The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-04-18

London. April 1S.-Tho British haV,
recaptured Mcteren, on The northern
battlefront, by Il counter attack, it i
announced officially.
The British positions before Yprc,
have been withdrawn to new line
South of ArraS the Germans were
driven out of British trenches into
which they had forced their way. The
German artillery became more active
south of the Somme.
The British made Il successful
counter attack in the neighbOrhoOd O1
WytSchaete. Repeated German at
tackS north of Bailleul were repulsed
the Germans suffering heavy losses
The war office statement said:
'We delivered a successful counter
attack in the neighbOrhOOd of WytS
chaete At Meteren also our counter
village remains in our hands. Repeat
ed hostile attacks north of BailleU
were repulSed with loss to the enemy
Bodies of German infantry advancing
in close formation were caught undpi
the fire of our troops at short range
and suffered heavy casualties. We
secured a few prisoners.
''The enemy also endeavored to de
velop an attack east of Robecq, fol
lowing the bombardment already re
ported, but his advance was broker
up by our artillery FIRE.
"In consequence of the progress
made by the enemy on the Lys front
our troops holding our forward posi-
tions east of Ypres have been with
drawn to 4 new line. The withdrawal
was carried out deliberately without
interference by the enemy. Parties of
his troops advancing over our old po-
sitions We're caught by the fire OF OuI
outpOstS and destroyed.
''On the battlefront south of ArraS
parties of German infantry who had
entered our trenches opposite BoyelleS
We're driven out with the loss of Sev-
eral prisoners. Our line in this lOcali-
ty has been completely restored.
The hostile artillery activity in
creased considerably on the British
front south of the Somme."
The public learned with diSappoinI-
ment of the withdrawal of the troop
holding the forward positions to the
eastward Of 1pres. The 1preS sal
ent has long stood in popular imagi
nation as Il monument of British valOr
and dogged tenacity in the face of re
peated and almost overwhelming OF
SlaughtS of the enemy.
The battle is raging with meredith"
intensity, telegraphS the, cores rond-
ent of Reuters Limited at the Brit
iSh army headquarters in France. As
far as the latest reports enable the
correspondent to judge the battle is
going in favor of the British.
notwithstanding the desperate at
tack~ of the Germans, they have gain
ed uo further ground since Tuesday
morning. and apparently they have
lost some.
During his three years experience
in the war zone, the correspondent
says he never has heard such terrific
and unintermittent guntire as has
gone on since Tuesday afternoon and
which continued as he filed his deS-
patch.
Among the numerous enemy attacks
Tuesday afternoon and evening on the
northern front in Flanders, one in
great force in the Zillebeke sector
was disastrous for the Germans
whose maSSed waves were shot down
at close range. They apparently were
ordered to retire, and then the Brit
ish gunnerS got on their flank, the
correspondent says, and the slaughter
was appalling.
According to an exchange telegraph
despatch from Paris, the Germans ad
vanced from WytSChaete as far as st
EIoi and also had grip on the south
eTn slopes of Mount KENNEL.