New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-22
Petain Advances l "a Miles,
Takes Regneville and
Samogneux
"Neck of the Bottle"
Broken by Poilus
French Shatter Counter
Attacks, Purposely
Provoked

LONDON, Aug. 21.-Victorious French
troops smashed their way forward TO
additional important gains north OF
Verdun to-day, and on both banks OF
the Neuse seized German defences
which bring the armies OF the Republic
TO within a mile of the line from which
the Crown Prince launched his colossal
attack Of February, 1915. On the left,
or west, bank of the Meuse Cote pOie,
or Duck Hill, with all its elaborate
fortifcations, and the village of Regne-
willie were captured, while on the right.
or east, bank of the stream the Ger
mans lot the village of Samogneux and
the system of trenches connecting the
town with the summit OF Hill 3i4,
already in French hands. Regneville
and Samogneux are almost adjoining
villages a good mile and half to the
northeast of Cumieres, which the
French stormed yesterday. The 5000
prisoners captured yesterday were ma
terislly augmented to-day, but no count
has yet been possible.
Meanwhile the British in Artois let
loose a powerful attack upon Lens at
daybreak, and swept over 1000 yards
of enemy trenches which skirited the
coal city on the north and west Al last
reports the Canadians, engaged in the
most sanguinary house-to-house fight.
ing, were slowly bombing their way
nearer to the heart of the city, while
the Canadian guns on Hill 20 threw
down barage across the eastern ap-
proaches to the town.
Germans Killed by Their Own Gas
Paris reports a tragic episode from
the Champagne front. The French bat
teries, which have been active in this
region for many days, were carrying ou,
man gas reservoirs In the st. Hilaire
sector exploded. Petain'S reconnoitring
forces, which moved forward TO the
German trenches shortly after, found
them e npty Of the living, but heaped
with gray-cled bodies.
The French gains at Verdun to-day
were the fruits Of their advance yester-
day. The taking Of Raven Wood sealed
the fate of Duck Hill and Regneville
and the whole peninsula formed be
tween the Meuse and FORCES Brook. The
poilus broke open the meek OF the bot
tie, so to speak, and the Germans mad
TO retreat. The capture of SsmogneuH,
lust across the river, followed natural
ly upon the storming OF Hill 344, be-
yond the Talou Ridge. The French line
Immediately in the vicinity Of the
Meuse now runs straight and solid, and
il will hardly be possible for the shat
tered forces OF the Crown Prince 10
shake them loose.
Counter Attacks Fail
Throughout the day the Germans,
who had failed to prevent the French
advance with a barrage Of gas, hurled
forward their usual intrepid counter
attacks. which were particularly fierce
at the Avocourt Wood, on the French
. left. and north Of the Caurieres Wood,
! on Petains right. The enemy counter
blows against the advance to-day were
/ ineffective. In fact, one Of the pur-
( poses Of the French drive was 20 pro-
[ woke such frVitless and costly enter
prises. -
The Berlin report Of the battle,
which was issued before the new
French advance had been made, sd-
I mits losses additional TO those an
nounced yesterday, but declares that
| against a Small local success BY
PGtair's troops failure on a front OF
I thirteen miles must be set down. Loss
; by the Crown Prince of the southern
] fringe OF Raven Wood now entirely
gomez. Dead Man Hill, Hill 3A4, back
/ of the Talou Ridge, and part OF the
4 Fosse Wood is confessed. But u is
/ stated that the day terminated sue
. cessfully for the Germans and that the
French, attacking in deep. waves, SUI
. fered extraordinary losses, and only
gained foot by foot in bloody fighting.
Fresh engagements are reported to-
dav from which "both the leaders
! and troops anticipate a favorable re-
/ suit"
French Hurricane Of Fire
The French artillery preparation is
emphasized by Berlin. 1t began on
August II and worked up 10 hurri.
cane Of fire By which the advanced
German positions were turned into a
wide and desolate crster-held. When
Tie assault of white and black Poilu'
began the Crown Princes positions
we're penetrated at many places but
the storming soldiers were driven back
by counter attacks almost every
where"
The results Of the fighting are com
pared 10 those won by the British IN
the two recent battles Of Flanders, II
which Superiority Of material ane
reckless use of men could not breas
the German fighting force
There are hints in the Official state
ments to-day that the battle is likely
20 become general at many points
along the West front. In Flanders
despite a drop in the volume OF shell
ire. the British pushed forward slight
ly aloug the lpre s-Slenin road in th'
highlands to the east of lpres. o.
the new Somme front they repulsed I
third attack by the Germans sgains
the trencheS rsrentiv won south O