The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-28
FRENCH GAIN ON
2 MILE FRONT
Capture Five Villages and
Advance More Than Mile
in Belgium.

LONDON. Oct 27.-Honors on the
western front went to the French again
to-day. On their section OF the Flan-
ders battle line. Just north Of the British
sector about Ypres. they drove for
ward despite the impossible" condition
Of the ground. on a front Of almost three
miles to a depth OF one and a third
miles. taking five important villages on
the way tMerchem. Kippe. Aschhoop.
Verbandesmts and Kloostermolen). be-
side large number Of fortified farme
At the same time, an additional ad-
vance was made on the Aisne front.
in France. and the famous Fro'dmont
farm was occupied.
The British In the meantime were do
ing their bit just west Of Passchen-
daele. near tho point Of the ridge which
dominates the country for miles to the
north. Two heavy German counter
attacks during the night against the
positions won yesterday were repulsed.
Polderhoek Chateau was lost to the
Germans. but fierce fighting at that point
still continues. The main purpose Of
the attack. possession Of Bellevue spur
was achieved. The net advance OF the
British since yesterday was nearly
three quarters OF a mile and eighteen
machine guns were captured
The British night statement reports
that since the beginning Of operations
Yesterday morning more than 1,1oO
German prisoners have been taken. IN
Guiding 900 captured by the French.
Heavy Losses by Germans.
The night report from French Army
Headquarters reads:
In Belgium our attack, begun at
5 rs o'clock in the morning. de-
veloped during the day with full Sic
cess on both sides OF the road between
Ypres and Dixmude. Our troops cap
tured all the German positions on
front OF four ki!ometers tnore than
two and half rniles) and mean
depth Of two kilometers. despite stub
born resistance on the part of the
enemy. who suffered very heavy
losses.
On thA right We reached the western
outskirts OF Houtholst forest ana cap
tured the villages OF Nerbranesmis.
Aschhoop. Mcrckem and kippe. as we'll
as a great number of strongly fortified
farms We took about a hundred pris-
onerN
on the Aisne front there was feeble
activity on the part OF tho enemy ar
tillery. We made new progress before
the ChevriEny spur. and further east
occupied tho Froidmont farm.
The German official statement says:
In middle Flanders the French and
British again brought up strong forces
throughout yesterday Success WAS
ours The enemy divisions suffered
sanguinary losses without result in our
defence zone
Increased artillery IRE was directed
on the fighting district Behind the
advancing rolling flre his storming
troops were sent forward
North Of Bixschoote the French
reached as far as Bultehoek from
there they were thrown back into the
crater land by our counter thrust
Between the Klercken- Poe oelcapelle
road and the Roulers-Ypres Railway
tho British pressed forward In re-
peated assaults. After fuctuating fght-
ing. which was especially bitter west
OF Passchendaele. the enemy had to
content himself with a few crater lines
on the front Of his position OF de-
parture.
In addition to tho main attack sew
eral British divisions were launched
against our front from Becelaere to
south OF Gheluvelt. At the outset they
broke into Poezelhoek Park and into
Gheluvelt. but by our powerful
counter attack the enemy was soon
thrown back beyond the old line.
Local engagements lasted into the
night, the intense ,r'ng diminishing
only temporarily. Tho days fighting
was favorable to US
On few sectors on the Oise-Aisne
Canal the artillery duel assumed
greater intensity toward evening. The
enemy infantry In vain cndeavored to
gain footho,d at many points on
the northern bank OF the canal.
Night Report--In Flanders there
was violent artillery activity. At tho
southwestern border OF IIoutholst
wood local infantry engagements took
place. There is nothing new to report
from the Oise-Aisne Canal