New-York tribune., 1918-03-18
French Advance Half a
Mile on Wide Front
Near Malancourt
Blow Is Heaviest
Of Year by Poilus
Teutons Hit Back at Yer.
dun Centre, but Can't
Hold Gain

LONDON, March 17-Violent firht-
ing on extended fronts has broken out
IN the Verdun sector, with the French
driving forward on the extreme left
of their line around the great citadel
ana the Germans countering by strik-
ing at the French centre. Petain's de-
tachments stormed the enemy trenches
at Ialancourt on the west bank of the
Meuse last night and carried the foes
lines on front of 400 metres and
to depth of 800 metres almost half
a mile.
To-day the Grown Prince hurled
German contingents at Samogneux, the
bols de Caurieres and Bezonvaux, all
on the east bank of the river Paris
admits that they penetrated the French
defences at various points, but says
they suffered heavy losses and could
not hold the ground which they had
gained
Heavy Fire Prccedes Attack
After the German positions west of
Avacourt and before Malancourt had
been subjected to an nccssant she'll
fire for ten hours the French went over
the top and engaged the enemy over a
wide front" Berlin dispatches say
the attackers were repelled after hard
fighting.
series OF strong German attacks,
IN which Hessians, Waldecks and Sax
day against the French lines near
Samogneux and Bezonvaux. Paris ad-
mlts the enemy penetrated some of the
first line positions, but was compelled d
to withdraw by the violence of the
French fire. Berlin speaks of this ac-
tion as a victory, claiming 200 pris-
oners, including the staff of a bat
talon.
Last year General Petain, in series
OF short, sharp and invariably success
tul battles, in which many thousands
OF prisoners were taken. gradually
drove the Germans back from around
Verdun until they had lost all direct
observation of the citadel and held
only little Of the ground gained by
the Grown Prince In the first days of
his grand but disastrous offensive of
1916. By the close of the campaign of
1917 the French lines were defensively
perfect and the French armies stood in
an excellent position to strike down the
valley of the Meusc
Hoovinct RlOxr or Won.
The French effort of last night is
clearly one of the heaviest attempted
this year. and was evidently aimed at
Malancourt, which still remains in
German hands. This little town lies in
a cup of hills the crests of which domt-
nate the west, or left bank, of the
Meuse for several miles. Should, Pc
tain seize tlis position German re-
treat over a cons iderable sector would
become inevitable. Hill 3O4 and Dead
Man Hill are already occupied py the
French. Malancourt and the region
around it is the last commanding
ground which the Germans hold on the
west bank of the river. 1t may be that
the valley OF the Meusc is to be the
first field of great Allied operations
this year.
With only few exceptions the entire
NeSlcfn lnealIe OF war is IN action.
Patrol clashes are becoming more fire.
continues unabated. New activity by
the Germans against the British posi-
tions between the Menin Road and La
Basses regions indicates an effort by
the German command to extend the
salient at that point which now is one
Of the few sections of the old Hinden-
burg line which remains intact.
Big German Guns Active
This entire region and that section
to the southwest of Cambrai, as we'll
as the Baupaume- -Cambrai Road, the
Scarpe Valley and the east of the
terrific hammering bv giant guns. The
German long range artillery is playing
upon tho rear Of the British positions,
either preparing an attack or seeking
to destroy Haight's communications.
Even greater activity than that dis
played during the last few days is
being displayed by the aircraft board
of both combatants. Allied machines
are especially active on bombing expe-
ditions. On Saturday they dropped
thirteen tons of bombs on enemy bill
lets and are subjecting these shelters
to constant attacks
They also attacked a hostile air
drome and three large ammunition
dumps on this expedition, and an Off
cial statement says that one hangar
was completely destroyed a Gotha ma
chine which was about to rise crashing
to the ground.
Sixteen enemy aircraft were brought
down and seven others were disabled.
while six of the British aviators have
not returned.
Berlin reports the destruction of