The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-24
More Than Thousand Prison
ers Taken Yesterday In
Haiss Furious Drive
GERMANS MUST RELAX
HOLD ON COAL DISTRICT
Last Remnant of Original
Hindenburg Line In North
Shattered by Persistent AT.
tacks

London, April 23.-Signs of a
new German drive i'm Belgium,
with Dunkirk and Calais rs OBJ
Jecuves, were seen tonight by
some military experts i'm French
official night cOmmunique. which
reports Teuton attacks at vari-
Gus parts OF the French front In
Belgium tbctwcen Dixmude and
the seal. The Teuton attackers
who had succeeded I'm their in
itial onrush in penetrating some
of the French advanced lines were
driven ont again after hand-to-
hand fighting. the Paris state
nfcnt announces. Some prisoners
Were made by the French.
A contemplated German Often
sive along the coast has been ru-
mored for some time Speculation
regarding such a move received
new impetus by the German naval
attacks on Dover and Calls last
week and the air raid on Dunkirk.
fBy International News Service)
London, April 23.-The British
today chopped of the right arm
of the original Hindenburg line.
Terribly battered and bruised. IL
had been dangling i'm the air limp.
hitting back now and then aim
Iessly, Intellectually, In last
heroic exertion OF it's whitening
strength.
1t is the hand of that arm that
has been so tcnaciously clutching
tho great coal city of Lens, and
has held 1t against all the formid-
able attempts of the Canadians to
pry it loose. Now that tho arm
has been literally hacked Oft the
grip of the Tcuton steel hand
about Lens is bound to relax
promptly and give the heart Of
France. the coal district, to the
republics allies.
shattered In Furious Drive.
The SCATTERING of the original Hin
Ienburg lines last remnants in tn
lorth was effected by Sir Dougla
Iaig in a furious drive that began las
,vening. Smashing ahead on bot
,anks of the river Scarpe. his force
'aptured the village of Gavrelle, o
he North bank, and Guemappe, sout
# the river
More than 1000 prisoners wer
aiken.
Gavrelle lies in main highway fror
Arras to Douai. being only eight mile
rom that great strategic objective
iuemappe is on the Arras-C bra
highway. ahott five miles from ARA!
Face Wotan Line.
The British are now face to fac
With the "Wotan line" powerful
=.
)recourt. southeast of Lens down {
eueant, switch point of the Hinden
,urg line. This auxiliary front ha
,een built by the Teutons for the de
ense of Douai. Here the British mus
,e stopped If Hlndenburg means {
tay in Northern France. Here 81
Haig is expected to strike hi
master blow.
Today's British headquarters repoy
announced the capture last night O
he remainder of Trescault village an
occupation of the greater part Q
wood in new push to
ward Cam brai.
OF the new successes on the Scarp
he report made no mention beyon
Eating that lighting Is proceedin
nd our troops are making satisfac
DRY progress.
Berlin asserts that the British wer
Iriven back after they had penetrate
he German first line trenches on
00-yard front to the northwest q
EMS.
A daily northwest wind came to IN
i'd of the British attackers. For tn
irst time this year the storming col
INNS did not have to wade throuz
wamps and boys to reach their oh
ectives. But their onslaughts lie
hem over terrain strewn by dea
ierman victims of last weeks val
er-attacks,
On the Aisne and in the Cham
'agne the Germans last night an
throughout today hammered away a
he French, trying to regain some Q
he lost ground and hamper the con
of Nivelle's new lines. A
hese onslaughts were stified In tn
French fire Paris announces ofFicial II,