Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-09
FRENCH HOLD
AMIENS ROAD
RAILWAY LINE is RETAINED DE
SPITE REPEATED ATTACKS
BY BIG FORCES.
[By Associated Press Staff
CorraSnopden

With the French Army in France
April 7.-(Delayed)-Twenty-five divi
sions have been used by the Germans
in the last four days in efforts te
break through the French line an,
reach the railroad running south from
Amiens. All attacks have beer
checked by the wonderful resistance
of the French, some Of whom were
thrown into the lines as soon as they
arrived on the battlefield.
The Germans are obtaining only IN
significant results in their attempts tc
advance, considering the number OF
troops engaged, as the German force
is at least three times as great as the
number of French defenders.
RESERVES AWAIT OFFENSIVE
The cheerfulness and confidence
with which the French troops go into
action is remarkable They feel they
are better than the enemy and make
light of the German superiority in
numbers. The French command con.
tinues to work on the principle OF
using the smallest possible number OF
troops to stay the German rush, thus
retaining the reserves for possible at
tacks some place else.
Powerful trench mortars have made
their appearance behind the German
infantry but up to this time have not
influenced the situation to any extent
and in some places the guns have
been unable to approach within an
effective range. On the other hand an
enormous number of machine guns
pour an intense barrage into tbs
French lines and at the same time the
German infantry attempt, under cover
'of this fire, to get close to the French
line in small groups and estab Hsh
pockets from which to leap forward at
the proper moment.
FAMOUS ISIS EFFECTIVE
This procedure was quickly neu.
tralized by the French and the Ger
mans are now resuming massed at
tacks in which their men come under
the direct fire of French machine
guns, rifles, grenades and 75's which
inflict terrible losses. The 75's do ter
rifle execution, cutting wide lanes
through the enemy ranks.
The enemy commanders appear to
pay little attention to this slaughter,
their aims being to reach the objec-
tives, whatever the cost.
Late last night the enemy again at
tackled in the region Of Grivesnes but
were repulsed sanguinarily and forced
back to their own, lines with greatly
diminished numbers. Further south, in
the vicinity of Noyon, they at first
succeeded in entering the French po-
sitions. Later, after the most severe
fighting they were compelled to re-
treat, leaving tie situation unchanged.
NOYoN BATTLE Is BLOODY
Mont Renaud, near Noyon, saw re-
|peated attacks from the Germans
throughout Saturday, but all were
equally futile. The hill was the first
point where the French barred the
German advance through the Disc val
ley towards Compiegne and Paris.
When the Germans first swept down
from Noyon the hill changed hands
repeatedly. The ground thereabouts
shows striking evidence of the fearful
nature of the battle in the number Of
German bodies that can be seen.
Since March 80, the French have not
budged. In fact they have gained some
ground on the northern slopes>of the
hill. The Germans occupied two hills
overlooking Mont Renaud which pos
sesses little practical value, although
they afford view Of what is going on
in Noyon and slightly beyond that
town.
Further eastward along the Disc the
French fell back Saturday from the
dangerous salient north Of Amfgny.
Fighting all the way, they retired to
better positions which had been pre-
pared along the Ailette river.