The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-26
ARRAS' BLOODY FIELD
BITTERLY CONTESTED
IN PROLONGED BATTLE
HIndcnfurg Throws Half-Miliion Re-
serves In Breach To Check
British
EACH SIDE FIGHTING WITH
DEATH DEF'YING BRAVERY
Great Conflict Not Yet Settled. As
Both Sides Seem Determined To
Win Or PcS.sh In Attempt.
(By International News scrvicc.)

(Ry International News Servicc.)
London. April o5.--The carnage OIL
the Arras battle field is still In full
swing With every hour the noun
tains OF deed pile higher. The British.
with their traditional bull dog ten
acity. are hacking away at the fore
field defenses Of the "woten line"
while the Teutons, ordered to hold
them at all costs, are hitting back
with a reckless heroism that is more
CHASTITY in its consequences than any
thing that has been seen at Verdun
on the Somme or In the days OF terror
that ushered in the supreme contest
now raging,
Into the breach that has been cut
by the British in their onslaughts on
the three bloodiest Mondays OF the
war-April 3, Is and a3-Hlndenbure
has thrown approximately half
million reserves Since yesterday
morning these have flung themselves
defying determination. But these hui
man battering rams have been unable
to stem the British advance, in one
sector of the front at least. south Of
the Scarpe. Here the British last
night and today pressed on east of
Havrincourt wood. capturing the ruin
ed village of Bilhem. Further head
way was also made by Sir Douglas
Haig's men between the Cojeul and
Scarpe rivers.
Take 3.O29 Prisoners.
Since Monday the British have taken
3.o29 prisoners. including tlfty-six of
ficers
Tonight's report showed that the
British pushed forward IL little fur
ther south OF the Scarpe river in their
drive on ,Cambrai, while the French
made their advance on Laon from the
south. little more sure. progressing
on the Nauclere plateau. The Brit
sh in their new advance occupied
Blihem village. eight miles southwest
of Cambria
Seven German aeroplanes We're sent
HURTING from the sky to destruction
by British flyers. Eight others were
driven out of control riddled VITA
bullets Six British machines failed
to return tonight. One British ma
chine sent two German captive bal
looms blazing to earth. Another,
scurrying TO drop bombs on railway
depot. dropped and poised over an
onr.:saing troop train. The German
troops inside lizard the whirr of the
propeller and leaned with white and
fearful faces from the windows.
watching the British bird OF war how
ering over them. The British pilot
dropped until he was sauarely above
the train. Then he placed himself
above the locomotive. Then he
dropped bomb. The locomotive.
spouting scaldrg water from its boil
err. blew up instantly. The train
turnd turtle.
Berlin again today in its official
bulletin represented the battles in the
west AS German successes. British
division storming forward on wide
front and lin deep echelons" broke
down everywhere with very heavy
losses the statement says. reporting
the fighting south OF the Scarpe.
German aviators and troops are quot
ed in the war Office report as stating
that the number Of British dead and
wounded lying in front of the Teu-
tom lines WAS unusually high On
Monday $50 prisoners were taken by
the Germans, and several tanks We're
destroyed, the report asserts.
Twenty-one French prisoners and
-FOUR machine gums were Melted by the
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