The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-05-18
Germans Unable To Hold Back
Haip's Men On the Western
Front Are Forced TO Abandon
Pivotal Town Of BuIlecourt
FRENCH ALSO lNFLlCT
HEAVY LOSSES ON FOES
Austrians Admit the Loss Of
Duino An Important Point Less
Than Twelve Miles From Their
Greatest Seaport City, Trieste
tAssociated Press BY U. s, Naval Commu.
M nication servicel W

tAssociated Press BY U. s, Naval Commu.
nication seryiee)
NJ EW YORK, May 18 - Field
IN Marshal Haig yesterday
gained still another step in his
fight to shatter the Hindenburg
line, when the troops under his
command definitely drove the
Germans out of the ruined town
of BulIeCourt and consolidated
Their positions to the east Of tho
Town. Now they threaten the
sOuthe end ofthe famous Wotan
line.
Not even the desperate fight
ing for verdun in the early days
OF that historic battle saw any
more bloody work than this little
viIIage-a mere name on the map
three weeks ago and now one Of
the great battle fields Of future
history.
Time after time ii has changes
hands as the tide Of the battle
swung back and forth as the Ger
mans gave ground to the British
thrusts, or counted with some of
their oldtime furious valor that
counted nothing the cost in men
II the positions were gained. Bull
lecourt, lying as 1t does in the
center of the Wotan line is one
Of the vital links in the Teutonic
chain thereabouts and with it in
the British hands the chain IS cut
in the middle and threatens to
break completely.
Some idea Of the Importance the Ger
man general star attached to Bulle-
court can be gathered from the enor-
nous numbers Of reinforcements which
have been poured into the line in
vain effort TO hold IL and drive back
the British. With the first capture of
the position by Haig the Germans
counter attacked fercely only to be
driven back with tremendous loss.
Again they attacked, this time with
fresh divisions and again they were
thrown back. But the third concerted
thrust won them some ground and it
was the turn of the British TO counter
attack and they also lost heavily, but
managed TO wrest the captured ground
from the Teutons. So went the battle
back and forth until yesterday, when
the steady advance OF the last few
days ended for the time being and tho
Entente troops ia control OF the whole
line TO the east of the village.
North of Bullecourt at Roenx, on
the Scarpe river the British also won
advances OF more than minor inn
portanee yesterday. That town Is IN
their hands safely now after fighting
of unequalled viciousness. The fight.
ing Wednesday night had forced the
Germans TO surrender positions that
commanded part of their own line
and yesterday the rest of the line in
that vicinity fell. M
| Northeast OF scissors yesterday the
Germans attempted 70 break the
i French lines, bat failed, the
French bafrage fire breaking up their
advancing columns, which cut on from
their supports by the Gallic drum Are,
were promptly attacked BY French
cavalry which inflicted enormous losses.
Berlin officially claims that the Ger.
mans have more than held their own on
the western 'front.' and declared that so
far this month they have taken $500
British and 2700 French prisoners. This
sop is thrown TO the Grenan people and
is followed by the admission that the