Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-17
Several German Lines Are
Carried by Assault After
Several Days of Artillery
Preparation,
FIGHTING OF UTMOST
VIOLENCE IN PROGRESS
Scene of Carnage Extends
From scissors to Rheims,
Over More Than Twenty
five Miles of Front,


The French troops in the depart
mcnts of the Aisne and Marine have
delivered a violent infantry attack
against the Germans over a front OF
twenty-five miles and made important
gains of terrain and captured more
than 10000 prisoners and large guam
titles of war material.
The battle took place between Sos-
sons and Rheims, and over a distance
of eighteen and one-half miles, from
scissors to Craonne, the entire Ger
man first line positions fell into the
hands of General Nivelle's forces,
while east of Craonne a German sec
ond line position south of Juvincourt,
and another position on the outskirts
of Bermericourt running along the
Aisne canal to Lolvre and C5urey, alFe
were captured. Violent counter-at-
tacks by the Germans on several sec
tors were repulsed with heavy casual
ties to the attackers.
Move Preceded by Artillery.
The artillery for several days had
been violently shelling the entire re-
gion and Monday, while British activ-
ity along the front from Lens to st.
Quentin had almost ceased owing to
heavy rainfall, the French launched
their infantry in an endeaVor to break
through or press back the Germans
from this point of great strategic val
ue. The German official communica-
ton in briefly referring to the attack,
described it as a great attempt to
break through with a far-distant OBJ
jeCt, possibly meaning that success
full breach of the German lines here
might necessitate the falling back of
the Germans along a greater part of
the front from Lens to Soissons.
In Champagne Also.
To the east in Champagne, violent
artillery activity continues, prob
ably being the forerunner of an
attempt by the French at drive
against the German lines in this no
less important region.
Up to the time that the rain storm
began Monday afternoon, the British
had captured from the Germans the
Village of Nilleret, southeast of Hargi-
court and eight miles from st. Quen-
tin, and also had made additional
progress northwest of Lens. During
the week that the British offensive has
been going on, Field Marshal Haig's
forces have made prisoners of $4,000
Germans and captured 194 guns and
large quantities of war stores.
Along the Whole line.
From the fact that the French
troops in Alsace and Lorraine have re-
newed their fighting against the Ger
mans, preceding it with heavy artil-
lery preparation and delivering infan-
try attacks that netted them good
gains of terrain and resulted in heavy
casualties to the Germans, ii would
appear that all along the French front
the moment is approaching for an in
tensive battle from Belgium to the
Swiss border
From none of the fronts except that
in France has there come reports of
any great battle. There have been
small encounters between the Austro-
Germans and the Russians on the
eastern front. a Teutonic attempt
against an allied position in the Cerna
river region of Macedonia was re-
pulsed. In the Austro- Italian theater
the operations have been limited to
patrol encounters, owing to snow
storms.
British Gain Over Turks.
In Mesopotamia the British troops
operating in the TiGris river sector
have driven the Turks farther back
and made numerous prisoners.
British airmen, aided by French