Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1917 — ALLIED TROOPS CONTINUE GAINS [ARTICLE]

ALLIED TROOPS CONTINUE GAINS

Fillage of Langemarck Captured by the British—l,Boo Prisoners Taken. CANADIANS HOLD GROUND English and French Forces Attack on Nine-Mile Front in Flanders and i Gain All Their Objectives, London, Aug. 17. —Reuter’s correspondent at British headquarters in Belgium says he hears that fighting is proceeding well beypnd Langemarck. Big Gains Made by Allies. British Front In France and Belgium, Aug. 17.—At four o’clock Ln the afternoon the battle in Flanders, which was resumed by the French and British at dawn today, had already resulted in a laQe gain of ground. From Dreigarchten. which the French occupied with little resistance, southward the French pushed their positions forward to the edge of the flooded area along the left bank of the St. Jansbeek river, and on the right bank they surged across the Steenbeke, which Is a continuation of the St. Jansbeek, and occupied German positions to an extreme depth of about 1,000 yards. At the same time the British advanced on the right of the French hnd occupied considerable territory Ln the region of St. Julien and Langemarck. Langemarck village itself apparently Is firmly in the hands of the allies. . Over 1,800 Made Prisoner. More than 1,800 prisoners, including 38 officers, already have been counted jby the Anglo-French forces. Some German, guns also were taken. The British have made further progress east of Loos, in the Lens area, and the total of prisoners captured there how has reached 896. The offit-ial statement adds that the .Germans fought stubbornly bn Field Marshal Haig’s right for the posses; sion of the high ground north of the Menln road. Suffering heavy losses, the Germans finally pressed the British back from the terrain they had gained early in . the day. Canadians Hold Ground. The official report says that on the Lens front, where the Canadians captured Hill 70 and-made fruther progress in the environs of the French mining center, all, German counter-attacks were repulsed. Premier Lloyd-George announced in the house of commons that the troops of Field Marshal Haig had captured Langemarck. Langemarck is a little over five miles ■northeast of Ypres, on the road leading to Poelcappelle and just across the Steenbeke river. It is a little over four miles east of Bixschoote. The French have been holding a portion of the line in this region. ■ French Take All Objectives. Paris, Aug. 17.- French troops in Belgium, attacking in conjunction with the British on both sides of the road between Steenstraete and Dlxmude, captured ail their objectives and crossed the Steenbeke river, the war office announced. Further progress is being made along the river. The French made an attack on the Aisne and captured German trenches on a front of one kilometer. Four German counter-attacks were repulsed.

Fight on 18-Mile Front. Berlin, Aug. 17. —The combined British and French attack over a frontof more than eighteen miles in Flanders was shattered by the Teutons, according to the official communication.. Only local successes on the Yser canal and in the vicinity of Langemarck were obtained by the entente, who suffered heavy losses. The German statement says that in Flanders a second great battle has burst forth, the British infantry attacking the German positions on an 11-mile front. Allies in New Drive. s - British Front in France and Belgium, Aug. 17.—Forces of the entente allies at daybreak began another drive against the troops of Grown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria along a wide front from -a point opposite Polygon wood, east of Ypres, to the left of the French positions on the northward.