New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-10
One Thousand Dead Left
on Field After Coun-
ter Drive
Haig's Troops
Extend Lines
Advance 600 Yards to the
North of St.
Quentin

LONDON, Sept. 9.-Violcnt fighting
throughout the day on the right bank
of the Mouse River in the Verdun
area developed into two main actions
on an aggregate front of about five
miles. In the first series of engage
ments the Germans attempted by
stubborn counter thrusts to nullify The
French gains made yesterday between
Beaumont and Ornes, in the Posses
Woods, ard north of the Chaume Wood,
but without success. The second battle
was a major attack by forces of the
Grown Prince, on a two-mile front, to
wrest Hill 244 from the French. u was
such prompt failure that the night
bulletin from Berlin does not even re
fer to ii.
Meanwhile, British troops, northeast
Of ST. Quentin, seized 500 yards Of
enemy trench system with two trench
mortars and half hundred prisoners.
Both Paris and Berlin mention the
ferocity of the fighting yesterday
south and east Of 0rnes, which Berlin
states, on the authority of captured
officer, was the French objective.
Petain's men are now less than
quarter Of a mile from the village,
which is little more than three miles
northeast Of Fort Douaumont. Paris
declares that in addition to the 800
prisoners captured in the battle. ex-
ceptionslly heavy losses were inflicted
on the enemy, more than a thousand
OF his dead having been counted by
French scouts north Of the Fosses
Woods alone.
French Losses Severe
Berlin emphasizes the losses suffered
by tho French. Three of Petain's di-
visions, the German War Office says,
had 80 per cent of their electives de-
stroyed, while 300 prisoners remained
in German hands. The first French
wave is said to have peen thrown back,
but the second, shrouded in fog, ad
vsnced clear through the Chaume wood
and penetrated 0rnes itself Here the
advancing French were met by German
reserves, who threw them southwark,
renewing the counter attack in the
evening. 1t is admitted that the French
retain a small part Of the Chaume
Wood and the ridge TO the east of IT.
Paris AYERS that the poilus occupy all
of the Chaume Wood. the ridge men
toned by Berlin and most Of the
Posses Woods, a considerable body of
territory which was maintained in its
entirety after fuctuating fighting last
night and against four vigorous Ger
man counter attacks to-day.
The German assault to-day 10 the
west OF this fighting field came after
an intense artillery concentration and
was directed on both sides of Hill 344,
just southeast Of Beaumont, as we'll
as against the slope itself On most
of the front attacked the French bar
rage was so heavy that the Germans
failed 10 get through it. At two
points. however on either side of the
height. enemy attachments broke into
the defending lines, only 20 be inn
mediately elected by a counter blow
which gave the French fifty more pris-
oners.
On the left bank of the Meuse. in
the strong bombardment and active
scouting, there is every sign Of i'm
pending attacks, though no infantry
fighting has yet developed.
British Pressure Stronger
Not only in Flanders. but in Artois
and along the final line of the Hirden-
burg retreat from the Somme, British
pressure against the enemy is becom-
ing more pronounced/ In this latter
area this morning Northumberland
troops won a solid local success south
east of Hargicourt, a village to the
northeast of st. Quentin, linking up
500 more yards of enemy trench to the
gains made near by on August 26. This
operation yielded ffty-two prisoners
and couple of trench mortars. Al
the same time another small German
trench. required to establish the Brit
ish gains east OF Malakoff farm. in
the same region, was 9verrun after
brisk fighting.
Throughout the night there was also
lively local fighting in the Ypres sail
ent, both on the Ypres- road
and the Ypres-Menin road. as a result
Of which the British line was extended
slightly north Of ST. Julien. an enemy
attack OF the Inverness COpss was re-
pulsed. and the Germans lost over a
score of prisoners. East Of the north
ern end of the Messines Ridge the
enemy attacked a couple of British
small posts and succeeded in entering
one Of them, carrying Off three men.
The British carried out successful raids
at Vermelles, in the La Bassee sector,
and at Gavrelle. north of the Scarpe
and east of Arras. Al q number OF
points on the French front. also par
tcularly in the Champagne, Petain's
men brought back prisoners from raid
ing operations.