Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-04-20
GERMANS REACH
ONE OBJECTIVE
Program Of Drive Found Upon
Prisoners.
ARE A RAILWAY CENTER
SPLENDID Work Of British Gunners-
Many Artillerymen Work For
Hours Shooting Point-6lank
At Close Range.

British Army in France.-With the
exception of Merville the Germans
thus far have not reached their OBJ
jectives in part for the present drive
north and south of Armentieres, but
latest developments indicated that the
enemy had no intention of abandon
ing the assault immediately. A cap
tured German document reveals that
there were to be three smashes on
the front north and south of Armen-
there's. One had Bailleul as It's main
objective, the other Merville and Arle
and the third Bethune.
Not less than % divisions had been
employed by the enemy in this pre-
tentious program which has meant
that at some places the British have
been very heavily outnumbered. A
German division aggregates $4,000 to
IA, 900 men, including $500 rifles.
St. Venant, between Merviile and
Aire, was heavily attacked by strong
forces of Germans after their success
which gave them possession of Mer'
vile. The enemy seem DESTROYS OF
reaching Aire, a railway center, anu
were throwing large numbers of troops
into the conflict in an attempt to
drive the British back. The German
threat in this direction undoubtedly
is of considerable Importance.
Fighting continues to be of the bit
terest nature, not only in the Merv1lle
neighborhood, where the main assault
was made, but also northward from
Giyenchy.
Meanwhile, steady pressure was
maintained in the Estaires. sector be-
yond which lay Merville and Alre
During the night the enemy pushed
back the defeness at Lestrem and cap
tured Calonne-Sur-Lys, just southwest
of Merville. At the same time they
pressed down through Neuf Berquin
a little above Merville, and these two
converting forces hurled themselves
on the town.
Giving way before greater numbers
the British fell back toward st. Ven
ant, fighting doggedly all the way
against the. closely pressing Germans
A sanguinary battle was proceeding
east of St. Venant with the British
making a determined stand. During
the night the British counter-attacket
west of Steenwerck, west OF Armen
there's. and reoccupied La BacQue afte
hard fighting.
The German attack about Givenchy
on the southern end of the battle line
was pressed by some nine divisions
There has been virtually no cessation
in the fighting here since the begin
ming OF the battle Thus far the Brit
ish have maintained stone wall de
tense, against which the German
have flung themselves with heav.
losses.
The work of the British gunners a
Givenchy has been noteworthy. "
the first day, when the Germans sweep
forward in masses and the situation
was very grave, many artillerymel
worked for hours shooting point-blan
at close range. One gunner sergean
stood by his piece firing with ope
sight at a range Of 200 yards and he'll
the enemy of for considerable tim
before he was compelled to fall bach
The British troops who have bee
, making such a gallant stand jus
above Givenchy also distinguish
themselves by holding the Germans u
for hours at a certain point in tn
battle before Cambria on Novembe
90, when the enemy counter-attacket