Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-18
Battle in North Becomes
One of Greatest in
Entire War.
ALLIED LINES HOLD
AGAINST ONSLAUGHTS
Battle Still Raging With Great In:
tensity and War May Be Won or
Lost East Of Hazebrouck and Ypres-
Numerous German Attacks Repulsed
With Severe Losses-No Change in
< British Front During Night.


standing intact last night as it ex-
listed yesterday morning, following
the retirement from Ypres, no
ground having been lost despite
the heavy German attacks thru
out the day.
Checked, for the time at least,
in front Of the strong positions
dominated by KENNEL hill, the
Germans are turning their atten-
ton to the southwesterly sector OF
the battle field.
The enemy is fr.dino himself
cramped on the southerIy side OF
the wedae he has pushed into the
British line and seems on the eve
Of an effort to widen it out.
At LOGON the Germans are only
some three miles north of sethune.
a. important railroad center, and
At Robeeq are within six miles OF
LiIlers, = Junction point on the
railway from 6ethune to Haze
brouck. The British have been
HOLDING this sector Of the front as
strongly a. they are the northwest
erIv end Of the salient. where they
Have he"a .f .he German attempt
10 advance toward Hazebrouck, as
I vvas Indicated anew in the repulse
81 the fresh German attacks last
niaht in the Merres sector, along
the BaiIIeul- Hazebrouck railway.
E II seems not unlikely that the err
tente hish command has forecast
: possible larger German purpose
20 drive southwark, envelop Beth
une and push on to point where
they can compel the British to fall
back from Givenchy and the region
north Of Arras, where the dominat-
inq vimy ridge is the German OBJ
jeetive.
Whether, indeed, this be the
Iaraer German. strategy has not
vet been shown. The development
Of the enemy demonstration on the
LOGON. Robecq line, however, will
be followed with close attention,
in view Of this possibility and it's
bearing upon tho great struggle on
the Somme front to the south,
where the firm hold Of the British
on the Arras region and tho line
south Of Albert has held up the
enemy push on Amiens.
French troops have come TO
Field Marshal Hais's assistance
and are fighting side by side with
the British east Of Hazebrouok.
During The, past twenty.four
hours the heaviest fighting has
been along the Lys on front Of
fifteen miles, from west Of Mer-
vile to Wytsehaete. The British
took the offensive and regained
Wytsehaete and Meteren, six
miles ealt Of Hazebrouek, Wed
nesday but the Germans in strong
counter attacks forced them to
retire again.
Along tho remainder. Of the front
the enemy threw wave after wave
Of attackers against the Franco
British defense, but It did not
faIter and the Germans gained
nothing in paymentf FOR sansuinary
losses.
Altho the retirement east Of
,Ypres was to be expected for
strates;eal reasons, the fact
that il has been carried out has
caused sentimental regret. Lanse-
marek, Passehendaele and PoeI-
capelle, which Berlin reports the
Germans occupied after the Brit
ish retirement, were the scenes Of
desperate encounters in the hard
won British advance Of last sum-
mer and fall when they gained the
entire Messines. s.PasschendaeIe p
ridge.
Correspondents report the Brit
ish retired to prepared positions
along or close to the line from
which the offensive was lost in
1917. This would place the new
line probably near sossinehe,
Wiettje, oHose and Hill 60, south.
east Of ZiIlebeke land about two
miles east Of Ypres. BerIin's Off
ciaI statement attempts to make it
appear that the Germans gained
towns on the old Flanders battle
field after fighting.
The British retirement was
carried out Monday and British
guns reaped harvest in the enemy
ranks.
a SWedrssday the Germans gained
no new ground from east Of Mer.
willie to Wytsehaete, but were
compelled to use large forces in !
rscapturing Wytschaete and Met;
tsrsn. The German pressure east
Of Haxsbrouek shows the enemy
still desires the capture Of this
base in the possible hope Of eaus-
lnc Z further retirement in the
yprss sector. How large the