The sun., 1918-04-23
ENEMY FORCES
MASS FOR TWO
WEDGE DRIVES
British See in Preparations
a Strong Effort to
Envelop Arras.
BOCHES STALKING ALL
New Attacks Apparently to
Be Pivoted on Lys and
North of Albert.
BOCHES STALKING AL


France and Flanders during the la
twenty-four hours has been little more
than q series Of skirmishes and BON.
bardments. although every indication
goes to show that the Germans are pre-
pairing to attempt great turning move
ments. The allied salient which termi-
mates on the old Arras-Lens belt un-
doubtedly will be the enemy objective.
the object being TO drive deep wedges
on either side OF this.
One Of the drives probably will be
pivoted on the village OF RobecQ and
the other upon Mesn!l. north Of Albert.
Since their severe loaees at Fsstubert.
Givenchy and other points where they
made frontal attacks. the Germans ap-
parently have given over for the present
the hope OF advancing by such means.
Successful movements plvoted upon the
villages mentioned might compel the
British to withdraw from Arras with
out being able TO defend their positions
there. At both places there has been
heavy artillery bombardment.
Elemy "Massing Troops.
Reuters correspondent At British
headquarters in France Gays the Ger
mans continue to mass troops on th>
Bailieul-Neuve Egiise limo and north
around Dernancourt. He adds that, &C
cordins to German prisoners. leaves oi
absence will be resumed in the German
army early in May.
such action" the despatch Gays
suggests that the enemy anticipates q
decision or the abandonment OF the Of
| fens!ve by them"
,, The British repulsed hostile raiders
, to-day south Of the somme. near Hamel
! and south Of La Bassee Canal. opposite
Cambrai Northwest OF Festubert the
enemy captured an advanced post The
British advanced their line slightly al
| RobecQ, taking prisoners. The British
improved their positions slightly at sew
| eral other points last night. There have
been spirited raids at numerous places
Around Montdidier and Noyon the
French are being subjected to another
intense bombardment. The French also
| have beaten of several large parties oi
| hostile raiders.
Rom ba rdment 10 Heavy.
| throughout Sunday cast Of ArrAs and
on both sides Of the Scarpe. The bonn.
bartiment at V!llers- -Bretonneux and the
surrounding territory also was continued
The British improved their lines some.
what In the neighborhood Of Vlllers.
Bretonneux.
The Official statements on the fighting
follow:
BRITISH (NIGHT-IIostiie raids
attempted early this morning south OF
the Somme. in the neighborhood OF
| Hamel, and south OF La Basse Canal,
opposite CAmbrin. we're repulsed.
| Northwest OF Festubert, under cover
| OF the bombardment reported the
evening. the enemy succeeded in cap
turing an advanced post. which had
changed hands several times during
the recent fighting.
| As a result OF another successful
minor operation which We carried out
In the Robecq sector. we advanced our
line slightly and captured sixty-eight
prisoners. Bodies OF hostile infantry
assembled In this nsiGhborhood were
engaged by our artillery.
BRITISH (DAY-Early in the
night strong local attack. accom-
| panied by heavy shelling, was made
by the enemy against our positions In
the neghborhood Of Mesnil. north OF
| Albert. After sharp fighting. In the
course OF which the enemy succeeded
In capturing one Of our advanced
posts, the attack was repuised.
| We improved our positions slightly
during the night In the Villers- Bre-
tonneuX. Albert and Robecq sectors.
A number Of successful raids were
carried out by US at different points
south and north Of Lens. resulting in
the capture OF prisoners and machine
guns.
There has been considerable artil-
lery activity on both sides on different
sectors OF the British front. The enc
my's shelling has been directed chiefly
against our positions astride the
Somme and Ancre rivers. In the Lens
sector. in the neighborhood OF Fastu-
bert and In the Neppe Forest.
FRENCH (NIGHT-There !s moth.
ing to report to-day except quite pro-
nounced artillery activity in the region
OF Montd!dier and Noyon.
FRENCH CDAY)-A German raid
last night east Of the Avre, in the re-
g!on OF Themes. was repulsed. We
took prisoners. Another German raid,
east of Rheims. gained no greater sue.
cess.
Active artillery fighting continued
at different points on the front
GERMAN (DAY)-On the battle
fronts there were local infantry oper-
ations. Enemy attempts to advance
across La Bassee Canal to the north
west OF Bethuhe failed under our Are
J North of Albert we captured eighty
eight British. including two officers.
and took twenty-five mine throwers
and a few machine guns.
The artillery battle revived only In
few sectors. On the rest of the front
the fighting activity remained within
moderate bounds. Southwest Of Alt
kirch (Alsace) We took some pris-
! onsrs during q rsconnoitring advance.