The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-05-04
BRITISH SMASH
HINDENbjjRC Line
FfeSnOy is Captured by the
Canadians.
TIRE FIGHTING is TERRIFIC
HEAVY German Counter Attack Hurts
Haia's Men Back From 6uliecourt
and Cherishy.


London, May According to the
Reuter- spcnIent at British head
quarters in France, the latest reports
tell of fierce fighting in Bullecourt, on
the outer edge OF which the BRUSH
troops established themselves, and OF
a very heavy counter attack which had
driven the British back through Che.
RISKY again.
The Hindenburg line has crumbled
before the blows Of General Halg's
forces and at two points, twelve miles
apart. tie british have smashed their
way through the much-beralded and
strongly-touted line of defense.
The war office announced that the
Canadian troops had captur"@ TIE vii
age of Fresnoy at one end of the Ar
ras sector. while at the southern end
of that front the British troops reach
ed Cherisy, crossed the Htndenburs
line toward Reincourt and have taken
Bullecourt.
This is the fourth great attack the
British have made In this section since
the start OF the big push
Fighting OF terrible intensity ragged
throughout the day at the main points
of the British attack says Reuters
correspondent at British headquarters.
THE battling" he adds, 81 been in
many places Of ding-dong order, viii h
renders 1t extremely difficult to define
the situation. but I think ii may Ger.
tainly be claimed as successful day
for our gallant troops. The most con
spicuous gains have been on the
TANKS of the lCng front. while towards
the center. up the valley Of the Scarpe,
we have made less progress owing
to til intensity Of concealed machine
gunfire.
despite the opposition Of massed
German forces. the Canadian troops
took Fresnov. Oppy. however. stfl
proved too strongly held to attempt to
carry it by direct frontal attack with
out counting a heavier casualty list
than the enterprise warranted. The
wood in front of the ruined village lit.
orally was infested with machine guns.
"Tbe Germans are fighting with des-
perate obstinacy.
Machine guns were perched in
trees at various heights while lines
of uncut wire were discovered In gul.
legs which concealed them from direct
observation as well as from the search.
ing effect of our harrage so that to at
tack this place amounted to little more
than a reconnaissance in force and our
troops withdrew to enable the gunners
to concentrate their fire upon the new.
" discovered obstacles"
At the same time the French launch
ed their legions against the Teutons
on the Champagne front, where in the
region OF Mont Haut strong enemy pc.
sitions were won. On the left bank
OF the Meuse German positions were
penetrated at Avocourt wood.
The British attacked In the dark and
the hour preceding dawn, striking at
the German positions east of Arras.
The infantry assault was delayed until
half an hour after the half moon had
gone down The night was clear and
star-lit, and the almost ceaseless fash.
ing OF guns gave definite shape to the
The correspondent says the attack
was directed to the taking of certain
points Of considerable importance, and
to improving the British line. The
British desired to gain complete mas
terry of dominating positions whence
their artillery would be able more eff,
fectively to devastate the fresh troops
which the Germans continue to throw
in.
There was the usual preliminary tor
nado OF fire from weapons of all cali,
bres, and then the equally familiar
creeping barrage, working with abso
lutte punctuality as the order to the
men 10 go forward was snapped forth
simultaneously down miles OF trench
es. Thousands of crouching figures
formed into regular waves for the ad
rance.