The sun., 1917-04-15
Gen. Haig's Troops Again
Push Forward "On a
Wide Front"
MANY BIG GUNS TAKEN
Germans Make Fierce COun-
ter Attacks. but Are
Driven Back.
POSITIONS ARE LINKED TIP
French Artillery Active All
Along Front. Especially
in the Champagne.
POSITIONS ARE LINKED Up

LoNpoN. April 1.-THE British are
about To reap the first great results from
the battle Of Arras and the smashes at
the Hindenburg line. Two cities. Lens
and St Quentin, are now sure to fall
nto their hands. The Hindenburg line
is being riddled on the whole front
On this the sixth day of the great bat
lie the British made another great for
ward sweep north and south. To the
north they enveloped Lens on three sides,
reaching at one point little more than a
mile from its outskirts To the south
the British beat back most desperate
''erman resistance and are within only a
few hundreds yards of st. Quentin
At the same time Field Marshal Hais's
troops continued their advance ast ride
the Hindenburg line about midway be-
ween Lens and St Quentin. They ad-
vanced "on n wide front" north and
south OF the Bapaume-Cambrai road. the
British commander reported tonight
toward Queant and Pronville, where the
switch line to the north branches on
from the Hindenburg line. Strong
counter attacks could not stop them.
Fires Behind Lines.
Correspondents at the front agree tina,
the Germans are not merely tiving way
oefore these sledgehammer blows; they
are in retreat at some places. Behind
the retreating gray lines fires and explo-
sions are observed in far greater num-
bers than yesterday. There is a rumor
here. unconfrmed. that Lens itself is in
flames.
Tha IN p4nr> - 7 >,. ,,,,,, -.... 49,,
france its most valuable and extensive
coal iields. which the Germans have been
working for two years. II will also open
the way to the reconquest Of the whole
french industrial district, perhaps of the
city OF Lille itself. Though 1t is expected
that the Germans will have worked un-
told devastation before they leave at
least they will no longer profit from pos
session of this region.
The fall OF ST. Quentin will make a
very definite breach In the middle sector
Of the Hindenburg line completely dis
rupt its communications and add to the
general German confusion which can
hardly fail to bring on vast retreat.
The public is Just beginning to realize
that in the Arras region the British
have done what was deemed Impossible
and broken through the whole old Ger
man line, fortified for two years. on a
what has been done beyond the Nimy
ridge. and the only German trenches re-
manning are new and hastily constructed.
Positions Linked I'D.
There were attacks to-day in two re-
gions. at the northern end OF the present
active front. near Lens and Arras. and at
the southern. near st. Quentin. 1T is
question in which region the advance
was OF greater Importance.
The total result of the fghting OF
twenty-four hours was that the town OF
Levin, two miles southwest Of Lens and
practically adjoining 1t. was stormed.
Also the little Village of Cite ST. Pierre.
northwest Of Lens and south OF I-oos.
was taken. In the same region Fosse
No. 6, one of the pits about Lens. was
| taken, as was also Buquet Mill, between
G!venchy -Gohelle and Angres Thus
the British linked up at last their new
gains with the hard won positions taken
two years ago in the bloody battle of
i>oos, one Of the new won positions was
the Double Crossier. so named face
ttously by the Canadians.
| In this fighting the British captured
many more guns from the enemy. and
Reuters correspondent estimates semi
| officially that all told the captured ar
tllery has risen from 166 pieces to 200
beres -Four of fhosa taken near Y.ens
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