The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-04
Quarter of Mile Advance OH
Five Mile Front Is
Days Result.
LINE FIRM NEAR SALLY
Counter Attack by Germans
Against Haig's Right Nets
.. Prisoners.

The British lines pushed still further
ahead to-day, advancing an average dis
tance Of a quarter Of = mile on a front
Of nearly five miles. Instead Of the
feeble efforts Of patrols. however. the
British met to-day with stubborn re-
sistance from the Germans.
The Germans gave way to-day at the
northern end Of the fourteen mile front
on which they have been retiring for
week. The principal British advance was
made In the region west Of Essarts and
southwest Of Achiet-le-Petit. through
which the new German line is said to
run. No advance IL reported in the re-
gion Of Bapaume
While the British were thus pushing
ahead still further on the northern or
right wing Of the retiring German forces
lively fighting was going on at its SOUTH
ern or left wing, near Gueudecourt, lie
Transloy and Sally -Saillisel. On this
strong position the Germans have
pivoted in their retirement
Counter Attack Repulsed.
Last night German troops counter at
tackled the British outposts northeast or
Gusudecourt. which is three miles south
OF Bapaume. but were driven Off by bar
rage firc and by the rifles Of the troops
in the trenches. The Germans bombed
the British out Of trench east of Sally
0aillsel this morning, but were In re-
turn driven out by a counter attack.
According to the German statement
there were violent engagements on both
hanks of the Ancre during the day. and
the British lost sixty prisoners and eight
machine guns. No captures Of German
prisoners are announced in the British
statement.
The FramkJurtcr Zeitxng's correspond
ent at the Franco Belgium front Is
quoted in q Reuter- despatch from Am
sterdam as saying:
'srhe strong can do what the weak
dare not That we are able to hold the
Somme front IL we desire our incompara- l.
BILE warriors have shown to the world.
II We now vacate small strip OF this
font We obviously do so only because
we want to and not because we must.
This confidence at the front In what our
commanders order should strengthen the
confidence at home that what appears
TO be a retreat may be q prelude to un-
doubted advance"
Omcial British Report.
The official statements follow:
British--During the day our troops
made further progress north OF Pull
sleux-au-Mont and east Of Gomme-
court. and our line has been advanced
an average distance Of a quarter Of
mile OH a front Of nearly Ave miles.
Tho enemy offered stubborn resist
ance.
A local German counter attack
made against our advanced positions
northeast Of Gueudecourt last night
was stopped by our artillery barrage
and rifle fire. An enemy bombing at
tack forced our troops to evacuate
trench east Of Sailly-Saillisel this
morning. An immediate counter at
tack was organised, which regained
the whole Of the lost ground
The enemy rushed two of our posts
last night northwest Of Roye a few
men are missing. Another strong
enemy patrol which attempted to ap-
proach our lines east Of Givenchy and
La Bassae this morning was stopped
by our rife fire.
Successful trench "Reminiscences
we're carried out by our airplanes dur.
ing the day. One Of our machines is
missing.
Version Of the Germans.
German--Before dawn strong Brit
ish recommending detachments at
tempted to enter our trenches near
Hulluch and LEVIN and in the eve-
h.ns hours smaller detachments made
similar attempts at other points on
tile Artois front. They were every
where repulsed. On both banks of the
'Ancre there were again violent in
fantry engagements. during which the
enemy. In addition to sanguinary
losses. lost sixty prisoners and eight
machine guns.
On the Aisne and IN the champagne
advances by the French against some
OF our trenches failed.
French-The artillery was quite ac-
i've between the Disc and the Aisne,
IN the region south of Nouvron. and in
Alsace in the sector of Burnhaupt.
Inc day was calm on the rest OF the
front
During last night our reconnoitring
parties carried out several success
'ul surprise attacks against German
trenches near Moulin-sous- -Toutvent.
east OF Hill S04 (Verdun region). and
IN Apremont forest. We took prison
efs and materials.
Belyian-The cannonadinG to-day
was light.