Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-01
Haig's Men Pushing Salient in
German Lines Between St.
Quentin and Marcoing.
MUCH BITTER FIGHTING
IN REGION OF ARRAS
French Progress Northeast Of Sois-
sons-Both Sides Claim Successes
in Vicinity Of Vregny.

| British efforts to drive q salient into
the German lines between Marcoing and
ST. Quentin continue successfully. Seven
villages on a front of ten miles between
and including Vermand and Heudicourt
were occupied Saturday, according to
the latest official statement from Brit
ish headquarters in France.
Berlin officially admits that the Brit
ish advance reached Heudicourt and St
Emile, but declares that a British at
tack north of Metz-en-Couture. north
! of Heudicourt, was repulsed.
Farther north in the region southeast
of Arras there has been bitter fighting.
The British report the capture of Hen
decourt and the destruction of several
posts near Ecoust-St. Mein and Henin-
Sur-Cojedl Near the latter place. Ber-
lin says, an engagement resulted favor
ably for the Germans.
Northeast of scissors the French have
made progress and, Paris says. have
repulsed two German counter attacks
in the region of Vregny. Berlin reports
that the French were defeated in at
tacks against German positions on the
Vregny plateau.
British in Wide Advance.
LONDON, March 31.,-The official re-
port from British headquarters In
France tonight reads:
"Hendecourt was captured by our
troops yesterday evening. Considerable
progress has since been made eastward
of the village and a few additional
prisoners and machine guns fell into our
| hands.
1--WE also gained possession of tho
villages of Marteville, Vernand and
Soyecourt, with little opposition from
the enemy, and forced his troops to re-
tire from st. Emile under the fire of
our artillery We then occupied the
village.
To-day our advance was resumed
along the valley of the Cologne river,
and the villages of Jeancourt, Hervilly
troops.
Enemy Posts Rushed.
Farther north we carried two hos
tile posts In the neighborhood of
Ecoust-St. Mein, in spite of consider
able resistance. Other posts held by
the enemy west Of Henin-sur-Coj
were rushed by a small party OF our
troops. who. after killing or capturing
the whole garrison. withdrew with their
prisoners and hostile machine gun.
I'VE carried out successful raids this
morning and during the night north
east of Neuville-st. yaast. east Of Loos
and north of Ypresa Several dugouts
and machine guns were destroyed and
prisoners were taken. Early this
morning small hostile raiding party
in the neighborhood of Neuville-St.
Vaast failed TO reach our trenches.
Successful work was carried out by
our airplanes yesterday in spite Of un-
favorable weather. One hostile ma
chine was driven down out of control;
two Of our machines are missing"
German Attacks Fail.
PARIS. March 31.-The official COM
municAtion issued by the war office
tonight reads:
North and south of the Disc there
was slight artillery activity.
North Of Scissors the enemy directed
two counter attacks against the positions
that were occupied northeast of Vregny,
but both attempts were stopped short by
our fire
''On the left bank of the Meuse our
tons on Hill 304. The day was COM
paratively calm on the rest of the
front.
German airplanes last evening drop
ped bombs in the region of Dunkirk.
Two civilians were killed and three
wounded"
Belgian communication: ''The Belgian
artillery carried out effective fires
against German organizations at Dix,
nude and Hetsas There was fighting
also with trench guns
Berlin Claims Successes.
BERLIN, March 81, by wireless to
Sayville.-German successes In engage
ments near Heintn CojeuI, south
east of Arras, and on the Nreeny
plateau. northeast Of Soissons on the
Franco Belgian front, were announced
by the war office tonight.
Rel,ulse Of British attack near Metz
en-Couture. in northern France was an
nounced by the war office today in a state
nent, which adds that the British have
occupied Heudicourt and St Emile
The statement of tonight says:
"A combat with the British near Heinin-
Sur-Cojeul. southeast of Arras, resulted
favorably for US.
an attacks delivered on the plateau of
Nregny northeast of SoiSsons the French
suffered sanguinary defeat
Owing to the thaw. nothing of i'm
portance is reported from the eastern
'front.'