The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-04-18


have combated with vigor and broken
the majority Of the enemy attacks. At
one point where the enemy obtained
footing he was thrown out by a coun-
ter-attack.
London, April 15.-The Germans
made an attack west of Merville on
the northern battle front and were re-
pulsed, the war Office announces.
The British advanced their line
slightly in the neighborhood of Festu-
bert and took few prisoners.
There was heavy fighting near Neuve
Eglise and Wulverghem. Strong enemy
forces launched an attack east of Laon
and succeeded in entering the British
lines at certain points but we're elected
by a counter-attack. A second attack
attempted later in the night at the
same place was beaten of.
In the sector south of the Somme
British and French troops drove out
the Germans who yesterday entered
Hangard.
German Efforts Extended.
Pressing their attack against the
British west-southwest of Armentieres,
the Germans also have extended their
efforts TO other fronts and have clashed
with French and American troops. In
the north the Germans are advancing
toward Bailleul on the Picardy battle
front they entered the village of Han
gard after heavy fighting and east Of
ST. Mihiel American and French troops
have repulsed an enemy attack in the
Apremont forest.
Repulsed in their efforts to gain the
Observation-Disclosures ridge, the Ger
mans are putting most of their strength
toward widening the salient south of
Armentieres in an evident attempt to
outfiank the hill positions and gain i'm
portant railroad centers. Bailleul is
northwest of Armentieres and west Of
the southern end OF the Messines ridge.
while Hazebrouck and Aire, toward
which the Germans are endeavoring to
push home their attacks. are also i'm
portant railroad bases.
Agree Crisis Has Been Reached.
Field Marshal Haig. like Marshal
Joffre at the battle of the Marine, has
called to his soldiers TO stand firm and
die rather than give up a position to
the enemy. Military observers and
Maj. Gen. Maurice, director of mill
tary operations of the British war Of
flee. agree that crisis has been
reached.
There must be no retirement" Field
Haig says in his appeal. |
French forces are rapidly coming to
the aid of the British and gigantic
and most sanguinary struggle prob
ably will be enacted on the lowlands
between Lille and st. Omer.
an heavy fighting the British are
being forced back to Bailleul on the |
north and toward Aire on the south.
Near the center the British and the !
Germans are holly engaged around st. !
Venant, which marks an approximate
advance of ten miles for the Ger
mans since Tuesday. On the ex-
IRENE northern and southern ends of !
the 25-mile front. where the Germans
have at least 100000 men. there has
been little fighting.
South of the Somme the Germans |
forced their way into Hangard after |
several hours of sanguinary fighting In |
which the French and the enemy at !
tackled and counter-attacked. A French
regained the western |
part Of the village and heavy lighting
continues. Southwark toward Hourges
the German attempts were repulsed.
Three Smashes Planned by Foe.
With the British Army in France,
April 15.-With the exception Of Mer-
Vile. the Germans thus far have not
reached their detectives for the pres
ent drive north and south of Armen-
Heres, but developments indicated that
he enemy had no intention Of aban-
ioning the assault Immediately. A
captured German document reveals
hat there were 10 be three smashes
On the front north and south Of Ar
nentieres. One had Bailleul as its
main objective. the other Merville and
Aire and the third Bethune.
Not less than twenty-eight divisions
had been employed by the enemy In
his pretentious program, which has
meant that at some places the British
have been very heavily outnumbered.
A German division aggregates 1900