London Summary

1916

London, Sept. 25. — A great attack today by the British and French infantry crushed in the whole German front for an average depth of a mile on the 14-mile line from Martinpuich to the River Somme.

The British captured the powerfully fortified villages of Morval and Les Boeufs, virtually cutting off communication with Combles, and took with a rush several lines of German trenches all the way to Martinpuich, along a six-mile front.

Northeast of Combles the French swept forward to the edge of Fregicourt, almost meeting the English advance on this stronghold from the northwest. Gen. Foch's troops captured the village of Rancourt, a hill near that village and systems of trenches nearly a mile in depth down to the river.

The Germans suffered heavy losses, including a large number of prisoners and much war material.

Gen. Russiloff has begun a fresh offensive on a large scale, according to semiofficial advices from Petrograd, with the purpose of piercing the Austro-German defense from Pripet marshes to the Hungarian border and meeting the challenge of Field Marshal von Hindenburg, who hopes to deal a decisive blow before Winter.

A Russian success in the Rumanian province of Dobrudja is reported in a semiofficial news agency dispatch from Odessa. The dispatch says the Russians took 2000 prisoners.

On another of her numerous battle fronts, in Western Macedonia, part of Russia's countless hosts have begun a violent offensive, along with French and Serbians, against the Austro-German-Bulgar forces north of Florina, where the Allies have captured a hill and a village and are crossing the frontier into Serbia, despite fierce opposition.

French and British troops last night took a village and trenches across the Struma River.

The Italians have carried by storm Garinal Mountain on the Northern Alpine battle line.

Gen. Haig's line now stands three miles from the edge of Bapaume and the nearest curve of the railroad that parallels the German positions and supplies their fighting front on a length of about 20 miles.

Bucharest claims the Rumanian advance in the Caliman Mountains continues, and there and near Hermannstadt prisoners and machine guns were captured. Since they began the invasion of Transylvania the Rumanians have taken 6884 prisoners, it is declared.

Vienna's account asserts: "Rumanian front, between Szurduk and Vulcan Passes, Rumanian advances were repulsed.

"Transylvanian Eastern front: There was lively fighting."

The Rumanian report announces further progress has been made against von Mackensen's army near the Black sea.

It is announced officially in Paris that the number of prisoners taken by the Anglo-French forces on the Somme from July 1 to Sept. 18, aggregated more than 55,800. Of these, 34,050 fell into the hand of the French.

Berlin reports no activity on the whole of the western front.