The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-04-18
RHEIMS FRONT
AGAIN SMASHED
NiveUe's Forces Hdmmering
German Lines.
GET $500 MORE PRISONERS

Takes Miles of Foes Trenches and
Occupy Guberive-Rritish Win Lines
Between ST. Quentin and Cambria
and in Lens Region.
London, April 1S.-Continuing theiI
terrific attack against the German po
sitions, between scissors and Rheims
and east OF the latter place, the French
carried German first-line positions
over many miles of front, captured
powerfully organized heights, occupied
the important village of Auberiye and
on this part of the front, about two
miles in extent, took more than 25OC
prisoners.
According to the official Statement.
from the war Office, strong German
counter attacks were repulsed. The
number OF German prisoners taken by
the French Monday is placed at 11,OOO
The Germans have stiffened thei1
resistance along the sector of the
front where Nivelle hurled forward
his forces, and by rushing vast mum
bers of reserves to the wavering lines
they have counter attacked. These
onslaughts have met with severe re
verses, and the German toll in killed
wounded and prisoners is mounting.
While the French are progressing
at many points along the front to the
east of Rheims, the British are push
ing ahead and, the British headquar
tiers In France reports further prog
ress in the neighborhood of Havrin
court wood and to tle west and north
west CT Lens.
The British announced that they had
pushed forward in the region between
st. Quenti" and Cambria, advancing
east of Epehy Vole, T0mb"is farm
within two and one-half miles of LIE
Cate,et, where they threaten to cut
the st. Quaptir Cambria main line 81
communication.
The French estimated that theil
first blow against the German Ii" es
cost the Germans nearly 100000 kille /
wounded and prisoners. Now the OF
fensive is spreading still ur,her, and
the tremendous assaults on the Ger
man lines, long planned, are produc
ing immense results.
The Germans were we'll aware oil
what was coming, as they showed by
number of furious attacks made
notably at Sapigneul and Godat farm
with the object of finding out some
thing definite in regard to the French
preparation. The invaders had man
ned naturally formida BILE positions
with electives amounting to at least
twenty divisions and an enormous
number of guns, we'll supplied with
munitions.
Berlin announces the battle which
opened on the Aisne as zone of the
greatest In the worlds history" The
French attempt to break through fail
ed with very heavy losses, says the
German statement, which declares
that fighting continues at few places
where the German lines were pene
trated and fresh attacks by the French
are expected. The Germans report
the capture of more than 2100 prison
ers.
Evidently the French scored new
advances In the region southwest OF
Loan, the German report indicating 8
new attack by General Nivelle's troops
between the. River Disc and Condo, on
the Aisne, in this region, where fight
ing of more or less open nature is
In progress. and the Germans appar
emily are in retreat. The loss of guns
! Is limited at in the Berlin account.
In a broad way, it may be judged
the French now have for their imme.
diate objective the isolation of the
important railway center of Laon, tc
turn the southern end of the linden.
burg line. The British already have
pierced this line at the northern end.
The joint operation apparently is aim.
ed at the rolling up of the present
German front in an effort to compel
a retirement on a greater scale than
any yet witnessed on the western
front since the battle of the Marine