The sun., 1917-04-29
BRITISH SMASH
LINE AT ARRAS
Advance at Every Point on
I Mile Front North Of
the Scarpe.
BATTLE Is STILL. RAGING
Ilindcnburo Throws In Thou
sands of Reserves to stop
IIaig's Troops.

LoNpoN. Aprl 2S--The British have
broken the deadlock at Arras. and de-
spite a German resistance st.ll stubborn
and reckless have advanced al. practi-
ally every point on a front Of seven
miles north of the Scarpe. The attack
began this morning and heavy fighting
IS continuing, with every prospect OF
more success for the British before il
ends
After n whole day OF fghting Field
Marshal iaig's troops have turned the
Oppy line outpost of the Wutan line,
from the north. and are threatening the
key position. the village Of Oppy itself.
Arleux-en- g Gohele north of Oppy. has
been stormed and parts Of the Oppy line
on a front of two miles north and south
OF ii. South OF Oppy the British have
also forged ahead, so Oppy itself is
pocketed and desperate fight is going
un for the village
On the northern bank OF the Scarpe,
however the German defence was
stronger, and here the British did not
progress SO well. They gained a foot
hut their every effort thus far has failed
TO storm Roeux which has withstood
three big attacks. Fighting is raging
about that village now. however. and its
tate is not settled yet
Struggle is FerOciOus.
ro-days fighting, the sixth OF the sec
md battle OF Arras. was every whit as
ferocious as any that has preceded.
Ht,a,, n
, Il reserves into the fight in desperate
efforts to stem the British attack, again
he used new divisions, part OF his
strategic reserve. AS before, the coun-
ter attacks slowed UP, but could not
really stop the British advance.
Everywhere the khaki clad troops had
to hcht for every inch they took. Many
times they had to fight hand to hand
with bayonet and rife butt. TIE fierce
ness and determination OF both armies
vas greater, II anything. than on pre-
cad.n; days. for the British realize that
here is a great chance to give the Ger
mans a decisive beating. and the Ger
mans realize that this may be their last
stand
Every time Haig's troops captured a
trench section or got foothold In VII
ldge there was but a short breath!ns
space before tie Germans came back 10
recapture it. once the British held part
Of the village of Oppy. but they lost l,
again, though clinging to positions that
make it's fall a question Of time and
fghting only. In the wood west OF
Roeux they went ahead at first, but
later were forced back. On Greenland
Hill, too, they were stopped after they
had reached the near slope and could mol
take the crest.
German Positions strong.
Everywhere the fighting was the same
offcial and unofficial reports agree that
the outstanding feature OF the fghtine
was It's bitterness. The German posi-
tons attacked contained many discon
rected dcfences OF great natural strength
from their very nature difficult to pull
verise with artillery fire. and th'
strength Of which only the actual test
of attack could positively ascertain. BE
hind these advanced positions. notabl,
at the southern part OF the line. ran th'
Oppy line, a regular. wired system Of
trenches on which the British guns have
been able TO do greater execution thar
on the scattering outer defences.
Resides the preaching Of the Oppy line
which Is now in almost the same sieve
Ike condition as the old Hindenburg linz
southeast OF Arras, the new britisf
gains help in the investment of Lens, FOL
they push OUT n wedge southeast OF thu
city close to the outskirts OF Avion
They place the British also only three
miles from the plains of Douai.
The German official statement to-nish
Is a demonstration Of the same tactics Il
which the British War Office already ha!
called attention. The statement credit.
the British with having tried something
they never tried, and then exults because
they failed to do H.
Failed to "BPeak Through"
The Germans say the British failed Il
break through" which they never at
tempted, and says the front OF attaci
was more than twenty miles, whereas 1
is Very carefully defined as about sever
miles, possibly eight.
On the French front there was NOR
'rAyH artillery fire to-day, and tn
French infantry did well In the one loca
u attack they undertook, making NOR
Progress on the all-iinportant Chemin
des-pames plateau. near Ostel, and TAX
ing prisoners. There has been a good dea
of violent gunhre on the French front
'1e French statement says, and the Ger
man statement agrees.
In the air further proofs of TIL
strength OF the Allies are afforded
Twelve German machines have heel
brought down In the last twenty-fou
honrs, and n good many more previousl
winged are now known to have crashed
me technical term for a complete de
tfucttnn. The official statements fol
low
British Night Statement-Severe
ngntre, In which our troops have had
me advantage, took place throughout
N" day from the Scarpe River to the
Acnevilo-Vimy road. We captured
/ AfleaH zen -Gohelle and enemy positions
on front Of over two miles north
ara south Of the village.
our trooI@ also progressed north
east OF Gavrello and on the western
slopes Of Greenland Hill. between
Gsvrele and Roeux. South of the river