The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-07-31

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and British critics regarded it as the
greatest in the history of British arms
in the present war. This offensive,
continued, placed the British astride
the Hindenberg line, and the Ger
mans retired to positions a mile or
two west of the Drocourt Queant line.
These they held as the third year
closed.
Meanwhile the battles of Cham
paign and the Aisne had been carried
on by the French, who in April cap
tured Auberive. In the first days of
Champaign offensive, one of the
greatest struggles of the war, the
Germans sustained an estimated loss
| of 100000 killed, wounded and taken
prisoners through their desperate de-
fensive operations. Fighting in these
regions continues after three months,
during which the French have ad-
vanced from one to five miles along
| a fifty mile front. The precent
French line runs from northwest of
| scissors, through Rheims to Auber-
| i've.
In June 1917. the British began an
attack on Messines and Wyschaete
| in an effort to straighten out the
Ypres salient. Again British flyers
dominated the air. The British had
spent an entire year mining the earth
for this offensive, which was begun
with an explosion so terrific that it
was heard in London. Beyond Mes
sines, for two miles east and north
east, the British won and conso1ida-
ted ground, captured more than 400
prisoners and great stores of artillery.
Gaining every objective, they placed
| fhnr ufr
ines Canal, having advanced three
miles on an eight-mile front. Por-
| tuguese and Belgian troops aided in
/ this offensive. In recent days the
fighting there had been confined to
raiding operations.
i 1t is estimated that during April,
May and June the Germans suffered
$4,000 casualties on the Western
front.
The Russians, having in June of
| 1915 begun an offensive from the
Pripet Marshes to the Rumanian
frontier, speedily captured Czerno-
witt and the rest of Bukovina, to-
gether with Brody in Galicia, and in
the third time in the. war. These op-
erations forced the Austro- Germans
to relinquisn lines they had held
throughout the winter OF 1915-1S16.
! The Halicz bridgehead fell in Sep
TENDER, but the subsequent advance
on Lemberg was not prosecuted be-
cause the plight of Rumania demand
ed the transfer Of Russian troops to
aid their Balkan ally.
/ After the Russian Revolution, the
Russians made feint to advance on
Pinsk, to coved the actual operations
resumed in July against Lemburg.
This latter front extended IS Ia
miles. Known as Regiments July
First" these. troop, Refrigerated by
4 the consciousness of political liberty,
[counfounded German military proph-
cts by the magnitude and extent Of
their offensive.
| Led by Alexander Kerensky, Min
lister Of War, and observed by Ameri-
\ can Army officers, the Regiments
July First forced the Teutons to
evacuate Brzezany, and they captured
many important positions, including
terrain west and south of Halicz town
and strongly-defended positions
northwest of stanislau. On July II
Halicz was taken, thus smashing the
I Austro-German fgront between Brze-
zany and the Carpathians.
This Russian operation broadened
by mid-July, so that it extended from
the gulf of Riga to the Rumanian
front, a distance Of 500 miles. The
lGermans were reported to be rush
| ing troops from the italian and
French fronts. Widespread enthusi-
asm was created throughout Russia,
and the moral effect on the other
Entente powers was tremendous.
Before this third year closed,
however, Rissia's offensive suffered
a collapse. German spies, anarchists,
peace fanatics and other agitators
|succeeded in destroying the morale
of some of the Russian troops in Ga
1icia, where a retreat became neces-
sary when unit after unit refused to
obey orders.
"Brzezany, Halicz, Tarnpol, Stanis-
lau and Kalomca were lost, together
with all the remaining ground gained
during the offensive. The Russians
surrendered many prisoners, heavy
guns and an abundance of supplies
and ammunition.
'The death penalty was invoked as
a check to further insubordinations
and the provisional government in
troduced policy Of "blood and IRON
in an effort to avert disaster.
i South OF the Carpathians and in
the Wilma region there was little dis
affection among the Russian troops.
Italy, declaring war against Ger
many on August %. began a more
vigorous prosecution of her earlier
offensive against Austria.
With dramatic swiftness the Third
Army, under the Duke of Aosta,
stormed and captured Gorilla, hither-
to considered impregnable. By Jan
1 the Italians had captured 1900
square miles.
Italy resumed her offensive on the
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