The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-10-26
FRENCH TAKE 10000
PRISONERS; 25 GUNS
SOME OF WARS MOST I'M
PORTANT GAINS.
German Line Smashed by Pc
tain's Army and Best
Troops Taken.

With the French Armies in
France, Oct. 25.-The French troops
Tuesday morning fought one of the
most cleverly conceived and most
valiantly executed actions of the
war. More than 10000 prisoners
belonging to the famous Fifth Prus-
sian Guards were taken and the
French still continue their victo-
rious progress.
The battle began before dawn
along nine-kilometre front, from
the northeast of Laffaux, about the
neighborhood OF Vauxaillon, to La
royere farm. Amid inky darkness
the French troops left their trenches
and with terrific barrage fire from
the most powerful concentration Of
French guns ever gathered on such
front preceding them, they made
their way forward to and over the
first German positions, sweeping all
resistance aside.
Altogether six German infantry
divisions were aligned facing the
iOhNh dNbdNhlIS lOlCtS, DuI none OIL
them were able to withstand the on
slaught. the advance continuing like
clockwork. The correspondent OBJ
served the battle from a point
whence he could see the entire line
and was able to watch the precision
with which the artillery prepared the
which the artillery prepared the
German front for the advance of the
infantry, and methodical manner Of
the infantry's progress,
While the allied troops were bust
ly engaged in consolidating positions
! won Monday in Flanders, the French
forces Of General Petain struck
mighty and unexpected blow against
the German line northeast of Sois-
sons Tuesday morning and made
some of the most important gains of
terrian since they threw back the
army of the German crown prince
which was beseiging Verdun.
The stroke was made over a front
OF about six miles, from the cas-: of
NauNaillon TO Pargny-Filain. Un,
der rainy and generally unfavorable
weather conditions the French
pushed forward all along the line
aided by audacious aviators who
New over the German positions using
their machine guns, and penetrated
the German line at one point IN
depth of two and a fifth miles
I Numerous important positions
1ell one by one into the hands of
General Petain's men and in addi-
tion more than $500 Germans, an
enormous amount OF war material
and 20 heavy field guns were can
tured
The greatest depth of the drive
was in the center of the line. where
the village of Chavignen was cap
tured after violent struggle which
! resulted in the enemy fleeing pell
nell. Some of the best troops in the
army OF the German crown prince
were engaged in endeavoring to hold
back the onslaught, but their ef-
forts We're unavailing under the en-
thusiasm Of the French to win pos>-
tions which would place them more
advantageously to press on later to-
ward Laon. =,
For about week the French ar
tillery had been hurting tons of
steel into the German fine in front
of them in preparation for the drive,
and when it was started sad havoc
already had been wrought by the
guns. In addition 20 the prisoners
taken by the French the Germans
suffered heavy casualties
In Flanders both the British and
French are holding all their gains
made in Mondays drive northeast of
Ypres, except at one place on the
southern front of the Houtholst
wood where the Germans in a furi-
Gus counterattack forced a slight re-
tirement by the British.
The latest advices concerning the
naval activity in the Gulf of Riga be-
tween the Germans and Russians
show that although the Russians
lost the battleship Slava and a large
torpedo boat destroyer, the Germans
were the heaviest losers. Two of