The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-04-27
BRITISH DRIVING
STEADILY AHEAD
fourteen New German DiVis-
ions Thrown Into Arras Battle
Fail to Stop Them.
PRUSSIAN LOSSES ENORMOUS
Gen. Haig's Artillery Creates Havoc
Among Enemy's Lines-Win
Great Victory in Air.

N'Sah NiSNSlJ W NJ
London, April 25-The second phase
of the great Arras battle having at
tanned its maximum intensity, the bal
ance of power remains with the Brit
ish forces, who are driving steadily
on and pushing the Prussians back
with terrific losses.
The throwing of fourteen new d.
visions, more than 100000 fresh
troops, to the defense of their posi-
tions availed the Prussians nothing in
staying the progress of General Haig's
thunderous drive against the linden
burg line.
The losses of the Prussians have
been enormous in their vain efforts to
prevent the British from approaching
the crucial positions which form the
key to Lille. More than two thousand
prisoners have reached the collecting
stations from the fighting yesterday
and more are on their way.
No Easy Victory Though.
It is no easy walkoyer to victory,
however. The Prussian armies are
standing and giving battle, striking
back when the British strike and
yielding only when forced to yield by
desperate conflict.
Between the Sensee river and Mon
chy-le-Preux, the British battle line
has been advanced to within a few
hundred yards of Cherisy and Fon-
taineles-C roiselles, while in the neigh
borhood Of Gavrelle a great attack by
the flower of the Prussian army was
shattered by the terrific British artil-
lery fire and the enemy driven back
in disorder.
British Win Air Battle.
The intensely bitter ground fighting
of the last two days has been reflect.
ed in the air, and the British Royal
Flying Corps yesterday established a
new record by bringing down forty
German machines. Fifteen Of these
were actually seen to crash, while
twenty-five collapsed or fell in spin.
ming nose-dives, completely out of con-
troll.
Battle of Arras Raging Again.
London, April 24.-The battle Of
Arras. which had been %smoldering for
a week past. burst into flaming fury
again today and is still raging tonight
with some of the heaviest fighting Of
the war in progress.
The sky is alight for miles with the
flashes of guns, with star shells that
spread a moonlight paleness over the
battlefield and with vari-colored rock
cts, which flash signals to the oppOs-
ing artillery. The cold east wind car
ries the echoes of the reverberating
c~annonade far back to the British
lines.
German Reserves Brought Up.
More than 1900 prisoners were
counted in this sector late today, and
others were still coming in. The
largest number Of prisoners was from
the One Hundred and Forty-first Pom
eranians, who surrendered in hun
dreds after very brief resistance. A
battery of field guns also was taken,
The Germans today undoubtedly
were throwing their full force into
their resistance along the Scarpe.
They had brought up strong reserves
to oppose a further British advance
, and had thrown in scores of new bat.
teries Of artillery.
Had to Fight In open.
; The fighting about Guemappe, due
south Of Monchy, was extremely bit.
! ter. The attacking British waves
: went over" in the half gray light Of
dawn. 1t was still dark enough Ia
make a fiery spectacle Of the barrage
which crept ahead Of them-a VERT
able wall Of exploding shells. Men
who have been over several times un
: der the protection Of a barrage are
apt to grow a bit over confident In
S following the shells, and occasionally
get hit by bits flying back, although
virtually every shell clearing the way
) for the infantry bursts forward with &
great spray Of shrapnel bullets. A
q modern barrage as sci up by the Brit
ish and French gunners is a terrify
o ing thing to face, and the Germans
I inyoIuntarily break before Il, many o
q them seeking any dugouts available.
o Today in many parts Of the battle
fronts there were no more dugouts t
serve as shelters, and the GermanI
r had to stand and Fight with the re
suit that their casualties were highe
and the prisoners fewer in those sec
tions Of the line.