The Washington herald., 1917-04-14
BEND HINDENBURt
LINE BACK MILE
ON WIDE FRONT
British Capture Four Formid-
ably Fortified German
Positions During Day.
SWEEP AWAY SALIENT
Blows Shifted from Aras-Lens Front
to Cambria-St. Quentin Line
l60 Guns Captured.

CBy tho International News serviee.)
Loadon. April 12-sir Douglas Haig
shifted his sledge-hammer blows from
the Arras-Lens front to the CambraI-st.
Quentin line today.
In q mighty onrush his infantry forces
smashed into the Teuton positions be-
tween Hargicourt and Metz-en-Coutui 9.
n front Of nine miles, bending that sec
tor OF the Hindenburg line back fully a
mile and capturing four formidably for
tined German positions-Sart Farm. Gau-
che wood. Gouzeaucourt village, and the
wood Of the same name.
Farther to the north their advance last
night and early today swept away a sa-
lent two miles wide and nearly a mile
deep.
Extend Line of Attack,
As the day wore, on the British extend
ed the line Of their attack northward and
a violent battle developed on the twelve
mile front between the river Scarpe and
the region to the south Of Loos. Six
more villages fell to the British storm
ing columns in the course Of the after
noon. among them Vimy, at the foot of
the redoubtable ridge. Prisoners and
guns were captured. no specific number
being given in the night report.
Sir Douglas Haig's troops gained a
firm footing in the German trenches to
the northeast Of Lens, in the neighbor-
hood OF which lie the important French
coal fields Both east and northeast of
Vimy ridge they pushed their lines for
ward.
BY nightfaI the British had reached
a point seven miles southeast of Arras,
their positions now being astride the
Hindenourg line as far as that point.
Wancourt tower, to the east Of the VII
lage of the same name. was ca1tured.
The villages netted by the dalSs ad-
vance, besides the four taken cary this
Willervac, Vimy. Petit Vimy, Givenchy-
En-Gohelle, and Angres.
Altogether more than l60 German guns
have been taken by the British since the
new drive began. Today's advance net
ted them more than 200 prisoners
The French. in a vigorous resur ption
Of the drive on st. Quentin fro, the
south. carried several lines of German
trenches between the Somme and the st.
Quentin Railway. taking some prfsoEers
.nd machine guns. They also made fur
ther progress south OF the Disc. to the
aast Of Coucy-La-Vflle. Here, too, pris-
Oners were made and machine guns cap
tuTed.
Two Surprise Blows.
Meanwhile, the crown princes army
stuck two surprise blows on the Verdun
front Gen. Nivelie's troops were fully
awake, however. The German infantry
columns were greeted by a hail Of shells
and were forced to abandon the attempt
before reaching the French lines
Berlin officially claims that 'prelimi-
nary successes by the British were bal
Gnced by Teuton counter thrusts. Twice
the attacking enemy was repulsed with
81 r,FF f1a
6ey report, asserting further that the
British attacks southeast Of Arras
failed" as did French attacks arouHd
ST. Quentin.
Such were the outstanding results Of
the day up to early this evening. More
fascinating to the neutral observer were
tho developments that dictated the sud-
den shifting Of Sir Doulas Haig's drive
ard the possible consequences Of his new
successes.
These are the facts as told with sur
prising frankness by a high STAN officer:
When the British, after celebrating
Easter Sunday with an earth-shaking
drum FIRE launched taeir neFs driye at
dawn on Monday. their ~ se was to
break through the Teuton sft@t between
Lens and Arras. The main German bull
wark on that line was Vimy Ridge,
which, in fact was the northern pivotal
point OF the whole ''Hindenburg line"
The Canadians. In their now famous
rush against the ridge, carried the crest
and the northern slopes unprecedented
disaster faced the Germans. But while
the bulk Of the defenders, in the face
OF the Canadian frontal attack were
routed or captured, one force refused
to yield; the wuerttembergers and Ba-
varians held the eastern slopes of the
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