The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-05

SLAUGHTERING GERMANS.
BRITISH INFANTRY NOW DOWN
GERMANS ATTACKING MAS
NIERES.
Huns Surge Forward to Meet Raking
Fire of Their Masters Big Guns and
Rifles.

With the British Army in France,
Dec. 2, p. M. (by the Associated
Press) Mine separate counterattacks
launched against Masnieres by strong
German forces yesterday were all re-
pulsed after mos. sanguinary fight
ing although the British pulled back
somewhat to lessen the sharp salient
there. An intense battle ragged all day
and 1t is stated that they killed more
Germans between daylight and dark
than in any similar period since the
war began. 1t was virtually q con-
tinous fight from the start to the first
counterattack.
The enemy infantry kept surging
forward in waves and as each came
up 1t was caught by the fire from the
British artillery. rifles and machine
guns. The attacking forces were
mown down like grain before the
reaper. but with characterictic Prus-
sian discipline they continued to fill
their ranks and advance until after
the ninth assault had failed.
During the afternoon the Germans
succeeded in capturing Les Rues
Vertes, suburb south OF Mesnieres,
but a British counterattack delivered
at o'clock pushed the enemy out
again. German guns on elevations
south and southeast of Masnieres late
yesterday were conducting a heavy
bombardment against the town.
The British line at that time bulged
around Masnieres in a very sharp
salient. which made the position an
unenviable one to hold at best. 1t
seemed quite apparent that If the
British should decide to Withdraw,
slightly in the neighborhood of Mas
nieres and establish their line on the
southeastern outskirts Of the place
their front would be much improved,
as the British line was entirely dom
mated by the high ground I'm the pos
session of the Germans.
The British a little before 2 O'Clock
this morning made a local attack IL:
the moonlight on the German posi-
tions north and northeast OF Pas
schendaele and about the same time a
minor assault against the enemy front
northwest of Goeberg. These attacks
appeared to have gone well as Il
whole.
The British were held up In the
center along the ridge for a time bur
for tho most part were reported II
have reached their detectives and to
have penetrated from 800 to 400 yards
at numerous points. The attack abou,
Gouber involved two strong Germah
fortifications
III the gain continues to the north
along the ridge. IL will mean that the
British have added much to the com
pleteness OF their observation in thir
region.
The British yesterday and last nigh,
continued their counteroffensive oper-
ations in the Gonnelou sector, which
was ovcrrun by the Germans Friday
I'm an attempt to wrench off thJ
salient which the British last Vice.,
drove In about Rourlon Wood. The
mopping up OF Gonnelou. which waa
recaptured by Haig's troops Saturday
was completed during the nigh.
About 800 prisoners were taken in this
place. Fifty prisoners also were
brought out of Les Rues Vertes after
British counterattack and, all told
the Germans lost many hundreds o.
prisoners In yesterdays operations.
After recapturing Cache Wood, the
British continued their pressure III
this region and pushed Up until fur
ther on the higher ground to the
southeast of the wood. One British
tank captured 8 enemy machine
guns In the assault on Cache Wood.
The Germans this morning began a
heavy shelling of the British entangle-
ments at the position known as the
Knoll, just south of Vendhuile. in
dicating the possibility of an impend-
ing attack I'm that sector 1t is now
possible 10 state that the Germans on
Friday employed a great force-at
least six or seven divisions-for their
attack from Moeuvres to Bourbon
Wood and four or five divisions i'm the
southern offensive i'm the region of
Gonnelou. The Germans fought in
masses all that day i'm both sectors