BATTLE OF BAN DE SAPT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2534, 7 August 1915, Page 6

BATTLE OF BAN DE SAPT

STRUGGLE FOR HILL 627 GLORIOUS FRENCH VICTORY. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyrightParis, August 5. A French.official eye-witness, describing the French victories at Ban do Sapt, reported on July 25, says that the Germans at dawn on the 16th bombarded with heavy calibro shells tlio French positions on Hill 627, at Fontelle. Tho violent cannonade lasted tlio whole day. At dusk tho enemy's infantry wero hurled at four different points. 'Two attacks debouched from tho direction of Launois. One tried to pass unseen through a little wood which had been considerably opened to the daylight by tho bombardment. -The wood covered the westerii slopes of Hill 627, and our fire prevented the Germans from emerging beyond its margin. Other attacks had as their objectivo our barricade on tho Launois-Moyeu-Moutter Road. Our infantry fire swept the enemy, who was unable to proceed. Enomy columns from Laitre hurled themselves on our salient east of the road. Our machine guns offered an impassable barrier, and our artillery simultaneously covered the attacking columns with fire. Tho columns eddied' and swarmed, and then disappeared. Ths : enemy's linos wore dislocated. Amidst the noise of bursting shells and tlio crackle of, tlio machine guns could bo heard the cries of the wounded as .they crawled away into the darkness. The enemy reformed aild again attacked. but the ranks wero oneo more thinned, and they quickly fell back in disorder. Two enemy battalions were engaged, and their defeat was complete. Oil tho 24th we. attacked and carried all the enemy works west of Launois. Gaining possession of the first house in the village, we took prisoner the garrison. We n,ow hold half the village. Wo ca,ptured 11 officers and 825 men, and eight machine guns and a large quantity of ammunition.