Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-28
HUNS FIGHTING
LIKE DEVILS To
SAVE BAP AUME
Throwing Fresh Troops Into the
Battle, Hoping to Check On
rush of British.
BIJRROWING FOR SAFETY
BY Associated Press TO Every Evening

BY Associated Press to Every Evening
With the British Army in Franco,
Tuesday. Aug 27 Midnight )-(By the
Assoriated Fress)-Drrven from the
nigh ground protecting Peronne on the
vest and forced beyond the Hindrnburg
line in the region of Arras, the Germans
are fighting desperately to stay the British
attacks in the region of Bapaume.
Since noon today, heavy reinforce
nents have been put into the enemy line
IN the Bapaume region, for the purpose.
apparently, of giving the enemy time 10
dig in on line parallelmg the Canal du
Nord on the west. His next defense line
rast would be behind the canal du Nord,
about SIX miles east of Bapaune.
Along the Somme the British have push
ID the Germans off the high ground be
tween Maricourt and the river. South OF
khe river. they have reached Dompierec,
six miles west of Peronne. North OF
Maucourt. the Germans made vicious
counter attacks this evening and the
British had TO give up some of the ground
shev had gained during the day
The greatest British advance of the
aay was made south of the Scarpe. Cen
eral Bvng's men are reported working
east of Nis-cn-ArtoiS. and, st least reports
had gained aine-Lex-Crolslllcs, south
Of Vis-eH-Artois. Between Fontalne and
Bapaume. the British took ground near
Vraucourt. \ heavy enemy counter at
tack developed and, as the position was a
little In advance of the rest of the line at
this point, the British fell back tcmporar-
ily. They brought with them, however,
ave officers and 80 men as prisoners.
The same thing happened in the neigh
borhood of Flers, south of Bapaume,
where 20 prisoners were brought back
bv patrols which retired when the enemy
threw IN a heavy counter attack. The
German attack suffered severely from
British artillery and machine gun tre,
Delville wood ("Devil wood was taken
oy the British and then lost. 1t IS report
ID it has been captured again
Elements Of 10 enemy battalIons have
been found mixed up on front Of less
han four miles near Bapaumc-
North of the Scarpe considerable pro-
xress has been made and the British are
rpported driving eastward from Oppy
,nd CIR avelle. which they hold
One whole German unit possibly
the remains of battalion suddenly
appeared before the British waving white
landerchiefs in token OF surrender.
In various places where they have beer
creed TO retire the Germans have resorted
o the old tnck Of leaving Booby traps,
ahich explode when battle field trophy
IS picked up
4 thrilling story Of the war in the ali
came TO light today \ British double
,ated airplane attacked twelve German
chaser machines and pursued them vel
over their own lines Soon after it was
itself attacked by 20 German chase
machines, twelve above and eight below
During the ensuing mixup, the British
lain they shot down one enemy machine
n flames. 1t then ran for home and was
pursued by the other nineteen enemy
airships 1t arrived at its field with th'
pilot wounded, the observer leaning
over his body and guiding the operation
IF the plane