The sun., 1917-07-18
BY FRENCH
REGAINSLINESIN
VERDUN SECTION
First and Second Trenches
West of Hill 304 Are
Captured.
COUNTER DRIVES CRUSHED
British Press Attacks Near
Nieuport and Report
Slight Advance.
DRIVES CRUSHED


LONDON, July 17.-Sweeping with ire
sistible spirit against the German lines,
the French to-day carried out a sue
cessful attack upon the positions west
OF Hill 304, on the left bank of the
Meuse River in the Verdun region, that
had been held by the Germans since
their drive of June 80. In the few min
utes that sufficed for the infantry oper-
ations the French regained every foot
Of the lost terrain.
The French artillery began at an early
hour to-day making the preliminary
preparations for the assault. From the
concealed positions afforded by the hills
to the south the great and small guns
ploughed burrows along the German
trenches, demolished distractions and
walked through" the first and second
lines.
Then. raising the elevations. the guns
placed a fire barrier behind the second
lines so that supporting troops might
not interfere with the furious infantry
attack that followed. The French went
over the top at 6:45 o'clock.
They wasted few minutes in regaining
their lost posts. Then, pursuing the ad-
vantage, the French swept on over a
front of almost mile and half on
both sides of the road between Esnes and
Melancourt. The whole of the first Ger
man line wavered and fell. Then, In a
desperate attack in which the French
exhibited remarkable elan, the second
line trenches on the whole front passed
into the attacking hands. In vain the
| Germans rallied for counter attacks
French story of Advance.
! The official reports follow:
French Night Statement-Both ar
tilleries were active to the region
of Cerny, Allies and the California
! plateau.
! In Champagne the enemy renewed
! his attacks north of Mont Teton and
regained a footing at certain points in
: trench elements captured on July IA.
I On the left bank of the Meuse an
operation carried out by us this
morning west of Hill 304 developed
complete success for US. After strong
artillery preparation our troops about
6:45 O'Clock advanced to attack the
| enemy lines with irresistible spirit
! Notwithstanding the energetic defence
| OF the Germans we recaptured in a
few minutes trenches which the enemy
had occupied since June 20.
Pushing our advantages further we
carried German positions beyond on a
front of 1000 meters on both sides of
the road between Esnes and Malan-
court. The entire first German line
fell into our hands. A little later the
second enemy line. after desperate
engagement, in which admirable valor
was displayed by our soldiers, likewise
| was conquered.
The advance reached depth of
about one kilometer (.62 mile). Our
line has thus been carried forward
from the southeastern end of Avocourt
Wood as far as the western slopes of
Hill 304. passing through Camard
Wood
Several counter attacks launched by
the enemy in the course of the after
noon were crushed by our fire. The
Germans suffered very heavy losses.
The number OF unwounded prisoners
reached 425. Of whom eight were Of
ficers.
British Make Gains.
British Day Statement-We gained
ground slightly during the night
northwest OF Wirnemon. In the Nieu-
port sector one of our raiding parties
encountered a large party of the
enemy in front of the German posi-
tions. After a sharp fight our troops
drove the enemy back to their lines
and bombarded them In their trenches.
German Day Statement-Army
group OF Crown Prince Rupprecht :
On the coast the British attacked
again at Lombaertzyde, after a lively
artillery fire lasting throughout the
day They were repulsed.
Army group of the German Crown
Prince: In the morning, on the Laon-
Scissors road. shock troops of a Han
overian regiment, with pioneers, fol-
lowing sudden burst of fire, pene-
trated the French lines and blew up
dugouts and trench mortars. They re-
turned with numerous prisoners and
machine guns.
At Courtecon a further portion of a
French trench was captured by sur
prise attack on Sunday night. The
number of prisoners taken in this
sector has increased to more than
$50 Frenchmen. Shortly before dark
the enemy opened a very heavy spas
modic fire against our positions be.
tween Malval farm and Cerny.
The enemy then launched against
this front a strong attack with dense
masses which broke down without
any result and with very heavy losses
under our fire and In hand to hand
fghting. All the positions we cap
tured recently are firmly in the hand:
c' the we'll tried East Prussian di
| vision.
| On the left bank OF the Meuse very
violent artillery activity developed II
the afternoon against Hill 304 anC
the line adjoining. Our destructiv,
fire on the French trenches and troop,
prepared for an attack prevented thu
enemy from attacking and only few
| men succeeded in leaving thei
| trenches.
This morning the artillery battle a
| this point again increased in intensity
| Berlin Supplementary Statement
/ Fighting took place on the left banl
| - Itn Mauaa