The sun., 1917-08-16
CANADIAN DASH
HENS IN LENS:
TAKES HILL 70
Loss Of Heights Makes Fall
of City Inevitable-Loos
Victory Near.
GERMAN LINE SMASHED
Fight Won by Brilliant
Charge-Many Prison e.
ers Captured.

LONDON, Aug. 15.-In a magnificent
drive early this morning. the beginning.
experts here say. OF one OF the important
battles Of the war, Canadian troops
smashed forward over a front Of nearly
three miles north and northwest Of Lens.
penetrating to q depth Of q mile. and at
the end Of the day were in possession Of
the famous Hill 10. . mile and q half
north Of Lens. and completely dominat-
ing 1t. This hill always has been re-
sarded as impregnable.
The city Of Lens, the important rail.
road and coal centre Of this part OF
France, which has been fought over %
ierceiy for almost three years, is now
surrounded on the north. south and west
by the Canadians and for the first time
In the war It now appears probable that
the Allies. holding Hill 20. will be able
to take the city without the enormous
sacrifice of troops which would be en-
tailed by a direct attack under the con-
ditions which existed up to to-day.
German First Line Gives.
The German first line was carried
along the entire front attacked and all
the British detectives were attained.
German reports in the last few days
noted the increasing British artillery fire
which reached its maximum intensity
last night. Soon after daybreak to-day
its character altered and a heavy bar
rage was dropped before the German
trenches. No living thing could pass
that curtain Of fire. Behind 1t the Cana
1 Ia Ia .snvar TONI nd do anaG
forward in the most brilliant charge they
have made since they were posted in this
sector, They met little opposition and
swept into the environs Of Lens on the
north and west. Within the city the Ger
man resistance stiffened and the hardest
kind OF hand to hand fighting followed
The whole German line from Lens tc
the chalk pits. nearly two and hal
miles north. was taken Fierce resist
ance was encountered at Cite ST. Lau
rent. a northern suburb of Lens. and a
Hill ~, a mile and . half north Of tn,
city. Details Of the fighting here have
not yet come in. but five separate Ger
, man counter attacks OF the hercest kint
| were repuised before nightfall. Th'
Canadian losses are said to have beer
very light.
Loos salient Menaced.
| HiilSo. the capture OF which ranks a
one of the important events OF the war
, commands not only Lens but the Loo.
salient also. The Germans hold M
other dominating height in that regior
! and the fall of Lens In short time |!
! inevitable. 1t has long been subjected
to terrific bombardment by the British
but there was no way to capture II othel
/ than by direct assault with the bayonet
f, German prisoners are arriving in con
! siderable numbers and there Ia every In
! dication that the bag will be large.
! Further north. In their sector. tn
! French made considerable advance OF
the Dixmude road. Gains were mad'
also northwest OF Bixschoote. Their
was heavy artillery hring on the Aisne
| between Hurtebise and Craonne an,
some futile German attacks on tn
! Verdun front
| Dispatches from Copenhagen quot
Berlin newspapers as predicting NI
Entente offensive In the west on
scale greater than any heretofore known
II is generally expected that this will
be on some new section of the front.