Evening star., 1917-12-04

J. e the Hlndsnhurg lne
BY noon there were tndications tneS "
oqsaassns asn ,shs 3 tsr ssraa dravs se xsicn
caFried them shrogsh sns 5rifisa nons
Mset ehock BRILLIANTLY.
me British infantry and artillery
had met the shock brilliantly ana were
HoldinR their own strongly through
ehs hrst grim hours Of fighting. The
: Germans approached Le vaeduerie
from the east and southeast, and at the
comparatively local. In their initial
charge the enemy came up against e
STONE wall and they were forced to fali
back. They kept coming In waves.
however, and finally secured o footing
In the town. but Immediately were
Intense nghting at close quarters
followed. and as this progressed the
tion further down the line. By II
O'Clock their artillery was maintaining
. drumfire against the whole front In
voIved- The British gunners replied
between guns of all calibers reached
terrifying proportions.
The battle which iaged about Con-
nelieu yesterday took on renewed Bit
terness this morning.
British Line Stronger.
Tho British line at Masnieres today
was much stronger as a result of the
Withdrawal from the town Saturday
night Cen Byngss troops had held this
place ssainst repeated heavy enemy
counter attacks. but because Of the
sharpness OF the salient which bulged
about the town the British position
here was difficult one in view Of the
dominating hign ground to the south
and southeast held by the enemy.
The evacuation Of Masnieres was ac-
complished in mastery manner. It
came at the end OF day OF sanguinary
fighting in which nine German attacks
had been repulsed with unprecedented
losses to the enemy. During the fight
ing the suburb of Les Rues Vertes to
the south had been captured by the
Germans, but late in the day they were
ousted from this place. It was under
cover of this enemy defeat that the
British carried out their withdrawal,
the Germans being still disorganized.
So well was the retirement conducted
that the Germans were not aware that
Masnieres was not occupied until Sun
day forenoon. Throughout Saturday
night and Sunday morning the Ger
man artillery kept pounding away at
the town. which they still believed held
by the British.
The true situation was discovered be-
fore noon. and the Germans pushed up
into the town under intense punishment
from the British guns. The new posi-
: tions established by the British were
ON the Southwestern outskirts of Mas
nterss and Les Rues yertes also was
abandoned.
Death Toll Grievous.
II the Germans fare today as they did
last Friday their losses in men win be
very great Detailed reports of last
weeks hghting all emphasize the frst
statements that the German death toll
mad been exceedingly grievous.
M0eyivrAa rx-ba
mans kept sweeping forward over a
ridge all day exposed against the sky
line. there was veritable sIauehter
Ine nature of this may be seen from
me report of one battery of British ma
Snine guns stationed here. This battery
nreo 10000 rounds during the day at an
average range Of 1.2o0 yards against
tne enemy advancing in masses. MANY
iosner batteries we're doing similar work
ans ~ tne rinemen and artillerymen were
nr1ng steadily. A large number Of Ger
man troops involved In this carnage
were brought In from the Arras front.