Massive losses in battle

French use 300,000 shells

ONE of the most sanguinary battles of the past few months (for it was a battle however great an engagement must be to earn that description in the present war) has just taken place North of Arras, and there is no doubt that the German casualties, recorded as ‘extremely high’ vastly outnumbered those of the French.

The story is set out, in more detail that we usually get, in last night’s official communiqué and recapitulation is unnecessary here.

It is desirable, however, to point out that the Germans, who set great store on anniversaries, had doubtless hoped to record today some great achievement on the appropriate front, but Waterloo Day is not now likely to bring them the slightest satisfaction.

On the contrary, the French have demonstrated their superiority in a fashion which augurs well for the coming great offensive. Their losses were ‘serious’ but the 11 German divisions taking part in the ‘violent and repeated counter attack’ were soundly beaten.

It is worth mentioning that the French used nearly 300,000 shells and that at only one point did they relinquish captured ground - a small wood they had taken the day before, but which had been rendered untenable by the enemy fire.

The German report is again a travesty of the facts, and it is becoming increasingly evident that very little emanating from Berlin is worthy of credence.

This was well exemplified in their statements regarding the operations in Alsace, concerning which some grudging admissions are now made.

There are also adaptions in regard to the Lorette height and south of Souchez, but those are apparently only made to secure belief of the story of successful hand-to-hand fighting against the British North of La Bassee Canal.

It was only last Wednesday that the comment was made in this column that ,when at close grips, the Germans were invariably shown to be much inferior to the Allies, and the German announcement (despite their well-known leaning towards fiction) came as a shock.

Certainly we failed to hold the first line trenches captured east of Festubert on the Tuesday evening, but our men were just as certainly not driven out by the bayonet. The retirement was due to shell fire which made the trenches untenable.

Generally speaking, we may conclude that the position is satisfactory, the eastern front alone giving cause for anxiety.

The Grand Duke has hitherto displayed a wonderful ability in extricating his armies from difficult positions, frequently by surprising strategy of which we see nothing until almost the last moment.

It must be confessed, however, that the outlook at the moment is not promising and in many quarters the fall of Lemburg is regarded as only too likely.

The Austro-German forces are bringing up a great weight of metal and their evident intention is to envelope the Galician capital from the north and south.

Mackenson’s army (one of three engaged in the great movement) is already near Jarvorow (29 miles north east of Lemberg) and if he can secure the railway head there and outflank the Russian forces barring the district route from Permysl to Lemburg, the fall of the latter would seem almost inevitable.