Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-04-20
BRITISH FORCES
ENTER LENS
Big French Guns Are SheTIng
ST. Quentin.
.BELGIANS ARE IN DIXNUDE
General Haig's Men Deliver Another
Smashing Blow at Teuton Lines and
Push Ahead.

Push Ahead.
The British and French on the
line in northern France and the
Belgians under the direction of
King Albert, continue to push ahead
and are inficting severe losses on the
Germans as the latter retreat, yard by
yard, from the positions on the front
from north of Lens to southeast or ST.
Quentin and in the region of La Fere.
British patrols entered Lens, accord
ing to a despatch received from the
corresp pondent at Lloyd's news with
the British army in France.
Fifteen hundred German dead were
left in front of the British positions
after the unsuccessful attack delivered
by strong German forces along a six
mile front, on the Bapaume-Cambral
road, according to the official report
from Field Marshal Haig.
The, British gained further ground
in their advance upon st. Quentin.
The Fr.nch also continue their smash
ing blows directed at st. Quentin, and
the big guns are dropping an unceas-
ing shower of high explosive shells
on that fortified position and. the re-
gion roundabout.
This information was contained in
an official statement which also report
ed that on the Flanders end of the
far-fung battle line the Belgian troops
penetrated Dixmunde as far as the
second German lines, which they found
unoccupied. This advance, the st7te-
ment adds, followed a heavy artillery
duel.
The LloyAs correspondent in de-
scribing the condition about Lens,
says:
Though the enemy is sill in his
machine gun redoubts in some places
these are only rear guards, for the
main body has retreated.
liens and LEVIN had been stacked
with guns and it was certain that at
least $50 were in the network of mines
and pitheads.
From the prisoners we know that
wild scenes took place in Lens, fran
tic efforts being made to get away
guns and stores and defend the line
Of retreat BY blowing up roads.
Orders were given to destroy the
mines by firing charges into the pits
and by flooding the mine galleries"
Official reports from both the French
and British headquarters at the battle
pront point out the increasing resist
anca of, the Germans and the heavy
losses being inflicted on them in the
hand-to-hand encounters and by the
big guns.
French Guns are continuing to pouI
a heavy fire on the German lines in
the vicinity CT st. Q"entin. Recon.
naissances have revealed that the Ger.
mans are strong in force in this re
zion, says the official statement, which
also reports continuation Of the vio'
lent artillery duels in the Champagne
and the breaking up of two German
attempts upon the French lines in the
vicinity Of Cauriores wood and Cham
brnttes. ncrth Of Verdun.
Within the last three days more
than twenty German airplanes have
been brought down by French airmen
or by defensive gunfire, and numer'
Gus raids have been made by French
air squadrons.
British troops have captured the
German defenses east of LEVIN, from
Riaumont wood to the eastern corner
Of Cite st. Pierre, and are pushing on
in the direction of Lens, says the
British official statement.
A heavy attack by the Germans on a
six-mile fronnt or beth sides of the
Bapaume-Cambrai road was a failure.
The Germans gained a foothold at
only one point, at Lagnicourt, and
we're driven eut there with heavy
losses by a counter attack.