The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-14
GERMANS DRAW
BACK Al 0 {
SOMME FRONT
General Won Hindenberg May Be
Preparing for Open Decisive
Battle
STRATEGIC MOVE SEEN
BY MILITARY CRITICS
General Haig's Troops Now Hold
Important Position Overlook
ing Teuton strongholds
(AssOciated Press. }

(ASSOClated lreSS.)
Another great retreat by the Ger
mans in the Somme front. is in prog
ress. The consequent British advance
has brought General Haig's forces al
most to the outskirts Of Bapaume. the
speedy fall OF which is now counted
among the probabilities.
Various reasons for the movement
are advanced. The theory that Field
Marshal Won Hindenbergs intention
was to carry out Stragetic retreat
with expectations of drawing the
British into the open is held out by
one of the principal German military
writer's. quoted in a Berlin newspaper
This critiS calls attention to the field
marshaiS tactics at Tannenberg early
in the war, when his army retired be-
fore the Russians in order that room
for Stragetical operations might be
gained.
READY FOR OFFENSIVE.
French military writer's give their
opinion that the Germans, beginning
their retreat at a stragetic operation,
to interfere with the British plan for
an offensive, were compelled to con-
tinuc the movement because of the
British tactics in following up the re-
treat by the methOdical use of their SUI
lerior artillery.
Berlin's official report today does
not mention the retirement in the
statement that British attacks deliy-
cred yesterday afternoon and last
night III the Ancre were repulsed.
Other fighting Of IA notable charac-
ter is in progress on the Franco Bel
gian front. Not the least significance,
possibly, is the French operations in
the st. Mihiei region. the sector of
the famous German salient lying
southeast Of Vertlun.; . ..
The French also! have held back the
German attacks on the hotly contest
cd position near Maison de Champagne,
and have made much progress them
selves in hand grenade operations
there.
TURKS IN RETREAT.
The Turks. apparently, are still in
retreat up the Tigris from Bagdad.
They announce the evacuation of that
city indirectly in an official statement
On the Russian front, the operations
have consisted mainly Of raids. In
he an Entente movement of some i'm
portance in progress. The current
Berlin statement reports attacks by
the French in this front, were without
success. ,, b.. 10y 3, III S..
BAPAUME IS WITHIN REACHo,
British Headquarters in France,
March 13., via London, March H.
(Fr0m staff correspondent of the
Associated Press) .ne y:
The ridge overlooking Bapaume from
the northwest, which has come to be
looked upon by the British as q sort
Of promised land ever since the battle
Of the Somme, began last July, passed
troops today. For the first time, since
into the hands of General .Haig's
the great struggle son this front opened.
the British have the advantage of the
highest ground and now can look
down upon the famous German strong
hold and a wide extent of the country
beyond. n--
British officers believe they are now
in position to take Bapaume whenever
the word is given. Grevilliers was
captured last night and the new Brit
ish lines stretched along the ridge,
which runs northwest from that ;Oint
to the outskirts of Achiet Tepetit. a
point still strongly held by the Ger
mans.
In this latest forward movement.
the British have taken possession of
the noted LOupart wood, consisting Of
great clumps of trees, situated on the
shoulder Of the high ridge and over
looking the entire Somme battlefront.
This wood has masked a great numbe-
OF German batteries and for it
hostile shells have rained upon tho
British for eight months past.
A German aeroplane which flew
over Sluis yesterday afternoon was
shot at and hit by Dutch troops, who
were maneuvering in the neighbor-
hood, according to the Handelsblad.
The aviator was wounded and COM
pelfed to descend in Dutch territory,
but before he could be overtaken by
the Dutch soldiers, he restarted his
machine and flew 800 meters over the
border into Belgium. German troops
hurried to his rescue and he was car
ried away by Red Cross attendants.
The capture by the Russians of the
Persian town of Kermanshah is re-
ported in an official dispatch receiv-
ed here today.
----s- eSyQunN