Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-24
BRILLIANT ATTACK !
Wins HILL 3O4 FOR
FRENCH AT vERDUN
Petain Now Master of All Po-
SitionS Held Before German
Drives Last Year.
BITTER FIGHT FOR LENS
GOES ON THROUGH NIGHT
Canadians Battle Fiercely to Gain
Green Crassier-Teutons Suffer
Extremely Heavy Losses.

~NS'g
In a brilliant attack this morning on
the verdun front the French carried Hin
3o4. one of the most bitterly disputed po-
sitions of the war. in the struggle for
which thousands of men have lost their
lives. Berlin admits the loss. The French
advanced to an average depth OF IN
miles over the sector between Avocourt
wood and Dead Man hill. Paris announces
officially. and, in addition to Hill so4.
stormed the fortified works between Hau-
court and Bethincourt
The new French assault, made less than
a week ago, after the beginning of the new
offensive. was delivered west Of the Meuss
on a somewhat shorter front than Nom
days opening attack. which was on both
sides of the river.
Now Hold Former Positions.
At the first shock the French. although
highly successful, did not obtain all their
obiectives- and today's attack doubtless
was intended to complete the attainment
of the ends Immediately In view; Inc
French are now masters OF All tne I'M
portant points on the Verdun front which
they held before the beginning OF the
great German attack last year.
on the British front the bitter fight
for possession of Lens was continued
during the night The ofncial Brlush
statement announces that the British
now hold German trenches Immediately
northwest of the Green Crassier. 10 the
south Of Lens. and that especially
heavy losses have been inflicted on the
Germans.
Portuguese troops which are holding
a sector in northern France repulsed
German raids in the vicinity OF La bas-
see. Heavy artillery fighting continues
around Ypres, where the British have
improved their positions ana success
fully withstood counter attacks.
French Story Of Fighting.
By the A.scciated- Press. -->
PARIS August 24.-The Official an
nouncement of to-day follows:
tinued to lombard German defense
works effectively. Our. patrols pene-
trated the German lines in the sector
between Souain and St Hflaire and as
charge of gas had been destroyed.
"On the left bank of the Meuse at
4:45 O'Clock this morning our troops.
with their customary dash. attacked
court wood and Dead Man hill An
our objectives were attained and in
most instances surpassed.
Capture Defense Works.
BY a single charge the French car
ried the formidably organized Hill 3o4
and also Camard wood, to the west OF
1t. They also captured north of Hill
3o4 line of defense works and forth
fed farms and reached the river south
of the Forges brook. Between Hau-
ha
depth of the advance was more than
two kilometers. Prisoners were taken
in the course of this action.
AT the same time a vigorous French
offensive east of the p6ad between
Eshes and Bethincourt enabled us to
enlarge our positions north of Dead
Man hill to a depth of about a kilo-
meter.
I'm Lorraine we repulsed easily an
enemy attack on small posts near Nom
eel"
Ordered to Die at Posts.
GRAND HEADQUARTERS OF THE
FRENCH ARMY, August 24.-The testi- I
mony Of prisoners shows that the Ger Z
mans intended to hold the left bank Of the (
toned there were ordered TO die at their
posts, II necessary. Many of them did so.
while what remained in the line were
captured More than two-thirds Of the
A visit to the reconquered territory
shows the value placed on the posi-
tions of lie Mort Homme and Regne-
vile as defensive organizations. The
ground everywhere is covered with
small fortresses. 1t was the last hope
of the German crown prince, who ap-
parentiy was obsessed with the desire
to conquer Nerdun. in the neighbour
hood of which thousands of the flower
of the German army found only a
burial place. without any laurels OF
victory.
French Losses Are Small. :.
All attempts to recapture the posi-
tfons lost proved vain, every German
effort being thrown back In disorder.
The remarkable thing about the whole
French offensive is the smallness OF
their losses, while those of the enemy
have been terrible. as can be seen
wherever one goes on the battlefield.
OF one German division at least three
regiments exist no more. and those
remaining alive are prisoners.
One of the captured men related how
a French shell fell into depot OF
poisonous gas shells near Herbebots
the fumes of which killed the compile
ments OF three entire German bat .
teries. composing group which had
just been sending hundreds OF these
lines A German infantryman captured
said that his battalion, while being re-
lteyed from front line duty, had lost
of its total.
British Gain at Lens.
LONDON, August 24.-The oficial
follows:
"Fierce fighting continued in the
night south of Lens as a result OF
which we hold German trenches fm-
mediately northwest of the Green
crassier. The enemy losses I'm the
close fighting have been especially
..T5e enemy artillery has been activs
In the night northeast of Ypres.
"Hostile raiders were repulsed in
the night by the Portuguese at two
points northwest Of La Bassee."
The text of last nights statement
reads:
Heavy local fighting has taken place
Ill day for the possession of an i'm
,ortant enemy stronghold immediately
south OF Lens known as the Green
>rassier Our troops gained a footing
IN the spoil heap early this morning
md have since beaten on several coun<
.er attacks. IN which the enemy suf<
erred heavy losses. both from our arr
.tllery and in hand-to-hand fghtinx<
Possession OF the position is stil<
being iercely disputed