The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-10-02
British Successes of 1917 Pale
in Comparison to Latest
Battles.
Big EVENTS OF FOURTH YEAR
Battles Of Cambrai, Third Battle of
Ypres, Battle of Menin Road, Of
Broodseinde and PasschendaeIe
Loom Up Importantly.

1917, including the battles Of Cam
brat, the third battle Of Ypres, the bat
tie of Menin road, of Broodseinde and
Of Passchendaele, would loom up i'm
portantly in any survey of the past
years fighting on the western front but
for one reason: They do not COM
| pare in any sense with the fighting
since March q, 1918.
The spring of 1917 saw the begin
ming of the allied offensive against
Germany, but the third miscarried al
seen that there was nothing more to
be expected from Russia, the great
! offensive" of the allies found itself
diverted into number Of smaller bat
ties, where occasionally some 100000
men were employed on either side.
Some $4,000 prisoners were taken by
the British in eight of these thrusts
against the German line between
August /, 1917, and the close Of the
year, and important positions were
won, but the successes were only tao
teal.
The third battle of Ypres began
July 81, 1917, and continued until Au-
gust 10, again breaking out August
16, the British crossed the User
canal, taking nine villages and 6,122
prisoners. When the battle was re-
newed, August 10, Langemarck was
taken besides 2,114 more prisoners.
Meanwhile, the Canadians on the Lens
sector attacked and captured Hill No.
20, took 900 prisoners and maintained
their positions against five counter
attacks. This was on August 15.
Smash Foe at Verdun.
The French on August 20, attacking
on an 11-mile front at Verdun, recap
tured about two-thirds of the ground
which the crown princes army had
won in months of slaughter.
The chief action in September, 1917,
was in the battle of Menin road,
which began September 20, the object
being to loosen the German grip on
the coast. Following an eight hours
bombardment the British advanced
on an eight-miie front from Hole
beke to Langemarck, capturing a
half-dozen important positions and
luhluS O,GfO
During October, 1917, when disaster
Overlook the Italians, both the French
and the British scored noteworthy
successes On October a great strug-
gle began on a front Of eight miles
on the Passchendaele ridge, called
the battle of Broodseinde, perhaps |
the most important during the year
On the British front. The Germans
had planned an attack for 6 a. NJ,
out the British launched their often
i've an hour earlier, shattered three
enemy divisions, broke up four others
md took 4,446 prisoners, while Cana
Hans took 1000 prisoners. The
french, on October, %, attacked
northeast of scissors on six-mile
'ront on the Aisne from Vauxillon to
Ia Royere, piercing the enemy's line
our miles and taking 1000 prison
RS. On October 9 the British took
'oelcappelle and 2,028 prisoners and
made some slight gains with heavy
ttacks in the Ypres sector October
2, 26 and 80
On November the Canadians won
heir great victory, capturing Pass
hendaele Ridge, for which the British
ad been battling for months. The
canadians held the ridge until the re-
ent hammer blows. November also
aw the British success, which was
artially diminished by a surprise
ounter-stroke, at Cambria. The Third
ritish army, under Sir Julian Byng,
q November 20 launched its drive .
'ithout artillery preparation on an !
ght-mile front, smashing the linden !,
urg line, almost reaching the out :
zirts of the important railway center
: Cambria and taking 5000 prisoners
lie first day. !.
Huns Regain Ground. !.
The battle continued ten days, pris-
lers being increased to 1851, while :
g guns were taken. The deepest :
1vance was seven miles. But on
ovember 80 the Germans delivered a
emendous attack against Byng's
my, aiming to cut it off from the rest :
the British forces. The Germans e
lcceeded in recovering about half Of :
e ground Byng's army had won.
During the past year the British y
Ave made considerable progress in :
esopotamia and Palestine, capturing :,
,rusalem December 9, 1917 while the ?
lied armies from the Adriatic to the !.
gean have prevented the Germanic
lies from gaining control of the Med
erranean. :.
So far the British have won more :
an third of Palestine from the :,
lrks. In Mesopotamia the British :,
i've advanced about 100 miles up the =
girls and Euphrates since capturing =
agdad, and have made some prog
SIS toward the north of Hit, capturing :
ore than $4,000 prisoners. y
During January, February and the y
st half of March only small actions ~
Cured on the western front, the -
'itish preparing for the German drive !. -
hich was launched with unprecedent, -
fury March q. &c