The Robesonian., 1918-03-25
GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE.

AS Expected In Initial Stages-Ger-
mans Claim Capture of 10000 Men
and 200 Guns.
The Germans began Thursday an
attack against the British lines on a
larger scale than any made thus far
during the war on any part of the
western front. Saturdays Associat-
ed Press war news summary gives
the following.
In battle that has rivaled III fe-
rociy any that has preceded it during
three and a half years OF warfare the
British, on 50-mie front, have with
stood a great German offensive in its
initial stages. At%some points the
British line has been bent back, but
not as much as had been expected by
military experts acquainted with the
forces the Germans had brought up
and the power of the guns they had
upon and behind the line.
AS result of the struggle on that
part of the front just west of Cam
brai, where the fighting was apparent
ly hottest, the British line has no.
where been broken and Field Marsha
Haig's men have inflicted frightful
casualties on the enemy.
nature of the fighting the Berlin for
eign Office states that 10000 men and
200 guns have been captured. This
may be compared to the British loss
es in the German counter offensive or
December a, 1917, when 5000 men ano
100 guns were captured.
The first reports of infantry fight
ing were indicative of an attempt or
the part of the Germans to drive
wedges into both sides of the Cam.
brai salient, isolate the British troops
farther east and regain the Hinden.
burg line, from which they were driv.
en- on November %, 1917, by Genera
Byng's sudden blow. Subsequent dis.
patches have proved that this was
indeed, the plan of the German gener.
al staff. The fighting on the rest o1
the 2O-mile front was but side is.
sue to the terrific onslaught aimed
at Gauche wood and Langicourt, the
south and north bases of the salient
There is no data upon which it is
possible to estimate the success at.
tained by the Germans to the South
but names of towns where the armies
were battling on Friday show that OF
the northern side of the salient the
Germans bent the British line bach
about two and half miles. It was
reported that st. Leger was the scene
of a hard struggle and that Doignies
had been retaken by the British.
These points are about four milo
metres, or 2.48 miles, back of tn Brit
lsh lines as they stood before the at
tack began. Berlin claims that Brit
lsh first line positions from Arras tx
La Fere were captured.
The concentration Of men and ar
tillery on the British front, as showr
in official reports, demonstrates thai
the Germans are making a determined
effort to smash the British front. For
ty divisions, or about 100000 Teuton
ic troops, are in the fight. The tota
number of cannon the Germans ar,
employing cannot be estimated, bu
unofficial reports say that there wer,
1000 guns on one small sector. Aus
trian and Bulgarian troops have mad
their appearance on the British front
The attack was launched under tn
eyes of Emperor William, Field Mar
shall Won Hindenburg and General Lu
dendorff, the three guiding spirits o
the German war machine. The Frene
report fighting in various sectors, es
pecially in the Champagne and in Lo1
raine.
Hostilities are not limited to tn
front in France, but the Italian bal
lie line is beginning to show signs {
activity beyond the ordinary. An Aus
tria.i attack in the Freuzela vale
was checked by the Italians after {.
advanced pest had been taken. II
Frenzela river is a confluent of tt
Brenta and drive there would
for the purpose of gaining a footho
on a road to the plains of northe,
Italy.
Americans DemOlish Lines.
American cannon have continued tt
terrific pounding Of the German lin
In the Luneville sector and raidil
parties have found that the Germ;
trenches there have been demolishe
So complete is the evacuation of t
German first lines that an Americ
patrol crossed No Mans Land witho
artillery assistance and without
ing fired on by the enemy.