The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-23
BRITISH SWEEP
FORWARD AGAIN
NORTHERN END OF HlNDENBURG
LINE FORCED BACK TOWARD
CAMBRIA.
HEAVY ENGAGEMENT
Berlin Admits German Lines Were
Penetrated and Also Violent Activ-
ity of Artillery Elsewhere. French
Reports Tell of Counter Attacks.

London, April 23.-The British have
opened an attack ON a wide front in
the region Of the Scarpe river. The
official report issued today says that
the battle is proceeding; that salts.
factory progress is being made The
British completed the conquest Of the
village Of Trescaut and gained the
greater part Of Hayrincourt wood
After a weeks interude. during
which the British had been busy con
soIidating the gains of the first weeks
offensive, and bringing up their guns,
the British at dawn today began an
other phase Of the operations against
/ the formidable German defense on the
front in northern France, General Sir
Douglas IIaig reports that the forces
under his command attacked on a wide
ront on both sides of the River Scarpe.
where a portion of the Hindenburg
/ line forms a barrier defending Cam
brai and that they are making salts
/ factory progress
/ Further south, the British troops
have captured the remainder of the
| village of Trescault and occupied the
greater part of Hayrncourt wood,
which formed a two mile bulge In
/ their line. From this point, to St.
Quentin, the line approaches very
closely the Cambrai-St Quentin road.
/ The British began their great often
siye on Monday. fortnight ago, and
| the French followed this with their
stroke along the Aisne a week ago.
The third Monday finds the British
again on the move. A success along the
/ Scarpe not only would threaten the
new German line, but would further
Ioutflank Lens on the south.
The lull in the last week on the
British front was broken today by at
tacks which spread along wide front.
The fighting was particularly severe
on both banks of the Scarpe, where
the British pushed forward in their
initial successes and won the battle
of Arras.
It is only possible at the time of
writing to give very indefinite news.
but the first reports coming back in
dicate the capture of Gavrelle, north
of the Scarpe, and Guemappe, south
of that stream.
A big push also was made opposite
Croiselles, and from that sector Of the
front alone comes the report that more
than 1000 prisoners were taken.
Gayrelle is a part of the last definite
defense the Germans have before fall
| ing back on what Is known as the
"Drocourt Switch" to the Hlndenburg
line.
South Of Lens.
The British also made progress
south of Lens, the German garrison
of which town daily Is facing more
critical situation.
The fighting today was under fine
weather and chill northeast wind.
The latter, however, dried the ground
and gave the attacking troops the best
going they had enjoyed this year. The
bombardment of the new German posi-
tions, which had been going on stead
lily for two days, increased in inten.
sity last night, when the skies were
lighted by the continuous flashes OF
the guns.
Airplanes fairly filled the air over
the battle lines today directing the
artillery and cooperating with the in
fantry Yesterday the British avia-
tors brought down six German obser.
vation balloons.
Key Position Taken.
The first phase of the battle of Ar
ras, which began Easter Monday. end.
ed with the British in possession o.
Monchy-le.PreuX which, however. re-
mained a distinct salient until today's
fighting was taken up Monchy, stu.
ated on hill, commands the country
for forty miles eastward During the
last ten days, the Germans delivered
at least score Of counter attacks
against that position. against which
they brought an ever.increasing gun.
fire.
Terrible Slaughter.
The desperate attempts TO recapturN
II show how highly Monchy was re-
garded as key position protecting the
Drocourt switch line, which has not
yet been fortified as strongly as the
Germans would desire. Monchy has
been one OF the bloodiest spots the
Germans have known and when the
British advanced from It In the early
dawn today they had to pick their way
over thousands Of dead men IN field
gray uniforms. 1t was estimated that
$500 Germans were killed In one days
counter attacks, so closely were the
, men massed