The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-03
"We Have Captured Number OF
Strong Hostile Positions"
FOURTH LAP IN ARRAS BATTLE
French Report "ImpOrtant
Gain" on Champagne Front.
Reduce "LaSt Stand" Near Mt.
Haut and Take Garrison.
(Bv the Associated Press.)

New breaches in the already badly
battered German line on the Arras
battlefield are being made by the Brit
ish in a heavy assault launched on
12-mile front today.
Striking 8 u miles south of Lens, on
the Acheville-Vimy road, General
Haig's troops drove at the Germans
all along the line as far south as
Croiselles on the Sensee river, y
miles southeast of Arras. Virtually
the whole front of the attack at the
beginning of the Arras battle on Aprii
9 was thus under assault by the Bit
ish infantry.
ed offensive the official British report
speaks positively.
Unofficial accounts of the fighting
specify British progress at several
Doints. From ArleuX, captured last
week in the big drive north of the
Scarpe which broke into the Oppy
line, progress has been made toward
Fresnoy, making q still deeper thrust
into the Oppy positions.
Cling Desperately to Oppy.
This opinion seems likely to force
the speedy evacuation by the Germans
of the town of Oppy, to which they
have been desperately clinging. South
of the Arras- Cambria road the Ger
mans have been driven back from the
region of Heninel, south of Guemappe'
! in the direction of Cherisy. Occupa-
ton of Cherisy by the Brush woulo
| mark an advance of considerably more
than a mile. Correspondents also
mention British progress in the Bulie-
court region which is south OF the
Sersee, slightly beyond the field OF
attack mentioned in the official state
ment.
While not pressing ahead on any
wide front, the French along the
| Aisne sector and in the Champagne
are giving the Germans no rest, en-
| ploying their artillery vigorously ana
nicking out a section of the enemy
| line here and there. Last night, IN
the hills east of Mont Haut, where
strong German positions were recent
ly taken an isolated position was re
duced and its garrison of more than
200 men captured. German counter
attacks in this region were repulsed-
General Haig's Report.
London, May 3.-After two days OF
| inaction, the British drive was renew
ed in powerful force again today
| and in a new direction, Field Marshal
Haig reported today.
There was heavy fighting all along
| the front, from the Hindenburg line
south of the Sensee river to the Ache
Vile Vimy road he said. I'VE are
progressing and have already captured
number of strong hostile positions"
The British chief s
report indicates an offensive extending
over a front of at least twelve miles,
\ 1t is that distance from the road be =
tween Vimy and Acheville on the
north, to the Sensee river on the south.
Switches Thrust Northward.
| There has been almost continuous
fighting around Vimy, but the direc-
ton of the thrust by the British Of
fensive has heretofore been exerted in
an easterly direction, toward Douai-
Haig's report today indicated sud
den switch to a northern push, out of
Villerval, Oppy and ArleuX- These
towns lie approximately seven and a
half miles north of Monchy lie Preux,
where the strength of the British
drive was formerly most powerfully
exerted. 1t was against further aG-
tvances here also that Hindenburg
| threw great forces of his reserves.
Is 4th Stage of Arras Drive.
The new British attack takes in vir-
tually the entire front on which the
battle of Arras was begun on Easter
Monday and evidently is a major oper-
alton. 1t is the fourth great attack
which the British have made along
this line The attacking front is about
twelve miles long