Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-15
Both French and British Forces
Get Ready for New Ger
man Drive.
PETAIN'S MEN PUSH
AHEAD NEAR HAlLlES
Wood on Slopes Of Avre River Cap
tured-German Guns Busy on Wide
Section Of Front.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The expected renewal Of the German
offensive having failed to develop, the
allies are continuing their tactics OF
anticipating the thrust by reaching out
for new vantage points from which the
better to resist it.
The French were the aggressors in
the last operation Of this kind, carried
out late yesterday. They pushed out
from their lines south of Hailles, on the
Somme front, their objective being a
wood situated at about the point where
the Germans had made their farthest
westward advance, and are within short
distance of the Paris-Amiens railway.
The operation was. entirely successful,
resulting in the capture Of the wood on
the slopes west of the Avre river, pos
.session Of which improves considerably
the allied defensive position in this i'm
portant sector.
Strong Counter Attack.
The Germans evidently recognized
this fact. for they countered strongly at
night. Their determined attack was
failure. however. for after spirited
fighting the French remained in entire
control of their new position. after
having cut the enemy up badly with
their fire, besides taking more than
three score prisoners.
The artillery fire is reported by Paris
to have been violent last night north
sector, where American troops are
holding a portion of the front. The
bombardment was severe also along the
southerly side of the Montdidier salient,
attempted to attack at one point on this
line. but were promptly checked.
German Artillery Busy.
The London statement also indicates
considerable activity by the hostile ar
ttiHery on the British portion of the
Somme front. in the Somme and Ancre
valleys. while this morning it increased
in the region between the Somme and
the Ancre, near Morlancourt, where the
Australians recently have made nota-
BE advances and where yesterday they
repulsed German effort to recapture
On the Flanders battle front the Ger
mans Iikewise speeded up their fire
early today In the KENNEL sector, after
having worked their guns moderately
hard during the night on the southerly
side of the Lys salient. in the Bethune
and Nfeppe wood regions.
French omcial Report.
The official statement follows:
PARIS. May 16.-"During the night
there was a violent bombardnient in
the region north of Montdidier and be-
tween Montdidier and Noyon.
Late yesterday French troops made
vigorous attack on German positions
fouth Of Hailles and captured wood
Vest Of the Avre. notwithstanding de-
termined resistance by the enemy This
morning strong German counter at
engagement our troops remained in en-
tire possession of the new positions
They inflicted very serious losses on
the Germans. The number Of prisoners
taken Is seventy, including an oficer,
Another enemy effort south of Roliot
<southeast of Montdidier), which was
made after heavy bambardment, met
with complete check.
North of the Chemins- -des-dames the
French repulsed a raiding enterprise
directed against our small posts in the
region of La Bovelle.
There is nothing to report elsewhere
on the front"
British Communication.
LONDON. May 15.-The German arti1-
1ery fire increased this morning near
Morlancourt. south Of Albert, and in
Flanders. north of KENNEL. the war
ONCE reports.
The statement follows:
"a raid attempted by the enemy last
night north of Lens was repulsed. We
carried out another successful, raid
north Of RobecQ (F1anders).
The hostile artillery was active duy-
ing the night in the valleys of the
Somme and Ancre. north of Bethune
and in the forest of Nieppe sector. This
morning the enemy artillery activity in
creased southwest Of Morlancourt and
north OF KENNEL"
Berlin omcial Accounts.
BERLIN. via London, May 14.-The
official statement from general head
quarters this evening says:
"a successful local thrust into the
British lines on the north bank of the
Somme was made on the Bray-corbie
road. Vigorous counter attacks by the
enemy failed"
'.Strong British attacks during the
evening were delivered against our po-
sitions north and south Of Givenchy,"
says the official communication from
general headquarters TODAY. .arhev
were repulsed with heavy losses.
"On the fighting fronts there were
Increased firing activity during the
early morning hours, which died down
in the course of the afternoon, During
the evening it revived several times.
Reconnoiteringa activity remained lively.
In the other theaters there is moth
ing new.