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Show HIS CAPTURE 1 OVER Jflfl MEN BERLIN, via London. April 12 The official statement issued by the war office of-fice tonight reads : "Armentieres has fallen. Encircled on the north and south by the troops !of General von Berhardt and General von Stetten and thus deprived of Its roads to retreat, the English garrison ; of fifty officers and more than 3000 men laid down its arms after a brave reslfltance With them forty-five c;m-non, c;m-non, numerous machine guns, large quantities of ammunition and clothes land other kinds of rich booty fell into I our hands. "To the northeast of Armentieres we gained ground, and to the west of the city, after the repulse of a strong : counter-attack against Stenworck. ; carried out by hastily collected troops, and after a bitter fight for British po-1 po-1 siLion No. 4, the troops of General von Stetten and General von Carlowitz drove the enemy back in the direction of Bailleul and Merville. Merville wiu captured. On the southern bank of the Lys river General von Berhardt's troops fought their way across the La we rlwr and advanced as far as the heights before Merville. On the battlefield on both sides of the Somme violent artillery duels developed. de-veloped. French regiments which assaulted as-saulted our line on the west bank of the Avre to the west of Moreuil were repulsed with heavy losses and left in 'our hands 300 prisoners, who were subsequently killed by French artillery fire. According to information so far received, re-ceived, the total booty captured In the battle of Armentieres amounts to 20,000 prisoners, including one English Eng-lish and one Portuguese general, and more than 200 guns. The conquest of swamped crater fields In and before our positions of departure on April 0 made the greatest demands on troops of all arms in the foremost lines. In their success the pioneers, equipment troops and rear divisions have un outstanding out-standing share of credit oo |