Evening star., 1918-02-21
BRILLIANT ATTACK
MADE BY FRENCH
Go Through German First Line
in Lorraine, Taking 525
Prisoners.
ALLIES DOWN 20 AEROS

In brilliant attack in Lorraine
French troops have gone through the
German first line on lengthy front and
captured more than 500 prisoners. This
attack is the first of large proportions
on the western front in 1918.
There have been many raiding enter
prises by both sides in Lorraine re-
Gently. and this front has been looked
upon by French military leaders as one
where the Germans might make their
heralded drive. 1t lies northeast OF
Luneville and east-northeast of Nancy.
A German attack at Four de Paris, in
the Argonne, has been repulsed, with
losses. by the French. On the British
front in France there has been no
great increase in the raiding and the
artillery activity.
Entente airmen continue to be busy
in air fighting and bombing expedi-
tions. French and British flyers have
brought down twenty German ma
chimes, and British airmen have carried
out raids into Germany.
French Official Reports.
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, February 21.-The official
statement reads:
Northwest of Rheims, in the region
of Loivre. German raid was repulsed
by the French fire.. a
THE total number of prisoners taken
in Lorraine in the course OF the
east of Moncel is 525. of whom eleven
are officers.
"On the remainder of the front there
is nothing important to report
The text of the official statement OF
last night reads:
"In the Argonne we repulsed an at
tack at Four de Paris and inflicted ap-
preciable losses on the enemy.
I'm Lorraine, north Of Buras and east
Of Moncel (northeast of Nancy, our
detachments penetrated the German mi: 4
lines deeply on a large front. Tnls
operation, brilliantly carried out. en-
abled us to bring back prisoners.
I'm the Vosges there was quite marked
artillery fighting in the region of LIE Fave.
Aviation: On February 19 four Ger
man airplanes were brought down by our
pilots A fifth was destroyed by our spez
cial guns. Three other German. machir IS
fell inside their own lines seriously dam
aged after engagements.
Portuguese Successful.
"A
sued today. dealing with the operations of
the Portuguese forces on the western 'front.'
says:
several patrol attacks and captured one
officer and two men belonging to these
patrols.
"a Gotha airplane fell inside our sector,
and its crew, composed Of two officers and
two non-commissioned officers, was made
prisoner"
New Zealanders Win.
LONDON, February 21.-"New Zea-
land troops carried out successful
raid early this morning east of Poly
gon wood, Flanders front, and cap
tured a few prisoners" says today's
war Office statement The eneJny's ar
tillery was active yesterday evening
against our positions at Flesquieres.'
Twelve German airplanes have been
accounted for by the British airmen and
one by infantry, says statement on
aerial operations last night, which also
reports successful attacks on Thion-
vile and Pirmasens, Germany. The
statement reads:
"In the air fighting Tuesday eleven
hostile machines were brought down.
and another was driven down out of
control. At night bombing machine
was brought down in no mans land
by infantry. Two Of our machines are
missing.
Tuesday night Thionville again was
attacked successfully. Twenty-six
heavy bombs were dropped on the rail-
way station, and a large explosion was
caused and two fires started. All our
machines returned safely. Today our
airplanes bombed large factories and
the station at Pirmasens, in Germany,
and dropped a ton of bombs. All re-
turned safely"