Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-18
Capture German Positions on
! IL Mile Front Toward
Petit Miraumont.
PUSH INTO ENEMY'S
LINE OVER 1000 YARDS
Important Teuton Position North of
Balllescourt Farm Also Carried.
Counter Attacks Repulsed.
By the Associated Press.


LONDON, February 17.-Brltish troops
today captured German positions on a
front Oh about one and half miles.
penetrating the German defenses to a
distance of about 1000 yards and COM
ing within close range of Petit Mirau-
mont. which lies to the northeast OF
Grandcourt, on the Ancre front in
France
Another important German position
was carried along front of about /, ,0oo
yards, according to the official report
from headquarters tonight. The text
reads:
Successful operations on both banks
of the Ancre We're undertaken by our
troops this morning. Very considerable
further progress was made south of the
river. The enemy's positions opposite tho
villages of Miraumont and Petit Mirau-
mont were attacked and captured on a
front of about one and one-half miles
We have penetrated more than 1909
yards into the enemy's .defenses and adj
vanced our line to within a few hum
dred yards of Petit Miraumont.
Counter. Attacks Fail.
North of the Ancre an important
spur north of Baillescourt farm was
carried on a frant of about 1000 yards.
Hostile counter attacks were success
fully driven off. in addition to heavy
losses inflicted on the enemy. 26S pris-
oners. including five officers. haye pass
ed through the collecting stations.
I'VE carried out two raids this morn
ing, south of Neuve Chapelle and north
east of Ploegsteert, where our troops
reached the enemy's second line. Large
numbers of Germans were killed and
many dugouts and machine guns were
destroyed. We captured a few prison.
ers in each case.
Enemy Raiders Repulsed-
Hostile raiding parties west OF Lens
and east Of Givenchy were repulsed
with loss. We blew up two mines last
night with good results west of La
Bassee.
"In the course of the air fighting yes
terday one German airplane was
brought down in our lines and two
others were driven down damaged: one
of ours is missing.
Fighting Toward Ribencourt.
PARIS. February 17.-The official
communication issued by the war Office
this evening reads: ,
There was an intermittent can-
nonade on the greater part of the
front; the fighting was more pro-
nounced in the direction of Ribencourt.
An enemy surprise attack on one OF
our small posts northwest of Bezon-
vaux failed
man batteries were only snghtly ac-
tive"
Berlin Reports Engagements.
BERLIN. February IL. by wireless TO
ayville-Infantry fighting was re-
newed today in the Ancre river sector
of the Franco-Belgian front. accord
ing to the supplemental war office an
nouncement tonight, which says:
During a strong artillery fire, new
infantry engagements developed ON
the Ancre before noon today.
Armies Reaching Out.
From a STAFF CORRESPONDENT of the Associated
Press.
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, February 16, via London.
February 1.-THE cold which has held
the western front frost bound for near
ly a month is gradually moderating,
and it is easy to sense all along tho
battle line an unmistakable quickening
which tells of the approach of spring
and foreshadows the coming TO grips of
the greatest armies yet assembled in
the world war. Already these armies
are reaching out toward each other.
testing various parts of the lines and
a attempting to discover the most likely
point of contact for the beginning OF
the titanic struggle that is expected to
make this the decisive year of the con-
flict In anticipation of eventualities
the Germans have removed the civilian
population from the cities and towns
in proximity to their line. but no such
precaution has been felt necessary be-
hind the allied front.
Never silent. the British guns are be-
to roar more and more steadily.
Tonight they are booming with particular
violence in the sector of the Somme. From
a distance the bombardment might easily
be mistaken for the grumbing echoes OF
a passing summer storm. The chorus Of
guns rises and falls like great peals OF
thunder and there are flashes in the dark
ened sky like the play of lightning along
the horizon
Great German Movement.
New groups of divisions have ,een re-