The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-26
First Line on Wide Front Is
Completely Captured.
Thrust Puts French Closer to
LaOn Stronghold.
GERMANS TAKEN UNAWARES
TeutOns Concentrated There,
Intending to Start a Drive.
Three British Planes Survive
Battle With 10 of Enemy's.

Paris, June 26.-Suddenly assuming
the offensive over a wide front north
west of Hurtebise, French forces last
night captured front line German
trenches and completely attained all
detectives, the war office announced
today.
ION Monday evening, following a
short period of artillery preparation
northwest of Hurtebise, the French
brilliantly attacked on a strongly or
ganized front and took all detectives
ment asserted. The first line of the
enemy was completely captured.
THE enemy, surprised at the rapid
ity of our attack, lost heavily. Three
hundred prisoners, including ten Off
GERS, were captured.
The counter attacks, following an
intense bombardment of the two
TANKS on this front, were stopped by
our fire"
Positions Captured Important.
The French coup was executed at
one extremity of a front on which
the Germans up until Sunday had for
five days been waging a tremendous
counter offensive. movement. Hurte-
bise lies on the Chemin des Danes,
southeast of Laop and very close to
Craonne. The dominating positions
I along this highway were taken by the
French in their great offensive drive
of April and because of the constant
menace of further French progress
which would very soon close around
Laon, the Germans have striven des-
perately to recapture them. Laon is
one of the base cities in the several
times restamped Hindenburg line and
much further progress by French
| forces against it would mean the Ger
mans would have to consider a re-
tirement all along the line north to
! the sea.
| The victory today was all the more
| remarkable since it came at a time
| when the enemy was known to have
| concentrated vast reserves in almost
| the same region for the German coun-
| ter-offensive.
| Against 10 in Air Battle.
London, June 26.@Three British ma
val planes fought ten Germans in an
aerial battle over Roulers, shooting
one down in flames and probably de-
stroying two others. an admiralty
statement today declared. -,t r.
The British machines were patrol
| ling the air. The Germans apparently
were starting out for a raid. Notwith-
standing the enemy's superior num-
bers, the British flyers entered into ar
immediate engagement The fight con-
| tinued sixteen minutes.
! Thick clouds prevented veriflcat1or
of the destruction, except the one
| plane which was known to have beer
set afire All the British machines
were. unframed.
Canadians Make Telling Smash.
Canadian Army Headquarters il
| France, June 26.-In their general ad
| vance on Lens the Canadians have oc-
cupied the strongest outpost in the de
Tense of that place and have pushed
their troops toward La Couolte. Tht
increasing pressure on the enemy IL
the Souchez valley during the last few
weeks has brought signal success t.
the British arms, with relatively Sigh
loss
Patrols which were sent out reach
ed the summit of Reservoir hill with
out opposition and pushed on dow
the eastern slope. The strong Len
outpost was effectively occupied.
Meanwhile, south of the Souche
river the Canadians drove forward oil
the heels of the retiring Germans
Railway entertainments east of tn
Lens electric station were occupied
The advance was then continued to
wards La Coulotte. AS night fell
strong parties went out to consolidat
the positions occupied while patrol
were sent forward to keep in toucl
with the Germans.
Several days ago the Germans wer
known to be destroying houses in tn
western part of Lens with the objec
of giving wider area of fire for thei
guns. That may indicate the inten
ton of clinging to the eastern side o
the city and prolonging the struggl
by house to house fighting.
Claim French Elected.
Berlin, June 26.-The French troop
which penetrated the German line
northwest of Hurtebise on the Aisn
, front were subjected to a counter at
tack and elected from the create
part of the positions they had occu
pied, army headquarters announce
today.
Great quantities of ammunition ar
being expended in artillery fire alon
the front held by Crown Prince Rup
precht (the British front in Belgium
and northern France) the statemen
declares.
DDIITAI tn FDNN