Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-28
STRENGTH OF DRIVE
IS NEARLY SPENT
British Repulse Heavy Attacks
North and South of the
SOmme River.
TWO TOWNS RECAPTURED.
reutons' Casualties Said to he 100000
to Date-2S Miles Represents Point
Of Greatest Penetration.
(Associated Press War Review.)

The strength of the great German
offensive in France apparently is fast
diminishing. On the seventh day of the
battle there were strong indications that
the enemy was feeling materially the
strain he had undergone and that his
power had been greatly impaired
through hard usage.
While the town of Albert has been
captured from the British and west OF
Roye the French have been compelled to
give ground in the face of greatly
superior numbers. the British have re-
pulsed heavy attacks both north and
south Of the Somme and also driven back
across the Ancre river the Germans who
forded the stream Wednesday. The fight
ing still continues of a sanguinary char
acter on all these sectors, but every
where the British and French are holding
the enemy. Especially severe has been
the fighting west of Albert. where the
Germans. in an endeavor to debouch
westward were repulsed by Field Marshal
Haig's men with the heaviest casualties.
The British gains between the Somme
and Ancre regions are reported by the
recapture Of the towns of Marelancourt
and Chipilly. South of the Somme they
have advanced to Proyart. which lies
south of Bray.
region of Arras to the south of the Disc
near Noyon the effects of which was to
have been the final stroke to end the
war in victory for the Teutons are only
too plainly evident in the redevastation
of the country side and the wreck and
ruin Of the towns, villages and hamlets
through which the armies have passed.
Westward from where the old battle
line reared itself the Germans every
where have pushed forward for material
gains, but with foes before them who
fought with the greatest bravery and
stubbornness and ceded no ground unless
recompensed at usurious rates in men
killed. wounded or made prisoner. 1t is
estimated that in the great attacks deliv-
cred in mass formation more than 400, 900
Of the nearly million men the Germans
threw into the fray are dead, wounded
or in the hands of the foes. where soon
verdant spring is to burst forth over the
blasted territory the hills. plains and val
leys Of Picardy are red with German
blood.
About 25 miles represents the greatest
point Of penetration made at any place
by the enemy in his advance, and on the
northern and southern ends of the big
salient he has left his fianks dangerously
open to counter attacks which. If sue
treat, greater than the 1916 retirement
movement Of Won Hindenburg and nullify
in it's entirety the drive that has been
accomplished. 1t Is not improbable that
French and British reserves. and possibly
American troops, known to be behind the
battle front, soon will be thrown against
the weakened enemy. Notwithstanding
the strength of the German drive. no.
where has the British or French front,
along the latter of which American
troops have given a good account of
themselves as fighters. been even dented.
Ground has been given, it is true, but
30 skillfully and with such precision of
movement that from north to south a
surveyor could scarcely have worked out
a more even line. Still intact in the
hands Of the allied forces are portions
Of the old line from which Hindanburg
fell back In his strategic" retirement
in 1916.
Just who Is in command Of the German
forces seems to be somewhat in doubt
Late dispatches report that Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg has been at Dvinsk, in
the Russian theatre and German wal
correspondents assert that General vor
Ludendorff not only planned the offensive
but was on the ground last Friday per.
sonally to control the attacks.
On the other battle fronts the operations
continue Of minor charcter but daily the
situation in Italy gives greater indications
that an offensive against the Italians IL
in prospect Large reinforcements con.
tinue to be drawn up behind the line b,
the Austrians and Germans and the
artillery activity on the whole front |.
growing more intense The fresh men beine
sent to this theatre are said to have beer
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