Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-10
BRITISH ADVANCE
ALONG WIDE FRONT
General Offensive Begins on
Line Directly North of Ger
man Field of Retreat.
THREE TOWNS ARE TAKEN
THREE TOWNS ARE TAKEN

~
The aerial activity OF the last few
days has continued with great energy
Several successful bombing raids wer,
carried out by us, our machines Co
operating with our artillery with ex.
,ellent results. Two hostile machines
we're destroyed and fifteen others
we're driven down and probably
crushed. Two German kite -balloons
we're brought down in flames. Ten Of
our airplanes are missing"
Some $500 prisoners have been cap
tured in the new drive against the
German lines by the British armies
alone. Reuters correspondent at Brit
ish headquarters in France telegraphs
today. r.. ..-....
The prisoners have been coming in
an endless procession, the correspond
ent reports.
The fighting is increasing in inten-
s:ty as the battle progresses. The
British casualties thus far are re-
ported comparatively slight.
Advance Strenuously Opposed.
Along the gerater part of the front,
says the correspondent, the advance
Of the infantry was strenuously op-
posed. Near Arras the Germans Of
fered determined resistance and a
large pocket OF Germans was reported
10 be still holding out at midday, al
though entirely surrounded,
The famous redoubt named "The
Harp" only a little less formidable
than the noted Labyrinth" was cap
tured, with virtually the whole batta-
lion defending it. Several tanks" were
seen climbing Telegraph hill, which
commands "The Harp" and probably
had much to do with the surrender OF
this position.
Make Good Progress.
Along the railway running through
10 the valley OF the Scarpe, adds the
correspondent, the British made good
progress, while upon the Lens branch
Of the line they captured Maison
Biance wood.
The German defensive barrage or
curtain Of fire, was slow in starting,
Notwithstanding frantic signals for
help sent up with rockets all along the
line. Before the guns had been ham,
nering the Germans night and day for
week past and most OF their trenches
were fairly pulverized. The, prisoners
taken were mostly Bavarians, Wur-
tembergers and Hamburgers.
After a beautiful and warm Easter
Sunday, the weather changed last
night and today's attack was carried
out in pelting rain, driven before a
gale in which was the sting OF Janu-
ary cold. The airpianes, which have
accomplished wonderful work since
Thursdays clearing the air" Of Ger
man machines were robbed OF the op-
portunity to participate in the begin
ming Of the offensive.
Penetrate Foe Lines.
British troops today penetrated the
German lines all along a wide front
from Arras to Lens, an earlier British
war Office bulletin reports.
The statement says that in the d.
rection of Cambria the British have
stormed the villages Of Hermies and
Boursies and penetrated Havrincourt
wood. f
In the direction Of St. Quentin the
British took Fresnoy lie Petit and
advanced their line southeast of lie
Verguier. No estimate of the num-
Der OF Germans captured can yet be
given, the statement says, but the
number is considerable. Referring to
the attack on the front between Arras
and Lens, the statement says:
we are making satisfactory pro.
gress at all points"
Attack on Wide Front.
The statement, which is timed LIS
a. M, is as follows:
we all attacked at $50 o'clock this
morning on wide front from south
OF Arras to south OF Lens. Our
troops have everywhere penetrated
the enemy's lines and are making sat
isfactory progress at all points.
I In the direction OF Camrai we
stormed the villages Of Hermies and
Boursies and have penetrated into
Havrincourt Wood.
In the direction Of St. Quentin we
captured Fresnoy lie Petit and adj
vanced our line southeast Of lie Yer
guier. FL
No estimate Of the prisoners taken
can yet be given, but considerable
numbers are reported captured"
Fight on Ten. Mile Front
The fighting line from Lens to Ar
rIas IS approximately ten miles in
length and lies directly north OF the
field of the retreat which the Ger
mans have Been conducting for the
last several weeks.
The fact that the line has been
penetrated by British all along this
vide front indicates that movement
there is a general offensive. That il
IS proving. a successful drive is indi-
Gated by the statement that "satisfac-
tory progress is being made at all
points"
An entire new phase OF operations
OF the western front is opened up in
this new battle on the Lens-Arras
line. The field of attack represents the
greatest danger point for the Ger
mans, as in the recent fighting a sharp
salient was driven into the German,
line southeast Of Arras.
Rich Coal Field Zone.
In the Lens region, into which the
British are driving, is a rich coal field
which the Germans have been exploit
ing since their occupation Of this ter
ritory early in the war.
The opening of the new offensive
had been foreshadowed in the intense
aerial activity of the last two or three
days in which hundreds of airplanes
have been engaged on both sides
bis work. as the British statements
have indicated, has given General
sfaigs staff Photographic reproduc-