The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-04-25
Haig's Men Take Two More
Villages South of
Arras.
4 MILE FRONT DRIVE
Outer Defences of "WOtan"
Line Believed to Be
Attained.
GERMAN ATTACKS FAIL
French Hammer TcutOn Lines
and Prepare for New
Offensive.

LONDON, April 24.--At the close of
two days fighting, which observers call
The hercest seen In the war, the British
a tho Arras front not only had held
against innumerable counter attacks
every important position gained yester-
day. but had advanced at various points
on four mile front south Of the Scarpe.
simultaneously, south Of the Arras
'front.' a separate night attack turned the
Germans out of their trenches on a wide
front. gave the British the two villages
OF Villers-Plouich and Beaucamp and
most important Of all. reached the west
ern bank OF the st. Quentin canal. In
the two days fighting more than 1000
prisoners already are known to have
been captured and there are more un-
counted.
The fighting to-day near Arras placed
the British only few hundred yards
from the villages of Fontaine-lee -Cro.-
eilles and Cherisy. outer defences of the
Wotan line at the point OF it's junction
with the main Hindenburg line near
Queant. More ground beyond the Monchy
ridge was gained, and near Roeux. on
the Scarpe, the British progressed
Two violent German efforts to recap
ture Gavrelle. north OF the Scarpe. were
completely frustrated by the British ar
tillery. machine guns and rife fire. The
nrst was made during the morning. the
second In the afternoon with still
stronger forces. The artillery broke il
W and the Germans fell back in dis.
order under the British fire.
The enemy constantly repeated his
unsuccessful counter attacks with great
determination and regardless of losses"
eays the British statement.
Reaching of the Canal.
Field Marshal Haig's troops reached
the st. Quentin Canal near Nendhuille,
only two miles west Of the railroad juno
tion OF lie Catelet. n,idpo!nt between St
Quentin and Cambria. 1t has been sur
missed by military writer's here that the
canal for some distance formed a part OF
the main Hindenburg system. The Ger
mans are said to have destroyed the
sluices' The two villages taken were al
ready virtually surrounded and are lit
tie northwest of Nendhuille.
A notable feature Of Mondays fighting
was that the British aviators had more
action than had ever taken place before
In single day. Aggressively carrying
the war into the enemy's country they
brought down forty German machines,
and only two British machines are miss
ing. This is an unprecedented record.
Our airplanes attacked the enemy's
machines wherever they could be found.
with striking success" says the official
statement. going far behind the enemy's
lines and bombing his railways. dumps
and airdromes and compelling him to
give battle
All accounts agree that the Germans
are making at Arras what seems to be
the most desperate stand in the war.
They have thrown In very large reserves
and brought up many batteries Of extra
suns. In fact, Reuters correspondent
who has now seni-official status. be-
feves that the whole German strategic
reserve Is employed on the western front
and so is unavailable elsewhere.
They are doing just what We want"
he says, THE German army is only to
be defeated and broken by hard fighting
and the recent movement Of the enemy
Justified some doubt as to whether they
would stand further hard fighting They
certainly are doing II now and accepting
battle in the open. So far we have
gained good deal and lost nothing
During the last thirty-siX hours they
have shown a complete reckessness in
repeating counter attacks In mass with
out regard to the cost, which must be
appalling"
Marshal HaiG's Report.
Field Marshal Haig's report tonight
IL along the same lines. The fighting
was 'of an exceptionally fierce nature"
he says. Not only were frequent hos
I'll. counter attacks shattered by our
massed artillery fire. but those Of the
enemy who succeeded in penetrating our
barrages were cut down by our rifle or
machine gun fire. One British corps
took prisoners from four German di-
visions"
The fighting to-day was not quite SO
nerce. the War Office reports, except
where the Germans made their counter
Attacks
The German official statement issued
tonight and following the grandiose
announcement issued during the day.
which Is considered here one Of the
nJst remarkable ever issued by the
German War Office, says nothing Of the
result Of any Of to-day's battles. but
adds that reports from the troops
unanimously confirm that yesterdays
losses OF the English were unprece-
dentedly high"
On the French front the artillery fire
continues in tremendous force. prepar-
ing for the time when It shall be the
turn OF the French to strike. Some
progress was made on the plateau of
the Chernin des Danes south OF Laon.
and from that region four German
inch howitzers were brought in as
trophies, Otherwise the only events re-
ported are q part OF the process Of set
ling down In the new positions and
making ready for another attack.
official Statements.
Tho official statements follow.
British Might Statement-Further
n'ormation received regarding Mon
days hattie shows that the hghting
VAS ~ an exceptionally fierce nature.
seven German divisions were engaged
on the front from Crolsilles to Cav
Continued on Fourth YsSs1
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