New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-10-24
FRENCH CAPTURE
MANY PRISONERS
Take 1900 Germans When They
Smash. Through the Lines

Paris, Oct. 2H.-In one of the swift
est and most dashing blows of the
war the French troops, attacking on a
slx-mile front yesterday smashed
through the German lines north OF
the Aisne, about seven miles north
east of scissors, to a depth of more
than two miles at one point, inflicted
heavy losses on the enemy, and cap
/ twenty-five heavy guns and field guns.
several important villages also fell
into the hands of the French accord
Ing to the War Office announcement
last night.
despite the rain and mist which
shrouded the battlefield when the at
tack began at Sis a. m, the French
infantry rushed forward with splen-
did enthusiasm in the face Of crack
German troops, supported by heavy
artillery, and carried Malmaison Fort.
on the center OF their offensive. and
the villages Of Allemant and Vaudes-
son on the left. They also seized po-
sitions dominating the village of Par
gny-Filain. Later in the attack, rout-
ing German reserves, they pushed
their victorious attack to Chavignon,
the capture of which marks their fur
thest advance-abOut two and one
fifth miles.
From Allemant, on the left of the
front over which the attack was
made, to it's eastern limits at Pargny-
Filain, the distance is about four
miles.
Drive Germans From Quarries.
The night official report reads as
follows:
North of the Aisne the attack which
we launched this morning developed
under extremely brilliant conditions.
Despite mist and rain, our troops at
tackled with admirable enthusiasm
formidable organizations of the
enemy which were defended by the
best troops of Germany, supported by
heavy artillery.
In their first dash our soldiers cap
tured the line indicated by the quar-
ries of Fruty and Bohery. A little
later Malmaison Fort, in the center
fell into our hands.
Pushing their advance still further
our troops, after a desperate engage
ment, in which they gave proof OF
their irresistible snap, drove the
enemy out of the quarries of Mont
parnasse, which had been partly
crushed by our big shells.
On the left our progress was con-
tinued with the same success, the VII
lages of Allemant and Vaudesson re-
manning in our power, while on the
right our troops carried their line to
the heights dominating Fargny- Filain.
Finally, in the center, our troops
drove fresh enemy reserves heller
skelter and captured, in a violent
struggle, the village of Chavignon.
At this point our advance reached
d:pth Of three and half kilometers
(about two and one-ffth miles.)
The enemy losses in the course OF
the day were large, in addition to
those inflicted on him by our artillery
preparation. The number of prisoners
counted up to the present exceeds
$500. In the enormous amount of
material captured we have counted
twenty-five heavy and field cannon.
Notwithstanding the unfavorable
weather, our aviators carried out with
audacity the missions imposed upon
them, their machines flying fifty me-
tiers above the lines.
Following is the afternoon report:
This morning at 5:15 o'clock, after
artillery preparation for several hours,
our troops assaulted the powerful Ger
man positions in the region of Allie
mant and La Malmaison. (northeast
of Soissons). On the whole front of
attack we made good progress and we
took a number of prisoners.
Northwest of Rheims there was
rather heavy artillery fighting in the
night. Three surprise attacks against
our small posts west of Bermericourt
and east of Melville were without re-
suit.
In the Argonne an incursion into
German trenches at Cheppy Wood en-
abled us to inf1ict losses on the enemy
and bring back prisoners.
On the right bank of the Meuse
(Verdun front) the artillery action be-
came violent late in the night in the
region north Of Hill 344.