New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-15
Germans Pounded
Out of Positions
By British Fire
Haig's Troops Reach Bapaume
in Face Of Driving
Rainstorm

London, March 15.-Newspaper cor
respondents at British Headquarters IN
France describe the operations oil
Wednesday as having been carried out
with a heavy rain beating in the faces
OF the British troops, who sometimes
were unable to see more than few
yards, although during occasional
brief lulls in the storm the men
ploughed doggedly forward through
the clinging mud. and their advance
was hardly affected.
The Germans are now holding line
about the same strength as that they
just deserted, and there, according to
the correspondents, are taking breath
while the British push up and regis
ter their guns on the new targets. The
British outposts are now before the
immediate defences OF Bapaume, and
at some points are only few hun
dred yards from them.
length the positions abandoned by the
Germans and state emphatically that
the evacuation was not voluntary, but
that the Germans weer pounded out
Of them by the British guns. From
the Loupart Ridge, which was held by
Prussian Footguards. il was said that
the defenders ran away, leaving intact
the dugouts, which the British artil-
lery had spared. Explosive charges
and detonators which had been pre-
pared for wrecking the positions were
found by the British.
Villages Not Damaged
The British found villages taken
much less damaged than they had ex-
pected. Grevilers to a great extent
was not damaged. Many houses in
Miramont were only slightly injured.
The Germans sacrificed considerable
ammunition and supplies in their re-
treat. Some of the dugouts contained
quantity of champagne and other
wines and cigars.
"The Illness" military correspon-
dent, commenting on the German re-
treat, says:
THE enemy evidently wishes to fight
on clean ground, where we shall have
the worst of the deal, and seems to
have prepared such n position on what
is known as the Hindenburg line,
which appears 10 run on our front
from near Lens through St. Quentin
and toward Ian. Naturally, it takes
us some time TO make fresh DISPOSE
tions after German retreat. but, far
from incommoding, this retreat is pre-
cisely what we desire"
German Reserve Withheld
Assuming that the present German
movement is not a main operation, the
writer discussed other possible inten-
tions. He believes that Won linden
burg's great strategic reserve is still in
the interior of Germany owing TO the
severewinter having impeded transport.
Therefore, he says, the Germans may
have been compelled TO postpone their
plans.
with at least 100000 more men in
the held than he had year ago, the
enemy is capable of hitting hard, pro-
vded he retains the necessary physical
and moral momentum and provided the
Allies have not plpaced in the field
equivalent reinforcements.
III the German leaders really be-
lieve their submarine warfare will have
the effect they promise their people,
then the strategic reserve may be re-
tanned in the interior for a counter
offensive when the Allies attack: but if
the hope placed in the submarine war
proves extrayagsnt, then an offensive
alone can give the Germans deci-
sion.
Evidence continues 10 point TO the
Western front as the most probable
theatre for the next great German eff
fort. We must also regard
Italy as an extension of the French
front and remain alive TO the chances
of changes in the Italian theatre. All
hypothesis concerning the enemy's ac-
ton, however, is subordinate to the
initiative we may assume. On this
matter nothing can be said"