Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-22
KIND OF STUFF
GERMANS ARE
FOOLED WITH

battle before Nerdun has not vet end
ed, the German general headquarters
staff announced today. This morning
fresh engagements developed at ,ari-
Gus places. The statement adds:
Success Anticipated
Our troops and leaders anticipate a
favorabl conclusion of the battle"
In many places colored and white
French troops penetrated the German
defensive zone in which every step
forward, the report says, had to be
UreSted at the cost of sanguinary
lcsses In bitter hand to hand fighting
and by counter-attacks the French
were driven back almost everywhere.
Text of Statement
! The text of the statement follows:
Western theatre: Army group Of
Crown Prince Rupprecht-Apart from
temporarily strong and destructive
| fire in some sectors of Flanders and on
4, the Arras front, there have been no
I
Army group of the German Crown
/ Prince The first day of the battle be-
fore NcrdTn had the same result for
I the French as the great English at
taos in Flanders had for the English
. On lilly 81 and Aug. Is: superiority in
material and reckless use Of men could
not break the German fighting force.
/ Against = small local success must be
set tho failure Of tho attack on a front
Of Ger 20 kiiometers
! Powerful artillery preparation for
the great thrust which the French ar
my was to conduct at England's com
| mand began on Aug. II.
! From Avocourt wood on the east
ern fringe of Caurieres wood our DO
! sltlons were turned into a wide and
desolate crater field BY the enemy's
artillery firing, which increased ia
most extreme intensity for few hours
before the attack, early yesterday
morning Of the French infantry, who
were in dense waves which came for
| ward to assault in deep echelons be-
hind the artillery fire that had been
lifted forward to protect them
IN many places native and white
french troops penetrated our defensive
zones in which every step forward had
to be- wrested from our fighting troons
with sanguinary losses. Bitter hand ia
! hand fighting and powerful counter at
tacks drove back the enemy almost
everywhere. The mighty struggle
swayed to and fro throughout the
whole day
ON the western bank of the Meuse
/ only the height of lie Morte Homme
ana the southern fringe Of Ravenwood
remained in the hands Of the French.
There we are situated in close prox-
unity to the northern slope Of the
hill
Enemy Wins a Little
On the eastern bank Of the Mouse
the hghtlng line has been still less de-
Hected. Only on Height 344 and in
osse wood has the enemy won a little
S1ourd. The measures taken bv our
leaders proved splendid. as did also
the typical tenacity and bravery of the
infantry The artillery is also descrv-
| ing Of full praise. The effect of lis lie
| structive fire against the enenvs for
advance to the attack and the artil-
lery also took prominent part in our
successful defense rhe other orms
particularly the pioneers and aviators
materially assisted in the satisfactory
termination of the day
The losses TO the French infantry
IN relation to the ma sses used are ex-
traordinarily high. The battle before
Nerdun had not terminated this morn
ing Fresh engagements developed AT
| various places. Both leaders and troops
anticipate favorable conclusion.
"Twentv-s enemy airmen were
shot down; we lost FIVE airplanes.
Eastern theatre: From the Dvina
to the Danube the situation remains
unchanged. In Macedonia there is
nothing of importance to report."