Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-07
FRENCH PENETRATE
GERMAN POSITIONS
Capture Prisoners From En-
emy in Champagne-Teu-
tons Checked at Verdun.
GUNS BUSY IN BELGIUM

By the Associated Press.
PARIS, August French troops last
night broke into the lines of the Ger
man crown prince on the Champagne
front at three places. inflicting losses
on the Germans and bringing back
prisoners. 1T was officially announced
today by the French war department.
4 Teuton attack between Avocourt
wood and Hill 800. in the Verdun sec
tor, was driven off with heavy losses
to the Germans.
There were fairly violent artillery
duels in the Bixschoote sector of the
Belgian front and between Hurtebise
and Craonne, north of the River Aisne.
Gain in Lens Region.
LONDON. August Field Marshal
Haig, in his report on military opera
which was given out officially this
afternoon by the British war office,
says: There was nothing of special
interest to report"
The British forces operating against
the important coal city of Lens made
further slight advances west and south
west of their objective yesterday. accord
ing to the British official communication
issued last evening The report reads:
IAN enemy attempt to raid our trenches
carly this morning north of Arleux was
caught by our rifle and machine gun fire
before reaching our line and driven off
with severe casualties.
We advanced our lines slightly today
southwest and west of Lens.
Yesterday. after several days of in
activity due to unfavorable weather. our
airplanes again were able to carry out
successful bombing raids and other work.
fiTO five irT1l1
were downed. of which one was forced
to land behind our lines Three others
were driven down out of control One
OF our machines is missing
German Attacks Expected.
By the Associated Press
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE AND BELGIUM, August Go
A determined but futile counter attack,
delivered by the Germans against Hol-
lebeke, and heavy artillery lombard
ments on both sides. represent the main
activity along the battle line in Flan-
ders during the last twenty -four hours.
but the cessation of the rain and the
temperance of the sun. which rapidly
Is drying out the water-logged roads
IN the lighting area. is the most i'm
portant event Further attempts by the
Germans to regain at least part of the
ground they lost in last Tuesdays on
slaught are looked for at various points
along the wide front affected.
In addition to the assault on HolIe-
beke the Germans delivered a counter
attack against a section of the left
wing Of the British army, above Ypres,
during the night, after heavy artillery
Preparation: but here also they were
thrown back.
British Firmly Entrenched.
The clearing of the weather to a
point where infantry fighting on a
much larger scale is possible finds the
British firmly entrenched throughout
the entire length of the advanced po-
sitions wrested from the Germans
The accounts of men engaged in the
capture of Hooges indicate that the sec
ond days battle in this section was
made extremely severe and doubly try
ing by the heavy rain that began the
night before SHpoge itself was occu-
pied with little trouble soon after the
attack began because the place had
oeen SO knocked to pieces by the Brit
ish guns as to make it untenable. The
British attack began astride the Menin
road and the advancing troops had to
make their way around Bellewaarde
lake; Just north of Hooge. in order to
reach the strong line of German de-
lenses along the Beliewaarde ridge
which dominated this section. This
rage was taken in hand-to-hand fight
ing one hour after the offensive began.
The British inflicted severe casualties
and captured a number of prisoners.
Wallow in Mud and Water.
From here the British pushed on into
the swampy ground between the Belle
waarde ridge and the westhoek ridge.
still farther east. and along which runs
the Frezenberg road These latter posi-
tons were captured without much fight
ing and the British began to consolidate
themselves along this line No counter
rfoyt
Tuesday That night the rain fell in tor
rents and Wednesday morning the rroops
were wailowing in two feet of water and
mud, and in some cases were CARRYING
on in water waist high
Under these trying conditions for the
defenders, the Germans counter attacked
with large body Of troops. but the Brit
Ism poured heavy machine gun fire into
the advancing lines and repulsed the ar
tack The Germans then turned heavy
gun fire on the Westhoek position, and
after fierce preliminary bombardsent
again counter attacked. but were unable
TO stand up under the heavy machine gun
dre from the British positions
There was one space of fifty yards in
this section of the British line which
It one time contained virtually no
made a hurried advance to occnnv N
One British Tommy with machine
gun stood of the entire attackfne
force and compelled it to retire. Since
" SAhcSaay LIE 1cTHudHS nave made no
1urfher attempt to regain this ground.
Canadians Make Gains.
3 CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE. August tby the Canadian n
Press. Limifed)--Canadian troops made
another successful advance last njeht
which carried their outposts to the main
line of the enemy's defense ON 1hn
railway embankment to the west of of
Lens. -
The men of two Canadian BsttaI;ons
In dashing attack, captured q cratar
occupying a crossroad to the east ~
Cite du Moulin and a crater 10 ~
north. on the Lens-Lievin road wbiat,
passes through du Moulin. For saH'
eral days the enemy had maintainsd =
strong posts in these craters f.n.u
which harassing rifle and 9renada an
was directed at Our outposts' linz .t
night. a
The attack. for the most mar, ,
carried out with bombs. the appro. 81
being through maze of partly de-.
stroyed houses When the bombs bees :
to fall. the enemy did not st.y
to fight 1t out. but retired toward hi,
main positions. leaving the craters to
be incorporated in our advanced lines
An attacking party then advanced Il
two tunnels known to be occupied nv
IL II believed, a considerable number q,
casualties on the enemy
A break in the clouds has permfttef
= resumption ofthe artillery and aeria
activity.
Jordan Wheat Lambert Kills Self.