The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-27
FRENCH take 2
VILLAGES, new
Line SHORTENED
Troops Push on In Coucy For
eSt-BritiSh Make Advance
Near St. Quentin.

Near 81. UueHt1n.
| London, March 27.-The allied troops
| in France made progress at both ends
of their new line yesterday, while in
the centre before st. Quentin repeated
German counter attacks were driven
off.
North of the Bapaume-C Cambria high
road the British captured the village
Of Lagnicourt due west of Cambria
The Germans attempted later in the
day to retake the village, attacking
from the east and northeast, but they
we're driven off.
! South of the Disc river, where the
inundated country and bad weather
make fighting extremely difficult, the
French forces are pushing forward
into the lower forests Of Coucy. Hav-
ing gained a strong foothold. on the
| Soissons-St. Quentin high road, the
French yesterday captured the vii
lagos of FHolenbray and La Feullee.
The later village, in reality only
hamlet, lies directly north Of Coucy-
le-C Chateau, which is a town of some
Importance. The French line now
runs around Coucy, and it is believed
hours.
| Having been driven from the
heights at Essigny, south of st. QUEEN
tin, the Germans are making every
! effort to regain the position. Numer-
Gus counter-attacks were directed
against the French lines in this sec
ktor today, but they were unsuccess-
full, the French maintaining all their
positions.
The village Of Essigny stands on a
wide hillock $50 feet high. It is
thanked on the southeast by a similar
| eminence near Benay, and the defin-
lite loss of this strong position. French
military critics assert, would force
the whole German wing back on the
Disc, expose st. Quentin to the SOUTH
and imperil the rest Of the line as far
as the Omignon River. 1t is consid-
cred certain, therefore, that the Ger
mans will make determined efforts to
retrieve their failure here.
| ST. Quentin is protected on the
northwest by the Omignon River,
which, although only brook like
g. broad valley full of swamps and
c1umps of trees. which greatly in
creases it's defensive value. To the
west the approaches to the city are
over a bare flat plain devoid Of any
natural obstacle and with but few viii
lagos. The plain narrows and ends
| In a sharp point at st. Quentin. At
Savy, the most favorable point, the
Germans have built their main de-
fensive line.
The text of the British statement
follows:
! This morning we attacked and cap
ltured the village of Lagnicourt, north
Of the Bapaune- Cambrai road. We
took 80 prisoners and machine gun.
During the afternoon the enemy de-
livered determined counter attacks
from the east and northeast, but were
driven off. A third attack, caught in
the open 10y our artillery, failed to de-
velop. Another bombing attack made
by the enemy during the night upon
our post north of Beaumetz-les- Cam
brai, was repulsed.
| Parties of the enemy who erfdeav-
ored to approach our lines in the
nedghbor hood of Fauquissart and east
of Ypres were dispersed by our ma
chine gum fire. There was consider
able artillery activity today by both
sides.
East of NeviIe-St. Vaast and Ar
mentieres there was much fighting in
the air yesterday, in the course of
which two German machines were
brought down and three others were
driven down damaged. Seven Of our
machines are missing.
The text of the French night report
reads as follows:
| North Of the: Somme there have
been no essential changes. Between
the Somme and the Olse our artillery
dispersed enemy assemblies between
Benay and Urvillers, est. Quentin Sec
tori
South of the Disc we made impor-
tant progress in the Basse Foret de
| Coucy. Notwithstanding the difficult
ties of the terrain and the spirited re-
sistance of the enemy our troops &C.
cupied Folembray and La Feuillee.
North of scissors we made pro-
gress in the region of Vregny."
The afternoon statement from Paris
follows:
Between the .somme and the Disc
{ the Germans made repeated attacks
during the night on the front be-
tween Essigny and Benay. <Al1 these
attempts were checked by our fire or
repulsed by our counter-attacks. Seri-
GUS losses were inflicted on the enemy.
|
| tons captured yesterday.
South Of the Disc our advance was
continued, Notwithstanding the state
Of the ground and the bad weather.
We pushed forward our patrols be-
| yond Folembray, south Of the Basse
| Foret de Coucy.
North of Rheims our batteries
caused the explosion Of munitions
| depot of the enemy east Of du Godat
farm. Elsewhere the night was
|4calm.
give German -airplanes were
brought down yesterday by our pilots.
Two were destroyed by Adjutant Or
toll, bringing up to eight the number
II Of enemy machines brought down
thus far by this officer. One Of our
aerial squadrons last night dropped
II 700 Kilograms Of projectiles on fac
II tories at Thionville and in the basin