Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-24
FRENCH RECOVER
NEWPORT LINES
Germans Driven Out in
Sharp Counter After
Big Raid
FIGHTING GROWS HEAVY
Spirited Raiding Indicates
Likelihood of Big Offensive
on Western Front
LONDON, Jan. "a

LDNDONt Jan. -
Military operations have been re-
mmed in France and Belgium on a
greater scale than has been attained be-
fore this year From the North Sea to
the Swiss border the lcsseniug in tHS
rigors of winter has made possible en-
terprises which seem TO forecast the
resumption Of heavy lighting.
The most important operations We're
conducted on the coastal sector east
of the town of Nieuport. where the
French face the enemy, and in the zone
that protects Calais. Here, after an
intense bombardment, the Germans at
tackled the front line trenches OF the
French and managed TO gain footing
in an advanced position, from which they
were almost Immediately driven out
The Paris communicate refers to the
action as "an important raid ana APP
parently Il was no more than that, al
though first reports seemed to indicate
that II might develop into serious hght-
ing. Immediately 10 the south Of Nieu-
port the battle line takes sharp curve
westward, thus creating a salient when
II may have been the intention Of the
enemy TO obliterate. The general situa-
ton on this part of the front has under
gone little change in three years, al
though the German lines have been eN-
posed at times TO a heavy DOmodIuIle"I
from British naval forces.
FIERCE STRUGGLE OK AIsNE
Another violent action took place on
the Aisne front, north Of Souain ana
Avocourt, where Berlin reports that the
French attacked after strong artillery
preparat!on The fighting here was
hand-to-hand, and only after a violent
z struggle were Petain's troops driven
I. back to their positions.
Spirited fighting developed also IN
the region of St Quentin. between Brit
ish and German raiding parties. in
which Berlin claims that the Germans
took "a great number Of prisoners as
well as in the Malancourt sector, where
German detachments penetrated the
French trenches and returned with cap
ttves. \ German raid soutn Of La
I Bassee broke down under the Or" OF 'h'
British batteries, Haig reports, while
another German attack on tn front OF
Chaume Wood. north Of Nerdun, was
repeled by the French. Violent artil-
iery engagements occurred at many
other points along both fronts
AIR FIGHTING INTENSIVE
Fiphting in the air during the las;
few davs has kept pace with the land
operations. In the p riod Of January
20 10 the French alone destroyed ulnc-
teen enemy airplanes, and between Jan
uary Il and 20 ten more were brought
down. bringing the known total for the
month so far to twenty-nine The Brit
ish pilots have accounted for at least &
score more in that time while the Ger
man claims have been large.
The increasing activity OF the oppCs-
ing arm es both on land and in the
air. seems TO presage the renewal OF
what may be called offensive actions in
the near future. Although for weeks
The Western front has been held in the
grip of zero weather and heavy SHOWS
the cold season is not Of long duration
IN Northern France and Belgium. tho
spring thaw setting in often before
the middle Of February.