South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-17
Field Marshal Haig Sends His
Men Against the Hinden-
burg Line South
of ArFaS.
BIG VICTORY GAINED
BY THE FRENCH ARMY
KaISer'S Forces Are Making
Desperate Efforts to Dis
lodge Enemy on AiSne-
Rheims Front.
IaternatlonaI 90 80: /.

International News Service:
LONDON, April 17.-Field Mar
shall Haig again swung the center of
his pressure away from Lens last
night. his armies plunging with good
success against the German defenses
ON the Cambrai-St Quentin line
south of Arras.
The Tombois farm, near Epehy,
was captured from the Germans. the
war Office announced today.
North OF Epehy the British ex-
tended their lines. The text Of the
war office statement follows:
"CGr troops have captured the
Tombois farm near Epehy We have
progressed To the spur northeast of
the town.
BATTLES extend all along the great
lighting front from the North sea 20
the alps.
Along the Aisne- Rheims front
where the French drove forward
yesterday there was fierce fighting
last night with the Germans deliver
ing counter assaults and lombard
ing the new positions held by Gen.
Nivelle.
German Losses Heavy.
In addition 20 the 10000 prisoners
taken by the French il is unofficially
estimated i'm dispatches from Paris
that from two To three times that
many Germans were killed and that
at least 5000 were wounded.
The Germans had expected a
French offensive and had massed
about 5000 men between scissors
and Lens. il was said.
The battle opened on both sides of
the Aisne, around Berry au-Bac. at
y O'Clock Yesterday morning with a
grand assault of the German works
ly French infantry.
The struggle was hottest around
J.oivere. Craonne and on ne Aisne
canal. where the Germans fought
from shell craters and wrecked
trenches. Before the French had
gained their victory. sweeping over
FIRST. second and third line trenches.
Before they cOuli begin 10 organize
their new positions the Germans had
hrouEht up reserves and began max
ing counter assaults. At one point
the French penetrated nearly three
miles All Monday md Monday
night tita2i" battle ragged over a
field about $50 MES long with the
British attacking on the north half
and the French on the southern.
Five million men are engaged on
battle Of all time.
Violent lighting is in progress all
along the 7O0-mile line from the
North sea 10 the Alps. The Anglo
French armies OF Field Marshal
Haig and Gen. Nivelle are engaged
I'm the most gigantic joint offensive
OF the war. The Germans are beins
hurled back foot by foot toward their
own borders despite their desperate
resistance
kaiser to Nest Front.
The flower OF the German army
has been massed on the western
front. chiefly between Lens and the
Aisne. IL is reported that Emperor
William is going 20 the western
hattie zone in hope his presence viii
inspire his soldiers TO greater valor.
Within the past So hours the Ger
man front. including the so-called
impregna BILE Hindeuburg line has
been pierced az three widely separ-
ated places Heavy artillery behind
the British and French fronts are
grinding the new positions of the
Germans 90 dust.
The crushing blow struck by the
French on the Aisne-R Rheims front
yesterday has shaken the whole
southern end OF the Hindenburg line.
increasing the peril OF Laon. With
The 1000 prisoners taken yesterday
by the French when they sfnasii9d
the German line over a 20-mile front
between Scissors and Craonne, the
allies have now captured over $4,000
Germans since the British opened
aheir big drive on April =
New holes have been punched IN
the German line on the Lens-Arras
49,. .---r .-r-rsr, az nACE- TEN