HEAVY GERMAN ATTACK IN THE ARTOIS REGION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 5

HEAVY GERMAN ATTACK IN THE ARTOIS REGION

•FRENCH LINE PENETRATED COSTLY ENTERPRISE FOR THE HUNS TIIO High Commissioner reports: . . London, February 22, {j.lo p.m. "Following oa a violent bombardment in the Artois region, the enemj strongly attacked the Fre;ich at 1 the Bois de Givenciiy, penetrating the first line of trenches. He completely destroyed the trenches along a front ot about 800 metres, and at several points in the supporting trenches. After our counter-attack he only occupied some sections. The enemy, whose strength Wjis estimated at seven battalions, suffered considerable losses from a curtain of infantry and machine-gun (ire. ■ _ . "South-east of Roclincourt the enemy blew up a mine, the crater or which the French flcoivpied. _ ir -u "Yesterday evening the Germans attacked east of Brabant-sur-Aleuse, between Bois and Herbe Bois. gaining a footing in some sections of the advanced trenches, and in places pushing as far as the supporting trenches. The French oounter-atteck drove them out from the latter, the French making about 50 prisoners. ' , , "East of iseppois two German attacks were repulsed. There has beoif considerable artillery'activity on the Cliapelotte-Ban de Sapt front." London' February 23, 1 a.m. "A snowstorm has suspended activities in the Artois district- , ' "North of Verdun, after bombarding both flanks ot the Aleuse, the bermans delivered a series of attacks Jjetwccn Brabant-sur-Meiise, and Cherebebois, but yrere repulsed with heavy losses. . . , "At Bois d'Haumont the enemy was able to ocoupy a salient north ot ea "ig° a n r ]y t ],j s mo rning we fired a mine near the Hoheiizollern Redoubt, our troops occupying a position near the lip of the crater. _ _ \ . "Our artillery bpmbarded-the enemy's trenches in the vicinity ot iMaricort, Ovilliers, and tlia Ypres-Comines Canal. "Hostile artillery is shelling the position? south-west ot ipres, using lachrymatory shells." _____ GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec- Februa/y 23, 9.15 p.m.) Amsterdam, February 22. A German communique states:—"We stormed and captured-eight hundred metres of French trenches east of Spuchcz, taking 326 prisoners.' .