The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-25
ALLIES MAKE BIG
GAINS IN BELGIUM
Village of Langemarck and the
Bridgehead at Dreigracken
Were Captured.
HEAVY LOSSES FOR GERMANS
British and French Guns Now Down
Resisting Teutons-AIl the
Detectives Attained.


great Anglo-French war machine has
struck the Germans in Flanders, and
again it has been successful The vii
| lage of Langemarck and other impor-
tant positions were taken Thursday
and more than 1900 prisoners already
have been counted.
The latest blow in the Ypres area
was on front of nine miles, and only
on the extreme right were the allied
forces unable to make progress. The
Germans resisted stubborn1y, suffer
ing heavy losses, but on the greater
part of the front they were forced to
leave valuable positions in the posses
sion of the allies.
Before the fighting between Lens
Ind Loos had died out the French and
British moved forward north of the
Ypres-Menin road. Throughout Thurs
day bitter fighting continued. On the
left the French occupied the ground
between the User canal and Martje-
vaart, and then drove the Germans
from the important bridgehead Of
Dreigrachten.
Haig Gains His Objective.
Field Marshal Haig's men carried
the center and right of the attacking
line. In the center the British early
gained their first detectives and then
established themselves in Langen-
marck Continuing their attack, they
advanced a half mile beyond the vii
lage, gaining a trench system, which
was the final objective Of the day.
Germans Admit Losses.
Although Berlin says the allied at
tack in Flanders had been forced back
with heavy losses, it admits French
and British gains at Dreigrachten on
the User canal and near Langemarck
These are the places where London
officially says the French and British
advanced.
Northwest of Fokshanf the Ru-
manians have made numerous attacks
in efforts to capture StracSni and
Pantziu. In the Troitus valley, the
Austro-G German advance apparently
continues. Berlin says that the forces
of Field Marshal Won Mackenzen
have captured more than $500 prison
ers, sixteen guns and more than fifty
machine guns in the recent fighting.
Canadians Take Hill 20.
Germans late yesterday we're at close
grips in a bitter battle in the western
part Of the city of Lens itself, follow
ing a brilliant advance made by the
Canadians in the early morning when
they captured the redoubtable Hill 20
and swept on northwest OF Lens. In
the first stage OF their offensive the
Canadians met the comparatively lit
tie opposition, but as they advanced
into the environs Of the mining city
the Germans stiffened their defense
and began to offer determined resist
ance.
Barraae Fire Perfect
The British barrage was without a
law. Behind it the Canadians mount
ed Hill 20 and swept along the rest
Of the line On the crest of the hill,
where so much blood had been spilled
before, heavy fighting might have
been expected, for the position was
well manned with machine guns. The
resistance here, however, was not
strong, and it was not until the dwell
ings in the outskirts of the suburbs
were reached that vigorous fighting
occurred. The ground over which the
infantry advanced was honeycombed
with British shell holes and the barb
ed wire defenses had been leveled so
that they gave little trouble.
The first serious resistance from
the Germans was met at a point where
the enemy was intrenched strongly in
| connected cellars, and here sangui-
nary fighting occurred.
The place is a sample Of other sub
urbs about Lens The city is sur
rounded with colliery communities
which are so close together and so
near the city proper that they really
form one large metropolis. Lens be
fore the war had a population OF thir-
" thousand, but it is now a mass of
ruins.
City Nest Ct Machine Guns.
Following their usual tactics the
Germans had carried out systematic
destruction of the houses and had con-
structed strong underground defenses.
The whole city is undermined with
tunnels and dugouts which have been
REINFORCED with concrete and most of
the ruined buildings have been turn
ed into machine gun emplacements.
nanied Every Draft AnneaI