New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-28
Seven Counter Attacks Are
Repulsed in Night
-''' Battles
Haig Reports His
Detectives Won
Almost Ready for Spring
When Americans Will
Go Over the Top

LONDON. Sept. 27.-Following a
night Of desperate lighting, in which
INC Germans made seven powerful
counter.attacks in an effort to regain
their lost ground, the British to-day
established themselves firmly IN all the
important positions conquered yester-
dav on the siX-mile front east OF
. Ypres. The number of German prison.
crs taken has been increased to l'el4'
Fried Marshal Haig reports to-nlgh'.
The encmy's losses were terrific, &C
cording 70 all reports, probably one
half again as many as those OF 'he
Goth.
The fercest battles Of the night
took place near the Polygonwood, clear
in tho morning BY the Australians;
northeast Of Zonnebeke. and IN ths
region of ST. Julien. where at times the
Germans won a temporary footing IN
TIE advanced British positions.
Tower Hamlcts Ridge was likewise
,the scene of attack and counter-at-
tack. but vher the infantry actions
died down after midnight the British
remained in possession of every loot
of its stones. which were strewn WIN
German bodies and equipment
Germans Minimize Defeat
Tn. German official statement, while
oduittinc the loss of positions 10 a
denth Of two-thirds Of mile on the
fron, under attack. seeks as usual 10
.d;srount the British victory by attrlb-
utinp TO Haig detectives not WITHIN tne
range Of the present action, particular
IL emphasizing the retention or the
village of Gheluvelt To this General
Hsig replies:
ioue states that the British troops
gained less territory on the 26th than
on the Goth. This Is perfectly true
The attacking troops gained all their
-,ob;.ctiyes on both days, but the object
ives set for the operations OF yesterday
we're smaller than those for the 2Oth.
ain sentences which are purpoSely
misleading Won Ludendorf describes
the fighting near Zo.nebeke and Gheiu-
v.lt He omits TO state that Lonne-
beke was lost by the Germans, but en-
phssizes the retention of GheluNelt,
which was not one of the British OBJ
jectives.'
The German statement says twelve
F,clish divisions 100000 mem were
,rnloyed in the offensive movement.
which, il declares, failed TO shake the
flmness of our defence" The report
further describes the operation as a
German success" in which troops
from every German province particl-
pated.
one paragraph is worthy of quota
non: by shifting his massed srtil-
lory effect" il says, 1.-THE enemy at
tempted to check the advance and IN
reference Of our reserves. The IRON
will Of our regiments broke through
the violence of the enemy's fire and
tie enemy was driven back at many
Tonts in fresh assaults
Remarkable Victory Of Australians
The victory of the Australians in
Poiygon Wood was one OF the most re-
p,srkable features Of the big battle
Though the wood was studded with con
crete machine gun emplacements anC
mill boxes" from which poured dead
u stream Of bullets, the cOlonlals GOV
cred the ground assigned 10 them II
Two hours and twenty minutes, advanc-
ing on an average some l,2OO yards
and accomplishing the whole actor
with exceedingly small casualties.
Among the troops opposing the sd
vance OF the Australians were mum
Der OF Poles. most of whom surren
nercd in the first rush of the attacking
forces
Although the British reports make
no mention of the use Of tanks IN III