Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-13
Germans Make Desperate At
tempt to ReCapture Monchy
Which They Had Been Or
dered to Hold,
TEUTONS MOVED DOWN
BY ENGLISH FIRE
Losses Sustained Are Most
Severe of Any Since Pres
ent Offensive Commenced,
Is Report,

hoaNkn
British Headquarters in France
April II (via London, $40 p. M;
From a staff Correspondent OF the
Associated Press) The amazing
April storm which began almost at
the exact hour set for the Brush at
tack against the Germans, MONDAY
morning. continues and the flghtins
conditions have been made extremely
difficult. The storm Is accompanied
bv snow, rain and sleet, and a gaze
that has seldom fallen below Veloc-
ity of forty miles an hour. Ihe hlsht
temperatures still are well belo"
freezing. ,,,
Notwithstanding these circum,
stances, the British attack wldeneu
today by a blow north of Nlmy rlose
which penetrated to point rev
hundred yards northwest OF GYehchS'
Gcrmui; osses Heavy
On the renegade OF slhe II 'ie
work consisted largely of strengthen
ing certain elements in the line py an
Initiating several pockets where
tho Germans had held out. The Brit
ish also smashed to bits a strong Ger
man counter attack against Monchy-
l.e-Preux, the German losses being
among the heaviest they have suffered
during the new offensive. The fight
ing about Monchy has been very
heavy since Tuesday, the Germans
having been ordered to prevent the
British advance reaching that hish
uoint at all hazards. 1t was not until
large numbers of British field batter
les had been brought into play that
the Germans were beaten off.
Focal Point of War.
The British attack and the GER
man defense converged at Monchy'
and it was a wonderful sight to watch
this fighting from d nearby NH yes
1erday and realize that for the mo-
ment this was the focal point of the
entire world war. The arullery uuel
over the pretty little town was Stuny
in black and white, the British shells
breaking white on the German posi-
tjons lust east of the town, while the
German shells exploded over the
town with smoke that resembled great
balls of lamp Slack wool. Occasion
ally a German shell, striking brick
building, would send up a sweeping
cloud Of pinkish dust.
Airmen Ride Gale.
During the fighting British ar
planes hovered above Monchy, seem =
ing to sit absolutely stationary astrlde
the bowling gale. one was thus idling
on the wind when, out of an over
hanging cloud, swooped three GER
man machines. The Germans darted
for the tail of the British machlhe,
firing as they came. the khaKi-clau
airman. despite this unexpected at
tack from ambush, splendldiy OUT
maneuvred his foes. He deliberately
- =
erally means turning sideways ana
letting the machine fall virtually per-
pendicularly.
Daring Avia or Escapes.
There was not much height for a
long fall in this manner, so after thus
escaping the first burst of fire from
the Germans, the Britisher flattened
out and started for his own lines TO
bring the pursuers within range Oh
the anti-airoraft guns, for there is no
time to turn and face a foe once he is
en- YOUR tail. The plan succeeded, and
the Germans had suddenly to turn and
climb for their lives, as shrapnei
shells Immediately leaped for them
through the wlastling wind.
In the fighting today the British
captured a number of additional guns.
Eleven were taken on one sector. Inc
Canadians have made a great haul in
guns in their attack on the Vimy
ridge, thus far having brought in four
S-inch howitzers, nine of the famous
German 5.9's and twenty-three field
pieces. In many of the captured gun
positions the British found tier upon
tier of ammunition. Prisoners from
the German artillery said there was
a great shortage in artillery horses in
the army and that they had no chance
TO save their pieces, even far back OF
the old front line.
To Use Prussic Acid.
One interesting bit of information
the advance has disclosed is that the
Germans were planning to shell Arras
with two OF their 42-centimeter Dig
Berthas," which first won fame aoout
Liege and Antwerp. These guns had
reached Douai and it was planned to
place them near Fampoux, which now
Is in British hands. According to
gunner prisoners, prussic acid shells
were to have been used.
A large number of the German
prisoners seem to be glad that they