The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-16
BRITISH DRIVE
GERMANS BACK
Advance on 2 1-2 Mile Front
and Begin Closing In
on Peronne.
NO REST FOR ARTILLERY
TeutOns for First Time Forced
to Retreat South and East
Of Bapaume.
NO REST FOR ARTILLERY


In the Ancre region Of France made
smother important advance to-day. To-
nights ofiicial announcement records
tho occupation Of German trenches along
. front Of two and = half miles. stretch
inG from the southern edge Of st. Pierre
Vast wood to the northern outskirts Of
the village OF saiilisel.
St. Pierre-vaast wood is about six
miles southeast Of Bapaume and almost
equidistant from peronne Chief sig
nifcance in to-day's operation attaches
to the fact that It marks the first inn
portant withdrawal of Teutonic forces
south and east Of Bapaume, their back
ward movements heretofore having been
confined to the west and north.
The British gain IL Of Importance. too.
because lie Transloy. a strategic point
Of value. lies only three miles to the
north, on the Bapaume road. and be-
cause an extension Of the envslopinE
moven,snt about Peronne appears to be
indicated.
PePOAne Important POint.
Tho capture Of Peronne would be of
great value to the British. The town
has played an interesting role In French
history. II was strongly fortified during
the Middle Ages and remained q fortress
until 1874. The last big event in its
military annals was It's stubborn defence
against the Germans In the winter Of
1901.
The British statement admits the Sue
cess OF Germans In entering trenches
southeast OF Arras after heavy bonn
bardment this morning. and adds that
"a few OF our men are missing" The
French report records raids by recon
noitring parties between the Avre and
the Oise. The German announcement
says French attacks on tho northwestern
slope OF Hill 1856. in the Champagne.
were rendered futile by "annihilatins
f1re."
OAcial statensnts.
The official communications follow:
British-The area Of the enenys
withdrawal has extended toward the
south. We have occupied his trenches
on a front Of two and one-half miles
from south OF the It, Pierre-Vaast
wood to the north Of the village OF
Saillisel.
Early this morning q strong enemy
counter attack east Of Achiet-le-Petit
was successfully beaten Off by our
| troops. We have improved our POSI-
ton In this neighborhood.
This morning. after q heavy bonn
bardment. the enemy succeeded In en-
tering our trenches southeast OF Ar
ras. A few Of our men are missing.
Another enemy raiding party was re-
pulsed during tho night northeast Of
Nsuville.St. Vast
French-Between the Avre and the
Disc, after violent artillery prepara-
tion. our reconnoitring parties car
ried out raids at several points on the
enemy front shattered by our fires I'm
| the direction OF Beauvraignes and
south Of Crapeau- -Mesnil.
We have pushed as far as the third
| German trench east of Canny-ssur
MatH, Our detachments penetrated the
wood and occupied It to a depth of
| about 500 meters. In the course OF
these actions we took prisoners.
In the region Of Maisons de Cham
payne, in bomb fighting we made
progress and captured several enemy
underground passages.
On the right bank OF the Meuss our
! artillery effectively shelled German
organisations north of Besonvaux.
There Was an intermittent cannonade
on the rest Of the front.
French (day)-Dast OF the Oise q
surpriss attack which we made In the
region of Moulin-s SOUS Toutvent enabled
us 10 take prisoners. Several German
attacks on small French posts In tho
vicinity Of vinses. west Of Navarin
farm. and In the Argonne were broken
| up by our hre In the region of
Maisons de Champagne there was
| rather spirited artillery fighting with
| out infantry actions.
The German. Report.
6erman--DurinE the rainy weather
the artillery nre in most sectors was
limited.
| In the Champagne French attacks
on the northwest slope Of Hill 1855.
south Of Ripont, were not developed
under our annihilating fire.
! Rsconnoitring advances took place
In the Somme sector and on the west
bank Of the Meuse (verdun region).
whore q post held by the French south
Of Cumieres was captured by dashing.
snerGetic attack In broad daylight. A
number Of prisoners were brought IN.