The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-18
WYTSCHAETB TO
BE RETAKBN BY
ALLIES MAURICE
'News is Better; Our Troops
Hold All, or Nearly All of
City"
COUNTERS ARE EFFECTIVE
Withdrawal From Ypres Was
Planned as a Military
Necessity.
COUNTERS ARE EFFECTIVE

London, April lS-The greater part
| Of Wytschaete and probably all of it,,
is in the hands of the British, Major
General f. b. Maurice, chief director
OF military operations at the war Office
announced to day.
Counter attacking successfully at
Mcteren and south of that place the
Lritish have driven back the Germans
half way to Bailleul. They have ad-
vancei and improved their lines in
the direction of 'Neuve Eglise.
The news last night and today is
better" says General Maurice. while
am not able to say definitely that
Wytschaete is entirely in our hands
we hold the greater part and probably
the whole of it.
Ypres Withdrawal Planned.
CAS- mentioned in Field Marshal
Iaig's communique, we made with
drawal to new line in the Ypres sal
lent. The withdrawal was decided
upon on Sunday. 1t was carried out
partly on Sunday night and completed
on Monday. 1t is regretable mill
tary necessity which forces us to give
up ground which we won at such
heavy cost. On Tuesday the Germans
were still Smelling trenches which we
had left the day before.
81 returned last night from France
said General Maurice at the outset of
his talk with the Associated Press.
The situation yesterday was very
serious. The Germans had taken
Bailleul, Meteren and Wytschaete and
had brought four fresh divisions into
action against us. If the enemy
coald have maintained that pressure
illere looked to be vital danger to the
ridge of heights which includes Mount
KENNEL and which is the backbone OF
our defense on the northern portion
Of the battle front. But the news
last night and today is better"
General Maurice then referred to
the successful British counter attack
in the neighborhood OF Wytschaete
and to the Britisht withdrawal in the
Ypres salient and continued
Decide to Shorten Line.
Preparations for shortening our
line in the Ypres salient were made
some time ago and the decision tC
carry it out was reached before the
fall of Bailleul owing to the danger
offered to our positions in Tie salient
from a flanking movement. The with
lraWal was not dictated or governed
by the adverse course of events
around Railleul, !ut by more genera!
considerations.
The British army is playing the
role which it oi,en mas played before.
1t is fighting :. Waterloo while Bluecn
cr is marching to the battle field
Multiply the battle of Waterloo q
hundred fold anil the situation at noon
in that battle corresponds to the sltIa.
ton now in the great world battle.
"The British army is under ter
riblc hammering, but providing Blue
cher is marching 10 the battle field
there is no reason for disc enlargement
Figures Given.
I'm this battle Of Armentieres the
Germans thus far have engaged TWEEN
ty divisions, and since March 81 they
have engaged 1926 divisions.
"Of these the British army alone
has engaged seventy nine, the French.
alone have engaged twenty-fOur and
the remainder, tweniy-three, have
been engaged by the British and
French together.
"Of the German divisions which the
E'ritish engaged % have been fought
twice, and one thrice. OF the German
divisions which the French engaged
four have fought twice. OF the Ger
man divisions which the French and
British together fifteen have been
fought twice and one thrice.
1T is unpleasant business standing
the hammering but so long as we
What is happening to Bluecher;
what has become Of the reserves?
although the French army is larg-
er than ours, we have taken the strain
of these battles off them. There is
no reason to be in a state of despair
if the situation is regarded from
broad point of view and if we regard
cur great sacrifices rightly as a neces-
sary part of the great drama"