The Washington herald., 1917-04-10
BRITISH LAUNCH
SPRING Drive;
BATTLE RAGING
Guns Thunder Along Ten
Mile Front Between Arras
and Region Near Lens.
5000 GERMANS CAPTURED
Vimy Ridge. Famous BuMark. Car
ned by Storm in Initial 0nrush
of the Morning.

uy the Internatiepal News Service.)
London, April a-The allies big push
ef 1877 II under way.
A battle. fercer than verdun and the
somme. is raging on q front Of more
than ten miles. between Arras and the
region south of Lens, with the initiative
success and prospects all on the side OF
the British.
Up to early this morning more than 5000
Germans had been taken prisoners In less
between Arras and Lens were penetrated
everywhere. and satisfactory progress
Is being made at all points, Field Mar
shall Sir Douglas Haig reported
Latest unofficial reports from the front
indicated that Vlmy ridge. that famous
bulwark. vain assaults against which cost
the French 10000 casualties in 1915, has
been carried by storm in the initial on
rush OF the British.
In the front line Of the attacking front
are Canadians. On the German side the
brunt of the attacking waves was borne
by Bavarians. Wuerttembergers and
Hamburgers.
British Losses Small.
The British losses are described as com
paratively small.
At $50 o'clock this morning the great
attack was ushered IN. The battle con-
tInued throughout the day. and from all
accounts did not subside until darkness
forced q pause.
All Easter Sunday and throughout last
night. the way for the sto ming columns
was paved by volcanic British lombard
ment, a bombardment which increased in
fury with every hour until, at its height.
just before dawn, It made the cannonades
Of Verdun sound like skirmish firing.
Since last Thursday, British flyers had
explored the topography and the strength
OF the German positions. In the mightiest
and most spectacular air Clashes seen
since the outbreak of the war many
thousands Of detailed photographs had
been taken. Thus when the Canadians
hurled themselves forward into the great
spring drive this morning they were not
tapping in the dark
Attack Was Surprise.
British front accounts agree that the
attack came as a surprise to the Teutons.
Shortly after midnight, when the drum
FIRE rose to unprecedented fury, nery
rockets shot up from the shell-haiied
Teuton lines, distress signals equivalent
to the ''S. o. s." of the sea.
But evidently the warnings were too
late. for when the infantry smashed for
ward. the German lines crumbled swiftly
under the onslaught, and there was con-
siderable disorder.
From a strictly military viewpoint. ex-
perts are now inclined to appraise today $
advance too extravagantly. For ever
since the fall OF Croiselles. southeast Of
Arras, this move on the part of the Brit
ish and subsequent German retirement
on the ArrasNLens line became inevi-
table.
While the big offensive was launched
on the northern end of the line, the
British today also advanced further to-
ward Cambria and ST. Quentin. In the
direction OF the former city they stormed
the villages Of Kermies. and Boursies and
penetrated into the Havriencourt wood,
while in their progress toward St.
Quentin they captured Fresnoy LIE Petit
and advanced southeast of Leverguier