Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-05-22
TAKE PRISONERS and GUNS
French Advance on Two-MiIe Front
Northeast Of Locre and Also Take
Prisoners-Nibble at the
German Lines.

London, May 22.-Northwest of Mer.
vile in the Flanders salient the Brit.
ish improved their positions Monday
night, the war Office announces.
Thirty prisoners and six machine
guns were taken by the British In this
operation. A counter-attack on the
new positions, launched after period
81 heavy Smelling, was crushed 6y the
British artillery and machine guns. The
statement says:
"A successful local operation was
carried out by troops. of the Surrey bat
talon Monday evening northwest Of
Merv1lle. A re-entrant in our line In
this sector was closed up and 30 pris-
oners and six machine guns were cap
tured by us. Ma
Early in the morning hostile coun-
ter attack against the new positions,
delivered after heavy bombardment,
was broken up by our artillery and ma
chine gun fire."
French Advance.
Paris, May 22.-The report Of the
war office says:
During the night French trops car
ried out successful operations east
and northeast Of Locre. All their OBJ
jectives were gained on front of some
1000 yards, and over 400 prisoners
were captured.
local fighting occurred early in the
morning north Of Albert as result Of
which a few of our men are missing.
A party Of our troops rushed a Ger
man post east Of Hebuterne and cap
tured a few prisoners and two ma hine
guns.
"The hostile artillery has shown con-
siderable activity with gas shells in
the sector north Of Bethune.
eve captured few prisoners as
result of successful raid carried out
in the Albert sector. A raid attempt
ed by the enemy north of Hinges was
repulsed with heavy loss to the hostile
raiding party.
'sThe hostile artillery activity in
creased considerably at night on the
AlDclL-buC4uoy 4loIl.
Allies Are "Edging H."
Delay in the launching Of the ex-
pected German offensive apparently Is
giving the allied troops little concern,
as they improve their positions here
and there by strong local attacks.
Whether the Germans are prepared
to renew the heavy fighting Is not
yet clear, but strangely they do not
react against the Anglo-French nib
bling tactics.
On the Lys front between Mont Kim
mel and the heights Of Mont Rouge
and Scherpenberg, the French have
greatly improved their positions in
forward movement along front OF
two miles. Not only were important
gains made, but more than 400 Ger
man prisoners were captured. The en-
envy has yet made no counter-attack
there, nor has he made any effort to
retake the village Of Ville-Sur-Ancre,
on the Somme front, captured in a
gallant attack by the Australians Sun
day.
Between the Somme and Arras the
British are harassing the Germans by
rushing their outposts, and the French'
have been successful in similar opera
lions in the region of Rheims, in the
Champagne The German artillery fire
is especially violent on the sector
south Of the Somme, and north OF
Bethune, northwest Of Arras. To
Bethune has come the fate Of so many
other towns and cities or northern
France, and it Is now mass of ruins
as result of the German lombard
ment. .uF
There is no let up in the intense
aerial activity. In fighting in the air
British aviators have destroyed q
German machines and driven down
three others out Of control, as well
as burning three balloons. Bombing
souadrons also are busy behind the
German lines, and Monday q ton OF
bombs was dropped on Landau, north
west of Karlsruhe, on the Rhine Sew
eral fires were started.