The rest were left
lying before the British defenses.
When the attack finally was
smashed it was a complete defeat for |
the Germans.
GERMANS BOMB TOWNS.
Paris, Nov. 14.-(Delayed) = The !
Belgian communication issued by the
war Office tonight says:
During the day Of November Is
the artillery fire was rather lively |
southeast of Dixmude. Enemy avia-
tors carried out raid on the night of
November 1874 and dropped a num- I
Der of bombs on Adinkerke, Banne /
and Fumes, causing number of VIC
Tins among the civilian population. ]
During the day activity of the two ar
tilleries was stronger along the entire |