The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-11
Prize May BE First Crack
in TeutOn Line Protect
ing Bapaunle.
BRILLIANT STRATEGY
BY SIR DOUGLAS HAIG
French Also Make Progress
Near the Butte du Mesnil
in Champagne.

peVe resume suddenly their advance
Pn the Amer and have won brilliant
uccess over The Germans. Attacking on
three ME front. the British have
|tormed the large village OF Irles and
III the neighboring defences.
This new fighting on the Ancre was
'orced by Sir Douglas Haig. 1t was
DO part of the German retirement to
rive up lrles at this time. The best
Evidence that the Germans wanted to
hold the village and wanted to hold II
badly n the fact that fifteen machine
runs and four trench mortars fell into
British hands and many prisoners were
faken.
In fact It is hoped here that the taxi
ng Of lrles may mean the first crack in
ne new German line protecting Ba-
paume. Irles Is very close to the strong
|oupart wood position. regarded by some
the Key to Bapaume from the west
The troops that stormed the town and
adjacent fortifications in foggy
FEATHER had an uphill task. yet the War
mce announces that their losses were
light. When the German retirement
topped the British were ON the southern
utskirts OF lrles. the Germans still hold
ng the town. Irles stragsles up the
ortnern bank OF the upper Ancre. its
rst houses almost on the edge Of that
tream. its last on the brow of a ridge
AAt runs nearly to Achiet -le-Petit.
British Overcome Obstacles.
A the British advanced thev found
hemselves opposed by German arons
oints to the east in ruined mill. to the
PSI In trench labyrnths along the en-
nkment OF the ruined Albert Arras
ilfoad Irles itself was such ma
Inc gun nest as the Germans build on
Somme -Ancre front. strengthened by
inches and entanglemcnts of the old
srman fourth line and by a fortified
netery at its northeastern corner
All these obstacles were overcome.
wever, I'm fierce fighting in which the
rmans were steadily forced back. and
night the British are only mile
81 or the I.oupart wood and the same
lance south OF Achiet-le-Petit 1t Is
tnan two miles to the Achiet-le-
ana railroad junction from Irles.
tnampaGne. on the French front, WIS
scene OF fighting just as desperate,
lugh less decisive. After night and
lay full OF clashes on a front of sew.
miles German headquarters reports
~" ShStSGIIleHtS broke out to.
ht' out gives no particulars. The
fnch report tonight mentions heavy
illery fire.
il the way from Butte du Mesnil TO
sons de Champagne farm, the front
the recent successful French counter
ack' the Germans strove to get again
trenches the Crown Prince took on
pruary Is and lost two days ago,
ar the butte the French not only
used the Germans but actually made
'gress Near the farm and the i'm
tant Hill lS5 the German efforts were
vain.
Hard Fighting at Verd.n.
Az Verdun. too. there was some hard
ming In isolated actions. In Caurieres
ood French and Germans struggled
pr trenches on its northern edge, with
ne nnal result that an initial German
lccess was wiped out by French coun-
attack. though the Germans claim
oo prisoners and say that some French
,oops TOOK to their heels. a remarkable
hing Tor French troops at Verdun.
Elsewhere on the front there was
hough small lighting to make the day
Rhe or the hardest fighting days on
ne western front reported in some time.
no Russian troops with the French
srmy carried out an attack led by
rehch officers. in which apparently they |
Pa all that was intended. The official
tatements follow:
British-To-day We attacked and
captured the village OF Irles and its
heighboring defences. The advance
was made to extend over a front OF
over three miles. We have taken a
considerable number OF prisoners, of
whom more than 100 already have |
reached the collecting stations. Four
cench mortars and fifteen machine
suns were captured Our casualties
were slight.
Yesterday an aerial patrol Of our
machines was engaged heavily by a |
srong hostile formation, Four of our
srpianes failed to return. One OF the
enemy machines is known to have
oeen brought down.
French-South Of the Avre the nre
OF our batteries exploded an enemy
munitions depot near lEchelle- st
Aurln.
In Champagne spirited artillery
nshllns took place In the sectors OF /
81. Hilaire lie Grand and Maisons de
Nhampagnc. There was no infantry
action. An intermittent cannonade
occurred on the rest Of the front.
German airplane was brought
down by our special guns In the re-
eion OF St. Mlhel.
Begian-There was artillery hght-
ing between Dixmude and Nieuport,
shd bomb fighting in the region of
steenstractc.
German--Western Front--South Of
"e Avre the French attacked portions