Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-12
BRITISH DRIVE
IN FRANCE nets
SMALL GAINS J
Day and Night Trench
Raids Severely Harass
German Forces.
POSITIONS TAKEN
IN NIGHT ATTACK
Allies Report Germans Taken Captive
Are Deiected-Drive Continues Thru
Rain, .Foss and Deep Mud-No Spec
taeuIar Advances Undertaksn-Artil-
Isry Paves Way For Minor Attacks
by Infantry.

w 1tn the bTltlen Armies III rTdHCS,
Jan. II, via London, JAM, 12.vThru
rain, fogs and deep mud. the British
army is continuing day by day to
pound the German line. Altho there
has been no distinctly spectacular ac-
ton recently, daily and nightly trench
raids and the drumming of the artil-
iery have continued. These operations
have yielded constant inflow of pris-
oners and have kept the casualty lists
growing.
According to stories told by pris-
cners the British tactics have harassed
the German troops almost beyond en-
durance.
z. The last week has witnessed So
called minor operations, eliminating
today in q general attack between
Beaumont and Hamel. This action
brought the number Of prisoners taken
in the. last few days to 800 and placed
in British hands an Important section
of trench. On Tuesday night the Brit
ish attacked q desired section Of the
German line, which was taken with q
yield Of 140 prisoners.
Germans Lose Positions.
The operations this morning drove
the Germans from positions they had
held for some time and from which
they could observe : part OF the Brit
ish line. The attack was preceded by
artillery preparations which. for q
matter Of fact, had been going on for
a week.
Thus before dawn the British went
over" Ahead Of them in that darkest
hour before the sun rose was the hery
curtain OF shells from the, guns far ~
Ethe rear.
The sodden stretch OF no-mar's land
over which they .plodded we rt by the
glare OF exploding shells. AS the bar
rage crept forward the men followed it
SO closely that the spectators Hex-
pected them to be smashed by the fire
Of. their own guns. Red rockets from
the German trenches flashed signals
for aid hut a. counter barrage failed
to check the advance. The German
Runnery in this instance was described
BY the attacking officers as weak and
erratic.
The British soldiers encountered
little resistance when they entered the
she'll torn trenches. The Germans had
taken refuge from the terrible shell fire
in the dugouts and communicating
trenches. The prisoners taken In this
raid had been on the front line Tor
long while and appeared very mucn , !
detected. AS soon as the captured
trenches had been cleared squads o.
.Aneineers were sent in to consolidate
and repair the trenches.
Germans Mako Counter Attacks.
Rerlfn: Jan, 12.-Two attacks were
made by British troops early this
morning on the French front north OF
the Ancre river. North of Beaucourt
tthe British gained an initial success
1.-THE. war office announces, but were
driven back with heavy losses by a
Icounter attack. A thrust near Serre
broke down under German nre.
The statement regarding the Franco
belgian front reads:
"Ouf positions near Armentieres ane
Lens and on both sides Of the Albert
Bapaume road were shelled.
| NaNorth Of the Ancre. the British In
he early morning hours twice attacked I:
n vain. Near Serre their attack broke
down before our lines.
North Of Beaucourt, after they had
won initial successes, they we've driven
,ack to their original petitions with
heavy losses. Fifty prisoners ana two
r,achife guns remained In our hands
Near Beaumont minor infantry en-
|eagements are still In progress.
'sWest Of the Meuse and on the Cote
lorraine in the Vosges ARTILLERY
nd mine a. .Ating was revived at some
points"