Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-25
GIGANTIC BATTLE VI i
NOW IN TH|RDDAy,
|TSEND IN DOUBT
Massed German Reserves
Hurled Against British in :
Bloody Counter Attacks. Fl
HAlG GAINS MORE I
GROUND FROM ENEMY
Pushes Ahead Between Ccjeul and
Scarpe Rivers-Advances on Cam.
brai-St. Quentin Front. a.

DTdl-ot. quentin Front. 4
One of the greatest and most bitterly
contested battles of the entire war
has entered it's third day on the British
front in France with the issue still in
doubt. Massed German reserves are
being hurled forward in bloody coun-
ter attacks in supreme effort to check
the forward surge of Gen. Haic's
khaki-clad troops. Some minor posi-
tions, trench lines and rubbish heaps
dignified by the names Of villages have
been seized by the British, but the
Wotan line, their main objective, still
is intact.
In pushing the British offensive today
Gen. Sir Douglas Haig directed an
attack along the front between the
Cojeul and Scarpe rivers. This is
roughly from Guemappe north to
Fampoux. almost directly east of Arras,
where probably the most desperate
fighting of the offensive has taken
place. Monchy-le-Preux lies within
Further German ground has been
seized by the British here, says today's
official statement. and the gains have
been secured. :.
More Than 5000 Prisoners. =
The numbers Of prisoners taken BY
the British since the resumption Of the
attack in force on Monday are steadily
swelling and now have passed the
5000 mark.
South of the Arras battle front GEM
Haig is eating bit by bit into the Ger.
man lines between Cambrai and st.
Quentin.
two-thirds OF a mile at one point last
night south Of the Bapaume-Cambra
road. where the little village OF Bflhem,
southeast of the Havrincourt WOOD
was occupied
Artillery Battle on Aisne.
with the French armies along the
Aisne front and in the Champagne the
battle just now is confined mainly to
the artillery. The French are contin-
uing to make progress in local fight
ing however. and advances both In the
Aisne region and in the Champagne are
reported by Paris. Several attacks by
the Germans near Tahure and Maisons
de Champagne were readily repulsed.
as We're German reactions at points on
the Aisne front, notably on the Nau.
Clerc plateau west OF 1TaoHIle.
Huge German Losses. q
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. April 25.-The corresponds
ents at British headquarters emphasize
the immense losses the Germans suf-
fered in the last two days fighting.
One story says that party of Ger
mans, estimated at about 1000. at
tempted to advance TO attack from the
direction of the Bois Du SAINT, but was
absolutely knocked to bits" by the
British guns.
Between Gavrelle and RoeuX two bat
talions of Rhinelanders were massing
for a counter attack when caught by
the British artillery. One battalion. ac-
cording to dispatches. is believed to
have been almost wiped out and the
other completely shattered.
The numbers in which the Germans
advanced is said to have rendered them
easy targets for the artillery.
They came on in masses from VII
laee and wood" says dispatchs
spreading into seemingly solid un'
broken line as they advanced.
The Germans engaged are reported
to be almost entirely Bavarians and
Pomeranians, and much finer lot OF
men than the generality of those en-
plcyed in the earliest stages of the
battle The enemy" says one corre-
spondent, lis certainly fighting harder
now than at any time this year
Germans Realize Danger.
Reuters correspondent at British
Headquarters in France contrasts the
reckless prodigality with which the
Germans are now throwing reserves Of
men and guns into the firing line with
their previous prudence, and says that
they clearly realize the full extent Of
the Anglo French menace to their
whole system of communications and
are desperately trying to counter the
danger Continuing. the correspondent
says:
reserves wholesale and are rushing up
guns and ammunition which must be
weakening some other point in their
long drawn arrnor. Since the Germans
began their retreat IN the middle or
February they have shown every de.
sire to conserve man-power, but during
the last thirty-six hours they have
shown a complete recklessnss in res
peating counter attacks in mass with
out regard to the cost. which must b0
appalling. =,
Hard to Get Up Munitions. "
Our gunners by a constant fire On
the Arras-Douai railway are making
bring up ammunition. The cutting OF
the st. Quentin canal also deprives the
enemy of one of his main lines of CONS
>.
The capture Of Beaucamp and vilS
lers-Plouich has given us "a commands
ing position on the opposite side of the
railway to Gonnelieu. and straIghtens /:
our front toward Marcoing. from which !.
we now are about three miles distant. !.
.One of the most striking features.
Of the fighting Is the sudden reasser- 1
lion of our dominance in the air. Yes- \
terday we brought down forty German 4
airplanes. only two Of our machines !,
being missing"
One of Bloodiest Spots Of War. ~
From staff Correspondent Of the Associated Pr~ss
BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE. Apri.
tx via London. 1:50 p.m.-The town ii.
Monchy le Preux, which lies about ive I
niles east of Arras. will stand out in
history as one of the bloodiest spots OF !:
he world war. The fighting north. east
md south of this little Artois village, !,
perched upon high knoll, has exceeded =
a intensity any of the individual strug>-