The sun., 1917-07-30
GREATEST GUN
BATTLEOF WAR
ON In FLANDERS
British and Germans at
Close Grips-Air Fight
ing Is Continuous.
MANY CRAFT SHOT DOWN
Haig's Troops Conduct Sue
cessful Raids-French Re-
pei Several Attacks.
MANY CRAFT SHOT DOWN

LONDON, July 29.-With the artillery
fighting at the most intense stage that
has been shown on the western front,
the British and German troops have been
at grips In a series OF desperate infantry
fights under the cover of the big guns.
The fighting IL reported by the British
as only a series OF raids, but the Ger
mans say that the infantry engagements
have been of the most desperate char
acter. The British report capturing
men and machine guns.
West of the Hurtebise farm the Ger
mans made number OF strong attacks
on the French lines that were smashed
by the French guns on the other hand
the French. attacking between Hurtebise
and La Bovelle, made notable gains A
German attack on the defences In the
neighborhood OF Hill 304 along the
Meuse was repulsed with heavy German
! losses.
The Germans report that lively air
plane fighting has taken place along the
western front, and they claim that
thirty-fve allied airplanes have been
| shot down.
Claim British RepuIse.
The German stan describes the artil-
lery fire in Flanders as having reached
the highest degree OF massed effect"
since the beginning Of the war, North
west of st. Quentin, say the Germans
the British attacks broke down under
heavy hre. Hand to hand fighting in
| the Aisne sector Is reported with no
decision for either side. The oflcial
statements follow:
British CDay)-we made several
successful raids last night at differen:
points of our front. The enemy's
trenches were raided northeast OF
Epehy, southeast OF Havrincourt, west
OF Fontaine-le Croisilles and near
Fleurbaix. Many casualties were in
fiicted on the enemy and prisoners
and machine guns we're captured.
In the neighborhood OF the Roeux
chemical works our troops forced their
way into the German lines in spite of
the stubborn resistance OF the enemy's
garrison. whose losses were heavy.
and brought back thirty prisoners. a
trench mortar and machine guns.
Other British raiding parties en-
tered the enemys position IN the
neighborhood of Ypres and captured
hfty-four prisoners and two machine
| guns
Hostile parties were repulsed south
east of Messines.
French Commu nication.
French (Day) - Yesterday about
dawn the Germans to the west of
Hurtebise farm made n violent at
tack on front OF 500 meters. which
was smashed by the bravery Of our
| troops.
In retaliation for this attempt made
by the enemy we began an action at
an early hour this morning between
-.
velle. IL was conducted by our in
tantry with superb spirit and enabled
US to progress on all points. notably
| In the region OF the Monument
| In the Champagne. In the sector "
| Tahure, the enemy executed a strong
surprise attack, which was repuised
, German (Day)-Army group Il
! Prince Rupprecht: The artillery duel
In Flanders ragged uninterrruptediy yes
terday from early morning until far
| into the night. The development Of
artilleristic intensity represents the
highest degree of massed effect In the
! war.
At several points on the battlefield
attacks by our own and enemy troops
called forth desperate local infantry
engagements From La Bassee Canal
as far as the southern bank of the
River Scarpe the firing activity in
creased in the evening. At night east
Of Monchy attacks by British battal-
ions broke down with heavy losses.
Also near Ossus, northwest Of St
Quentin. English local attacks were
without success.
Army group OF the German Crown
Prince: An Increase In the nghtinR
activity along the Chemin -des-Dames,
in the Champagne and Non the Meuse
was noticeable.
Artillery activity was extraordi-
narily lively, especially on the Flan-
ders front. Thirty-hve enemy ayia-
tors were shot down. Lieut.. Dustler
at the head OF a pursuing squadron
destroyed squadron OF six enemy
airplanes himself and gained his
twentieth aerial victory. Lieut. Ritter
Won Tutschek shot down his nineteenth
and twentieth aerial opponents in
| battle