American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-04-26
GERMANS GAIN A MILE
ON FRONT NEAR AMIENS
Smashing Blow Delivered on Twenty
Mile Front, and Heavy Fighting Re-
sumed North of Ypres.


After three weeks of preparation in
the SOmme, during which time they
launched an offensive in Flanders,
the Germans have resumed their ham
mering at the front door of Amiens.
For days there has been heavy artil-
lery firing along the northern sectors
O.. the SOmme salient, and finally the
German infantry began their attempts
TO advance on the line passing Viii
lers-Bretonneux, Hungard, Hailles and
Castel.
The first attacks were repulsed but
subsequent attacks, centered about
illers-Bretonneux, have caused a
the. northeast of Bailleul have been
according to a report from Field Mar
shall Haig. This marks a German
gain of about a mile
Villers- s-BretOnneux is about II miles
directly east of Amiens and is on the
northern end of the latest fighting
front. It is situated between the
Somme and Luce rivers, and while it
is flanked on the south by the low
lying ground. it is backed by rolling
hills to the west and northwest.
The fighting on the rest of the
front where the Germans have resum-
ed their drive toward the allied base
Of supplies in northern France has
not, so far as known, resulted in any
notable retirements on the part of the
allies. The German official report
issued Wednesday was silent as to
events in this sector of the front.
An attack on this particular part
Of the line in the Somme region had
been expected, and it is probable that
preparations to meet it had been
made. The British lines held firm in
this region during the last days of the
initial drive, while the Germans were
able to forge ahead further south un-
til they reached the village of Castel
about three miles from the railroad
running to Paris from Amiens. Re
Gently a French counter offensive at
Castel won back considerable ground
and it was evident that unless the
line further north could be advanced
materially the Germans had little
chance to make important gains in
their operations to the south OF
Amiens.
The line at which the German in
fantry is again being thrown, on A
front of 20 miles, extends from the
district north of Albert, northeast Of
Amiens, to the Avre river, southeast
of the city. Nearly all this front is
held by the British. whose line links
up with the French at the River Luce
about three miles north of the Avre
It has been regarded as almost in
evitable that the Germans would agar
strike here, as the advance of theiI
right flank in the Amiens section wa
stopped short by British resistance a
Albert, tagging far behind their left
which was pushed to Castel.
Strike North of Ypres.
This new drive has been made a
the same time that another blow ha
been struck at the British and Frencl
lines northwest of Ypres. Savag
fighting is reported at various point
along the line from Bailleul to Mer
vile and Berlin claims that heights {
the northeast of aBilleul have bee
stormed Coincident with these at
tacks there have been assaults il
the British forces near Bethume
along the Lave river. but these hav
been repulsed
Some of the uncertainty as to tn
success of the British exploit in al
tempting to seal up the harbors c
Zeebrugge and Ostend has bee
cleared up by observations carrie
out by aviators. Grave damage wa
done to the mole at Zeebrugge, Will
the hulks of sunken steamers are sal
10 at least partially block the chann'
leading out to sea from the port {
Ostend.
On the front in France. with th
exception of the Somme salient, thei
has been little fighting of an unusu;
nature.