The sun., 1917-07-06
BRITISH MAKE GAIN
OF THIRD OF A MILE
Haig's Troops Also Carry Out
Two Successful Raids on
the Belgian Front.
GERMAN OFFENSIVE ENDS
Teutons in Terrific Attacks
Failed to Take a French
Trench or Prisoner.

LONDON, July 5.-On a front Of a third
OF a mile British troops advanced last
night in the region southwest Of Hoile-
beke, south Of Ypres. Besides this, the
frst advance on the northern wing OF the
Messines battle line In some time. Haig's
troops carried out two raids on the Bel.
gian front and captured several pris-
oners.
Apparently exhausted by their fruitlesl
efforts OF yesterday on the ChenIn des
Danes and at Verdun, the German in
fantry remained In the trenches all day,
though at places the Teuton guns we're
active. A despatch from French head.
quarters shows that early reports of the
strength OF the German offensive were
not exaggerated and that Its failure was
even more complete than was supposed.
The Associated Press correspondent
describes the attack as the strongest
German offensive on the western front
since Verdun, and says that the Ger
mans not only failed TO take a single
foot OF French trenches. but failed to
take single French soldier prisoner.
The French commanding General
watched the whole operation from q
front line trench. He said the German
infantry advanced In unusually close
with their dead. The famous picked
shock troops suffered especially heavy
losses.
British Airmen tn New Exploit.
The announcement OF another British
air raid on German military works in
Belgium draws attention to that sector
OF the front. On Tuesday night naval
airplanes bombed German airdromes at
Ghistelles and Nlemuenster and on the
seaplane shed and a, train at Zaaren.
all returned safely. The otiicial state
ment follows:
British Day Statement--Southwes
OF Hollebeke we advanced our lines
slightly on a front OF 500 yards. Last
night we carried out successful raids
In the vicinity OF Wieltje and Nieu-
port, and captured several prisoners.
French Day Statement-There was
rather pronounced activity of the ar
tillery in the region OF Moronvilliers.
Prunay and Hill 304. There Is nothing
to report from the remainder of the
front.
An enemy aviator. reached by ma
chine gun Are, fell to earth northwest
of Moronvilliers.
French Night Statement--There
was artillery activity north of the
Aisne, in the region Of the Hurtebise
Monument and the northern part OF
the Beau Marais wood, in Champagne
in the region of Mont Carnillet. and
on the left bank of the Meuse in Il e
region of Hill 800.
Fired 400 shells at Rheims.
: -Four hundred shells were fred
against Rheims.
Belgian Statement-Last night and
| to-day the usual artillery actions took
4 place along the whole front.
German Day Statement--In Flanders
and in Artois yesterday the artillery
activity was generally slight. En-
emy reconnoitring advances were re-
| pulsed at several points.
Our gain Of territory on the Chemin-
des-Dames to the east of Cerny again
ineuced the French army administra-
tion yesterday and early this morning
to make fresh attacks, which failed
with heavy losses. Up to the present
the French have unsuccessfully at
attempted on fifteen occasions to re-
capture the lost ground. Each time
| they have incurred considerable sac
rifices In killed. wounded and prison.
ers.
/ On both sides of the Moselle enter
prises were carried out.