South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-24

over German fixed positions. run
ming almost due south from Lens
and captured long sections Of Ger
man positions in front OF the Hin
denburg line and great number
OF prisoners.
More than 1900 prisoners were
counted in this sector late today.
and others were still coming in.
The largest number of prisoners was
from the 141st Pomeranians. who
surrendered in hundreds after very
( brief resistance. battery of field
/ guns also was taken.
! Between Gavrelle and Croisilles
/ the heaviest fighting occurred along
both banks Of the Scarpe and
around Monchy-le-P reux. where the
British Easter advance had project
ed sharp salient into the German
lines. Monchy was taken in the
first phase of the Arras battle after
three days fighting and has been
held against desperate counter as
saults.
The Germans always managed 10
cling TO the slopes on either side
of the hill on which Monchy-le-
Preux is perched. this being the
highest point east Of Arras and
Nimy, overlooking the great broad
eastern plains Of northern France
The Germans today were undoubt-
eddy throwing their full force into
their resistance along the Scarpe.
They had brought up strong re-
serves to oppose a further British
advance and had thrown in scores
of new batteries Of artillery.
Fighting is Bitter.
The fighting about Guemappe. due
south of Monchy, was extremely
bitter. The attacking British waves
went over" in the half grey light of
dawn. 1t was still dark enough to
make a fiery spectacle of the bar
rage which crept ahead of them
verita BILE wall of exploding shells.
Men who have been over several
times under the protection of a bar
rage are apt to grow "A bit over
confident in following the shells. |
and occasionally get hit by bits fly
ing back, although virtually every
shell clearing the way for the in
spray of shrapnel bullets. A mod |
ern barrage as set up by the Brit !
ish and French gunners is a terri |
flying thing 10 face and the Ger |
mans invOluntarily break before il, |
many Of them seeking any dug
outs available.
Today in many parts Of the bat
tie fronts there were no more dug
outs TO serve as shelters and the |
Germans had to stand and fight !
with the result that their casualties |
were higher and the prisoners few
er in those sections of the line.
Forced TO Fight in Open.
The British advanced in nearly !
every instance from mere half |
trenches. where they had been "
ing for the past week, awaiting the /
bringing up Of artillery and the or
der to advance. The Germans OBJ
posite them had been digging at |
every possible opportunity. but they.
too. were unable to construct more |
than sections of an unconnected 1
trench, with machine guns con-
cealed in every possible nook and |
corner. In the villages which /.
skirted the battle front it seemed |
as if every building contained ma /
chine gun crews Many machine /
guns were fired on the opposite 1
bank Of the River Sarpe, and it was |
somewhat difficult TO deal with |
them.
The artillery preparation for to-
days attacks did not cover the /
ground and did not squal in inten- +
sity that of Easter Monday when the |
first battles of Arras were launched.
There had been what is termed a
deliberate bombardment for two
days. but nothing like the mass of /
fire which was concentrated to blow
the Germans out of their old posi-
tons opposite the cathedral city.