Evening star., 1917-04-28
TERRIBLE CONFLICT
RACES AS BRITISH
SMASH FORWARD
Haig Strikes Between the
Scarpe and Lens, Bitter
Fighting Resulting.
LOSSES OF THE GERMANS
ARE MOUNTING HIGHER

Teuton Casualties on French Front
Alone Said to Be More
Than 100000.
From staff Correspondent Of the Associated Press
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
i FRANCE, April 90, via London, 2:3o p.m
Another attack was launched by the
British early this morning. The blow
Scarpe river and Lens, on the ground
over which some of the most desperate
fighting has occurred since the British
inaugurated their offensive on Easter
| Monday. The struggle now in progress
is very bitter. The Germans in antici-
patton of another British effort had
brought up reinforcements. Fresh Ger
| man divisions have been identified by the
British.
well organized trench system protected
by wire entanglements and held by
strong forces of Germans. The artil-
lery preparation which had been in
progress for several days did much
damage to the defense works, but there
remained many troublesome strong
points between Roeux, just north of the
Scarpe. and GavreIle.
Prisoners Brought Back.
North of Gavrelle satisfactory prog
ress was made SO far as could be judged
and early in the day prisoners were be-
ing brought back. South of this place
the British got on toward Greenland
Hill, taking a trench north of Monchy.
1t is reported that the British have
occupied tho town of Arleux and half
of Oppy. but furious German counter
attacks are developing and the situa-
tion is one of surging changes.
The fiercest imaginable fighting is un-
der way for the wood west of Roeux.
The weather is favorable. The air.
men are very active.
Fighting for Their Lives
LONDON. April %, 2:25 p.m.-'The
Huns are now fighting for their lives
against the Irresistible pressure of the
contemptfb1e little British army" said
one of the British generals today, as
quoted by Reuters correspondent at
British headquarters At the moment
of wiring his dispatch, the correspond
ent adds. the situation was somewhat
nebulous. as must inevitably be the
case in the early stages of such heavy
fighting. The conflict is progressing
Hereby BY means of prisoners ala
ready taken, several fresh German di-
visions have been identified.
Huge Munitions Expenditures.
1t was announced by the ministry of
munitions that the British expenditure
of shells of the caliber of six inches and
upward during the first week of the
offensive that opened on April was
nearly twice that of the first week of
the Somme offensive last year, while
the expenditure of such shells durin &
the second week was six and half
times that of the second week on the
Somme.
The expenditure of gun ammunition
during the second week of the Arras
battle was the greatest ever known in
the history Of the world, it is stated
Activity on Verdun Front.
PARIS. April 2s (Noon).-Heavy ar
tillery fighting occurred last night be-
tween st. Quentin and the Disc and in
the Champagne, the war office reports.
On the Nerdun front the French raided
German trenches west of the Meuse and
brought back prisoners from the sector
of Hill 304.
Since April 16 the French have cap
tured lIo cannon of all calibers, iI2
machine guns and 1l9 trench mortars
The number of prisoners has reached
20.7S0
Heavy German Losses.
The German losses in men are esti-
mated at more than 100000. with the
probability that the total reached
2Ss,000. These figures include killed,
wounded and prisoners, and constitute
! one of the most formidable totals of the
present war.
The usual formula among military ex-
perts is TO estimate the casualties at
Eve tunes the number Of prisoners. but
this fIve-to-one ratio has not held good
in the present case. owing to the eX-
ceedingly sanguinary character of the
fighting for the mastery of the strategic
position on the Chemin- -desDames pla-
| teau. The Germans held this firmly at
the outset and when it was Wrested
from them by the French attacks the
Germans repeatedly brought up large re-
serves in desperate effort to retain it.
All reports show that whole regiments
were decimated. and it was this which
brought about the exceptionally heavy
total Of killed and wounded making 1t
probably one of the bloodiest battles of
the war Now that the strategic line on
the Chemin-d s-Dames plateau is firmly
held in French possession a period of
comparative inaction has intervened
pending reorganization of new lines of
attack and summing up the extent of
the German losses and booty.
French Official Report.
PARIS. April 2s, 200 p.m-The Off
ciaI statement of today follows:
Between st. Quentin and the Disc
| there was heavy artillery fighting dur
| ing the night Skirmishes occurred
among grenadiers in the advanced po-
sitions south of st. Quentin. Near Laf-
| faux the enemy attempted. without
| success. a surprise attack against one
| of our advanced posts
I'm the Champagne the artillery fight
| ing was severe. After a violent BON
! bardment the Germans attacked one OF
(, our trenches east Of Auberive, but were
| thrown back by the fire of our artillery
| and machine guns.
| ION the left bank of the Meuse one
! of our detachments penetrated the Ger
| man lines in the sector of Hill 304 and
| brought back prisoners.
| since April 16 French troops have cap
| tured ITS cannon, of all calibers, 41o
machine guns and 119 trench cannon