The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-08-23
BRITISH DRIVES |
RIP FOES LINE;
FRENCH PUSH ON
Germans DOubly Defeated
in Furious Ypres
Battles. :!
FEW LEFT TO CAPTURE
TeutOns Driven Back OIL
Meuse by Series of Bril-
liant Charges.
LOOT FALLS TO NICTORS
Pctains Men Take 5000
Encmy-Dig Prisoners From
Dead Mans Hill.
FEW LEFT TO CAPTURE
LOOT FALLS TO NICTORS

LONDON, Aug. 22-Redoubling tho
fury Of their recent attacks in this
region the British to-day crumpled back
the German lines in the Ipres sector.
taxing positions for mile along ths
fpres-Menin road and penetrating to u
distance Of a third of a mile. Furthei.
north an even greater gain In territory.
although OF not SO much strategic i'm
portance. is recorded. Here the advance
was over two and a half miles to q
depth of half a mile.
Although the operation undoubtedly
was undertaken in conjunction with ths
French offensive thrust, the fury of the
struggle to-day Oh the British front and
the Importance of its results temporarily
obscured the brilliant work OF Gen. PEI
tains forces. The French largely were
on the defensive last night, resisting q
series Of shock attacks Of sanguinary
ferocity To-day they resumed their
advance, taking several strong positions.
This evening they hold all the ground
recently won. having elected the enemy
from a series CT trench elements in which
Crown Princes army.
Germans Beaten Back.
Today's signal achievement OF ,hs
British was one of which the foe had
been given fair warning Ii covered
the ground where last week the Franco
British advance was checked. This was
in part the field between Langcmarck
and Frezenberg. Following their vic
torious stand there last week the Ger
mans apparently thought they had good
reason 70 believe In the boasted i'm
preSnabilty of their positions here. o.
TO think, at any rate. that they could
hold on in this sector until fankine lines
either side destroyed the military
value OF the salient. The terrible Brit
ish blow dealt to-day showed they were
wrong
TIE British advanced at dawn. fol-
lowing the usual artillery preparation.
Steel and concrete redoubts, complicated
underground trench systems and every
other device known to warfare on the
western front had been employed by the
enemy Friend and foe alike had small
chance to turn to the rear once the
battle was joined. There were few pris-
oners taken.
Men caught in their dugouts were
riddled with bullets or went down in
hand to hand clashes with the bayonet.
Hand bombs blasted their way into solid
walls Of artificial stone. Especially ou
the Npres-Roulers railway and the road
To Menin did the Germans hold hard
Many strong farms and other positions
were reduced only after day of work
with bayonet and grenade, the defenders
in numerous cases being killed to man.
Few Prisoners Taken.
The British official report contains
this striking allusion to the battle: by
reason OF the obstinate nature of tie
hghting the prisoners taken bear more
than usually small proportion to the
total losses inflicted on the enemy The
! number of prisoners IL stated at over
250" in an all day conflict over dis
tance Of some miles, with huge masses
/ of effectiyes employed on both sides and
with the lighting almost entirely at
. Cluae quarters.
The total number of prisoners taken
/ by the Brit !sh in this neighborhood since
! August II now is 1873. Prisoners taken
hy the French in the struggle of tho
nast several days around Nerdun num-
Der more than 5000.