CONTINUOUS FIGHTING AT ARTOIS.

Evening Star, Issue 16026, 1 February 1916, Page 3

CONTINUOUS FIGHTING AT ARTOIS.

SUPPOSED MAXIMUM EFFORT. TERRIFIC SLAUGHTER. RESULT: AS YOU WERE. j>ress Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, January 51. There has been almost continuous terrible hand-to-hand fighting at Artois for 72 hours. The Germans made 10 attacks last week, with only a slight- success at Frise. French officers consider that the operations represent th? enemy's maximum effort. Tho Germans in the north sacrificed nearly a division, and the ground at Xeuville was so hotly contested that the dead remained unburied, and many of the enemy's wounded were lert to die. South of Lens trenches were taken and retaken. The Germans lower down the line made a gas attack with some success. German infantry stormed the trenches over a front of nearly a mile, but met a desperate defence. Tho slaughter was terrific, entire companies of the enemy being mowed down. There was fierce fighting in the craters, and when grenades were exhausted the antagonists fought with their hands. The French have already recovered much of the lost ground.