The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-28
GERMANS WIN


this morning reported the line in this
sector to be holding we'll
While this effort to drive in between
the British and French armies was
being carried out in the south, the
Germans apr arently worried by the
to protect their right wing from a
thanking attack, have developed a
threat on the extreme north of the
present front in the region of Arras.
London reports the beginning this
morning Of a heavy bombardment of
the British lines in this sector, fol-
lowed by the development of an
attack.
Drive on Channel Ports?
The possibility is not lost sight of
that this attack so far north on the
front may herald the extension of the
active fighting front along the lines to
the north in the development of a
German push for the channel ports.
Seemingly, however, the enemy have
all they can take care of in the way of
opposition in the present field of the
offensive and the proba bility points to
the Arras threat proving a protective
rather than a new offensive measure.
Meanwhile the German line is being
extended to an apparently dangerous
extent on the southern front, where a
thanking operation has been pointed to
as most likely to prove effective.
London March 28.-Prlsoners and
machine gurs nave been captured by
the British, the war office announces.
TIL. fighting continues fiercely on beth
banks of the Somme-
This morning the enemy opened a
heavy bombardment on the British de-
Tense east of Arras. An attack is de-
veloping in this sector.
Repeated attacks were made by the
enemy along the Wiley of tle Somme
in the neighborhood of Beaumont
HameI, Puiseux and Moyenneville.
They were repulsed.
Strikes at Apex of Drive.
London, March 2S-Haig's first re-
taIiatory blow has been struck almost
in the center CT the German drive, ac-
cording to an official announcement
by the British war office.
After the capture of Albert, the
British welo pushed back on both
sides of the Somme for a short dis
lance Tuesdav night. The Eext morn
| ing the British held a line west of
Albert, running thru Rosieres, Har-
| bonnieres, Sailly-Le-Sec and Mericourt
! PAbbe, thence along the Ancre to the
railway embankment southwest of
/ Albert.
| But shortly afterward the British
| counter-attacked, recapturing Morlan-
court and Chipelly north of the Somme
| and pushing back the Germans to
| Proyart, south Of the river. The
enemy was thus driven back three
miles between the Ancre and the
| Somme and practically the same dis
| lance below the latter stream.
] The Somme divides the German adj
vance practically in the center.
Driven Back Across Ancre.
In the afternoon. the enemy crossed
| the Ancre near Mesnil. three miles
! north of Albert. but a counter-attack
| drove them back. North of this point,
the war office said. the positions were
| unchanged.
Haig reported the repulse of heavy
Rosieres, six miles south of the
Somme, at Bray, yesterday morning
In the neighborhood of Albainzeville
five miles northwest of Bapaume, he
said the Germans obtained a footing
i yesterday afternoon. This was the
/ first advance in this vicinity recorded
! by the enemy since early this week
1t is about ten miles north of Albert
The French were reported giving
ground west of Roye. fifteen miles
south of the Somme. but reinforce
ments were coming to their aid
Huns Astride the Somme.
The German official statement. ir
addition to announcing the capture oil
Albert on Tuesday evening, declared
their attack was slowly progressing
on both banks of the Somme. They
claimed to have crossed the Ancrt
both north and south of Albert.
The capture of Roye and Noyon wa.