The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-25
'oL SUMTER, s. c, SATURDAY AUGUST a. 1917
CANADIANS WHIP GERMANS.
FIGHTING MEN FROM WEST WIN
BLOODY BATTLE.

DA nA1ILE.
Ono Of Ficrccst Hand to Hand Fights
OF War Pulled on at Lens ON Mon.
day Morning.
British Front in France and Bel
sium, Aug. 81. (By the Associated
Press. )--The fierce battle which be-
gan at dawn today on the outskirts
OF the city OF Lens continued
throughout the day at close quarters
ana late this afternoon there was no
dimlnution In the intensity of the
struggle between the attacking Cana
dians and the Germans.
The Canadians this morning fought
their way forward with bombs and
bayonets and occupied important en-
emy defenses north. northwest and
southwest of the heart of the city
and since then the Germans have
been sending in wave after wave of
infantry in desperate couterattacks.
The Canadians have held strongly
and the Germans have suffered very
heavy casualties. as they must have
expected from the nature of their
counterthrusts. in which no thought
IL given to the cost of life.
The striking feature of the battle
lies in the fact that the Germans also
had massed troops for a counterat-
tack at dawn against the newly ac-
quired Canadian positions in the
northwest environs of Lens and had
actually started their advance when
they were surprised by enceuntering
the onrushing Canadians in No Mans
Land. Both offensives had begun at
the same hour but heavy mist ap.
parently made the Germans unaware
of the Canadian preparations until
the Canadians were upon them with
the bayonets.
Brief but bitter fighting occurred
In No Mans Land. The German off,
GERS tried to rally their men but the
enemy infantry gradually fell back to
their trenches. The Canadians rush.
ed forward and leaping on the para
pets. hurled masses of bombs down
among great numbers of troops which
had been collected for the attack. Tho
Germans tried to fee through the
communication trenches but the Ca
nadiahs jumped rmong them with
bayonets and bombs. killing many.
The Canadians took up new positions
to depth OF several hundred yards
which they are holding against bit
tor counterattacks.
On the southwest the Canadians
were equally successful after very
heavy fighting In which the British
artillery was brought into play. The
most strenuous fighting late in the
day was proceeding In the center OF
the line west Of Lens and on q little
front near the left of the northwest
positions but the whole line was a
seething chaldron.
The Canadians have achieved their
immediate objects by drawing their
lines still closer about the heart of
the city and their goal unless the
German countcrattacks succeed.
BY today's attack the Canadians
have gained possession of many rail-
way embankments and colliery sid
ings which afford excellent positions
for either offensive or defensive ope-
rations.
The Canadians assault extended
from the northwest of the environs
OF the city to positions in the south
west suburbs and as the Germans
were already advancing to attack
the new Canadian defenses the fight
ing quickly assumed the character Of
one of the most sanguinary conflicts
which this battle SCARED theatre has
seen.
A circular line around which the
opposing forces are now fighting is
drawn close about the city proper,
where the Germans had fortified
themselves In concrete cellars and
dugouts.
NO estimate of casualties or pris-
oners Is yet possible but captured
Germans were beginning to arrive
back Of both fronts at nm eor,v hour