The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-18
CAPTURESCUT
II 7DIVISIONS0F
FOE TOSHELLS
One Shattered Contingent
Forced Into Action Again
Lacking Men.
BIG LOSSES ON SOMME
More Than 100000 Germans
Beaten by British Since
August 8.
BIG LOSSES ON SOMME
ny PERRY ROBINSON.


Special Gable Despatch TO THn sus from the
London rimes Service.
Copyright, 1918: oH rights ,ese,red
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE,
Aug 17.-S far thirty-six German
divisions are known to have been en-
gagged In the fighting on the Somme
front since August s. Among the
prisoners taken by the British there
are representatives OF seventeen Ger
man divisions. The thirteenth division
yielded more than 2.70o prisoners. the
forty-first nearly $500. the fourteenth
1900. the 10Th 1900. the 1osth and
the 18th between 900 and 1 900 each.
"a German division comprises ap-
proximntely 1880 men,
BY regiments our captures from the
thirteenth division are: Fifty NTH
infantry. 8 officers. 1850 men; Thir-
teenth Regiment. 20 officers, ss4 men; /;
Fifteenth Regiment. II officers. s74
men. making a total for the division
Of 2.7s3 officers and men.
| The fate Of the Thirteenth Division
was really pathetic, as It was from this
! division that we took 500 prisoners, be-
sidss lnfictine heavy casualties AT
Hamel on July I. Among the docu-
ments captured was one issued by 4 bri-
gade commander asking TO have fresh
drafts hurried. as he could not do the
work OF the brigade with his present
strength. The official reply. signed b,
Gen. Won Berries. runs
vi hA
known to the divisional commander and
higher authorities, but supply draft'
cannot be expected before August l6
The conditions are even more unfavor
able in neighboring units, and for th'
intere0ts Of all the situation must b'
tolerated"
Condition IL DeplorabIe.
August is proved little late and thu
division apparently stayed in line with
out reenforcements. With the further
loss of the 400 men we took prisoner
and with those who were killed and
wounded the condition Of this division
must be deplorable.
Papers taken from officers and prison
ers throw interesting sidelights on past
events. Thus the diary Of the 16sth
Regiment tells US that under date OF
March "a the village and station Of Lon.
guyon, a hundred miles east of st. Quen'
tin. was absolutely wiped out by bomb<
dropped from one OF our airplanes, and
that an ammunition train carrying 49,
900 shells was blown up at the station
1t also adds that a trainload Of Air
planes were blown to bits. the explosion
being SO terrific that some Of the cal
trucks were found half a mile away.
We heard some great explosions in tha
direction at the time. but this Is the frs'
authentic information that has reached
US of the actual damage.
The nghting that has taken place ir
the last twenty-four hours has been te
our advantage, much of the contested
area being around Damery and Parvil
lers Wood, near Roye. This is the ex
treme right OF the British front. with
the French and Canadians adjoining Vi
to the south.
Heavy counter attacks delivered b,
the enemy at Damery last night wer'
beaten of. The Canadians report tn,
capture OF 24o prisoners in the las
twenty-four hours. in addition to SOM
maci Inc guns They estimate also tina