The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-04-20

Signs of Renewed Activity Are
Evident on the British Front
In Arras Region tti,,',,u
While the French a.vance last
night was not so spectacular as on
the preceding day on the battle along
the Aisne and Champagne, progress
was continued.
This was notably true Of the region
northeast of SOissOns, whore the lines
of development are gradually being
drawn nearer to the important rail-
way center Of Laon, the stragetic OBJ
jective in this division Of the front.
The French here gained ground in
the vicinity Of LaffauX, the advance
being characterized in the official
statement as considerable.
Germans neact Strongly.
The Germans reacted strongly on
this front, but were unable to make
any impression on the new French
lines.
General Nivelle's pressure here Is
calculated to force the Germans
speedily ont Of the salient projecting
toward the Aisne, in the direction Of
COnde
The advance toward LaOn also was
continued on the Vauclero plateau,
almost directly south Of this city,
where the French are pushing north
| orj rs ho r1oA
On the plains north of Rheims where
the Germans are clinging strongly to
their entrenched positions, several Of
their trenches near Coucy were car.
ried in grenade attacks. Headway
| also was made east OF LOivre in this
| sector ~
Violent Counter Attack.
In the Champagne, notably near
Moronvilliers, the Germans launched
| the expected violent counter attack.
which the French troops, their, artii-
lery brought up, were amply pre-.
pared to meet. The artillery and ma.
chine guns cut loose On the advanc.
ing columns reinforced by the fresh
contingents recently thrown in from
other fronts, and from the reserves.
The result was that the Germans, al
though their attack had been pre-
pared by heavy bombardment, were
| badly cut up and failed to obtain
their object.
Signs of renewed activity also ap.
peared yesterday on the British front
! in the Arras battlefield, where some
| gain in the Lens and east OF Vam-
| ponx were reported, extended last
| night 10 the district northwest of St.
! Quentin London today reports Bri-
tish progress in the neighborhood of
VilleIs-Guislain, midway between st.
| Quentin and Cambria.
Out Glass Germans.
Further details of yesterdays bat
tie from Scissors TO Auberive show
that the French infantry tactically
out classed the Germans. The first
army, operating from scissors to
Craonne, had established itself on
Monday night along the front run
ming from northeast of .Iargival and
Vauxaillont to the south Of Craonne,
by Vragny, Chivres, ChavOnne, Chivy
and Allies. North of the Chivres-
Chivy line the enemy retained all the
heights and footing had to be won
thereon before the operation, so au.
spiciously begun, could be properly
completed. T.,
Succeeded Perfectly.
Two simultaneous attacks were de.
cided upon with Nanteuil La Fosse on
the left and Chivy and Braye-e1La.
onnois on the right as the respective
objectives. The attacks succeeded
perfectly notwithstanding the deter.
mined resistance Of the enemy, who
had all the advantages of the ground.
Driven out of Nanteuil and Braye.
the Germans nevertheless still clung
to the intermediate positions compris-
ing Vailly and the important bridge.
head on the Aisne, by which they
could threaten the French flanks.
Extend to eridgehead.
The movement was then extended
to the bridgehead, which was soon
carried and the attacking troops
scaled the slope Of the plateau north
Of VailIy. They advanced rapidly as
far as Rouge Maison farm and q
country house to the right, gaining
several hundred yards Of ground on
the summit of the plateau. Substan-
tial progress was also made east of
Nanteuil and by the afternoon only
one narrow gap was left through
which the Germans could withdraw
the troops in the region of Conde,
Celles and Nancy. These detach-
ments are in serious danger of cap
ture. The violence OF the French at
tack threw the enemy into such dis
order that he was unable to bring up
reserves quickly enough and conse.
quently lost several guns. Toward
the end of the day the French made
further progress between the plateau
of Vailly and Braye, all villages south
of the famous Chemin des Danes
being taken.
The advance toward Courtecon dur.
ing the last three days has been even
greater and amounts to more than
three miles in depth In the center
the battle ragged most fiercely
cams hAp 4 ASn