Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-26
GREAT BATTLE IN PROGRESS
British and Germans Locked in Death
GrappIs on the Somme.

British and Germans Ioekeo VI See"
GrappIs on the Somme.
What will probably prove TO be the
greatest battle OF the war up TO TINS
time is now in progress. II was
launched by the Germans on Thurs
day over Il British front OF nifty miles.
cent.ring OH the Cambrai sector on the
Sommc river. and has continued
through Thursday. FRIDAY. SATURDAY.
SUNDAY and yesterday. WIN results
not Yet fully decided.
Tn, German attack Is known 10
have been q matter OF long and clad
crate preparation, and the attack'hs
J forces are believed TO have included a'
least a million troops under me per
Sonal command Of the kaiser ana th'
crown prince. IL IL not denied th;l
the British were fully expecting inc
attack, and were as well prepared 10
m.et II as could have been POSSIBLE
without full detailed knowledge as l"
the exact locations OF the heaviest con-
ccntrations of enemy troops. On the
contrary, il Is assumed oiiCially thlt
the British never expected To be able
10 hold their front line positions III
the face OF the overwhelming numbers
that would be thrown against them.
| Their plan was 10 hold the front lines
us long as possible. inilict as much
damage rs they could OF the
advancing hordcs. and retire in prrpar-
cd positionS in the rear. There being
no hope OF checking such orerwh'iin-
ing numbers on the front lines. the
strategy OF the situation was 10 draw
the enemy rs far AS possible from ms
base. SO us TO make communication
more difficult and give the BrltlSh
time TO bring up re-iniorcrmrntS. y
part OF the advantage thus gained Is
| that the British communications III thr
rear are already organized over good
roads, while the communications oi
the enemy have To br established over
a torn up and devastated country.
There has been on definite statement
| OF British losses from official sources
| further than the claim that these
losses are within moderate bounds or
even light. considering the number OF
men engaged and the extent OF the
Operations. The Germans tell nothing
OF their losses: hut claim 10 nave
captured 10000 British prisoners ana
To have taken 600 British guns. The
| British have not denied the loss oi
guns or prisoners; but state that very
few guns were captured after the nrst
two days: that most of their guns
| have been withdrawn in good order
l'pS'N'oi's '''
| ciul reports. however. indicate that the
losses inflicted on the Germans have
been very heavy.
The Germans claim To have ad'anr'
ed over Il distance Of about six miles.
| to have taken the towns OF l'rrrunc.
Ham and chauny and To have defeated
the British third and fourth armies
and portions of the Franco American
reserves. Washington. however has no
| information that any American troops
| have been engaged mp To this time ana
advances the suggestion that II any
Americans are really in the lighting.
they are probably engineers who may
have been cnvclopcd as ~ Camhrai.
| Following is the Associated Press
summary of the general situations:
On the battle lire in France the
| sanguinary strusgl" still IL going on.
| with the British troops on most OF
the sectors apparently holding their
own. but with the Germans AZ salient
points still pressing forward.
The town of Chauny. southwest Of
ST. Quentin. situated on the road to
! Compicgnc. the gateway Ia Paris. has
been occupied by the Germans and.
| according TO the Berlin official COM
munications. everywhere between the
Summc and Disc rivers the iicrmans
are pressing their advantage.
| Throughout Sunday along the en-
| tire 50-mile battle front the lighting
never ceased for moment, and where
Peld Marshal Haig's men were una
BILE to withstand the terrific onslaughts
delivered by greatly superior forces
| ground was given, but always I'm or
derly fashion.
1t now has been definitely ascer-
| tanned that considerably more than
/ ~ t,n,. hnA
TO the western front in an endeavor
| the line from the region OF Arras TO
! Jkc. .ssitifsrsff ffStt-7dereSn016SnittsdklHy-
becomes increasingly evident that the
enemy in his drive has met with op-
position not counted upon and been
unable to realize to the full his OBJ
jectivcs.
In addition to Chauny. the Germans
are claiming the capture OF both Pc
rome and Ham, and have increased
the number of prisoners taken 10 more
than 10000. in addition 10 coo guns
and large stores Of war materials.
1t is claimed also by. the Germans
that American and French regiments
which were brought up to reinforce
the British have been defeated, but
no further information than this mere
statement has been vouchsafed.
In their retirement, according to
Berlin. the British are burning towns
and villages behind them. This state
ment. however seemingly, IL capable
of being received with reserve, as the
Germans themselves. i'm their famous
strategic" retirement left little stand
ing in the territory they evacuated.
even denuding the country Of trees.
One of the mysteries Of the often
sive which now has been solved is
that the Smelling Of Paris Is being
done by Il long range German gun
This statement Is contained in the
Berlin official communication, and 4
Paris dispatch says that one OF the
guns has been located near Iaon,
about IS miles from the center Of
Paris. Throughout Sunday morning
and into the mid afternoon shells were
dropped in Paris at intervals Of from
IL to 20 minutes.
Already the spirit OF boastfulness
which pcrvades the German army In
times of success is being strongly man.
ifcsted. Field Marshal Won Hinden-
burg has complimented the German
emperor on the initial success and
the latest German official communi-
cation Is loud in Its plaudits OF the
German troops. declaring that the
attacking spirit OF the infantry could
not have been exceeded"