Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-05
Haiq's Men in Possession at
Ronssoy, Basse-Boulogne
and Metz-en-Couture.
FRENCH IN BIG GAINS
BELOW THE S0MME
Nivelle's Troops Reach German Line
Dominating Positions Captured
Below St. Quentin.
Rv the Associated Press.


LONDON, April 5. 1:45 p.m.-The cap
ture of the villages of Ronssoy and
Basse-Boulogne in the sector northeast
of Peronne is announced by the war
office.
In an operation yesterday designed to
straighten their line from Arras TO
Epehy, the British attacked and cap
tured the village of Couture,
and are engaged in hard hghtlns
against the Germans for the possession
of Havrincourt wood, an important
strategic position. forming small
salient in the British front
The official statement from British
headquarters announcing this gain re-
ports also a determined effort by the
Germans, which failed to recapture the
six guns taken by the British on
Monday.
French Reach Enemy Line.
PARIS, April 5. noon.-French recon-
noitering parties advanced last night
north of Gauchy and Moy, in the region
south of St. Quentin, until they reached
new German lines. which they found to
ports.
The statement of today follows:
Between the Somme and the Oise the
enemy undertook no counter action
against the new front. which we occu-
pied yesterday. During the night our
accommodating parties advanced north
of Gauchy and north of Moy as FAR as
the enemy lines, which they found &C.
cupied strongly.
Int
east and west of the Somme yesterday
and last evening. The fire of our bat
teries checked quickly counter at
tack under preparation by the Ger
mans on the front between Laffaux and
Margiyal. Artillery fighting continues
in this sector.
Northwest of Rheims the Germans
made an attack without success on
Godat farm. Some German sdetach-
ments were able to gain footing In
our advanced position, but were driven
out at once by a counter attack.
I'm Alsace we caught under our fire
and dispersed a group of Germans in
the region of Ammertzweiler. Else
where the night was calm"
Gain Dominating Positions.
Last nights statement says:
During the course of the day, despite
violent snow squalls and the soaked
condition of the ground, our troops
continued to push back the enemy
along the whole front between the
Somme and the Disc. They drove him
from a very important dominating posi-
ton marked by the villages of Grugies
Urvil1ers and Moy. which were cap.
tured by our troops.
North of the Folie farm the Ger
mans. thrown into disorder by the ir.
resistible attack of our soldiers, pre-
cipitately abandoned three lines OF
trenches, which were protected by wire
entanglements. leaving behind their
wounded and important material
Three howitzers Of $50 millimeters and
several lorries of the air squadrons
fell into our possession.
''In the Woevre our long range guns
caught under their fire enemy detach-
ments reported in the Vigneulles railway
station An intermittent cannonade oc-
CURED on the rest of the front. In the
Vosges a German airplane was brought
down by the fire of our special guns.
Belgian communication: The field and
trench artillery have been active day as
well as night in the direction OF DIX.
nude, the Ferrymans House and Het
Sas. The enemy bombarded Ramscap-
ellie
Rheims Heavily Shelled.
A HavaS dispatch from Rheims says
that the shelling of the city continues
each day and is growing in intensity.
on one day this week 1884 shells were
thrown into the town.
The Rheims municipality this after
noon, adds the dispatch, held public
session to take necessary precautionary
measures. Later the mayor posted a
notice advising those who were not alb
solutely obliged to stay in Rheims to
quit the city. Automobiles were placed
at the disposition of the young and the
aged In view of the Intensity OF the
bombardments the residents are urged
TO seek the shelter of their premises
or different establishments which have
already been selected.