The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-29
GAIN GROUND BY
COUNTER ATTACK
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mans bent back the British line I
short distance to Hamel-Sur-Somme
Warfusee-Abancourt and Marcelcave
(HameI-Sur-Somme Is seven mile:
south and west of Albert on the souti
bank of the Somme. It is directly op
posite SaiiIy-Le.Sec. Warfusee-Aban
court is two miles directly south and
MarceIcave is two miles south of War
fusee-Abancourt.)
Below this the French brilliantly
held the roads to the southwark, driv
ING back the German crown princes
hordes with the bayonet at places.
FRENCH HOLDING FIRMLY.
PARIS, March 2o.-The French are
holding firmly the territory re-captur.
ed from the enemy yesterday in the
Montdidier sector, according to the
OFFICIAL announcement issued this aft
ernoon.
sin the Montdtdler region, despite
counter attacks, we held tho villages
recaptured yesterday" says the state
ment.
1--WE stormed and captured Lemont-
cheI and repuIsed counter attacks
CAdtuSS TiSooio VIC noySs
"North Of Montdidfer the Anglo
French forces are holding the enemy
on the Avre river"
There was furious fighting in front
OF PIessis-De-Roye.
ENEMY assaults were hurled valn-
iy against the Indomitab!e resistance
of our troops. Prisoners confirm the
heavy German losses in this region.
North Of Montdidier, the Franco
British are VIGOROUSLY checking the
enemy along the line of the Avre, in
front Of LaneuviIie, Dire-Bernard.
Mezieres, MarceIcave and Hamel.
ION the road from Laon to Lafere,
German infantry caIumns, conveys
wore dispersed by French artillery.
"ArtilIerIes are active on the rest
Of the 'front.'"
Battle Front Has Grown.
limited Press Leased Wire Service
LONDON. March 29.-The battle
front of the great German drive has
grown to nearly twice it's original
size as the combat enters its ninth
day.
The offensive opened on compare
lively straight front, extending
from Arras southwark and slightly
eastward to Lafere. distance Of
about fifty miles.
The area comprised in the enemy
advance now consists Of an irregu-
lar triangle, with Arleux as its north
ern point, Montdidier as its south
western point, and the southern edge
OF st. Gobain forest as its southeast.
ern point. Each OF its sides are,
roughly, fifty miles long. in an air
line, while the base is thirty-five
miles across.
The territory recovered by the Ger
mans comprises about 875 square
miles.
In the original battle line, the
has extended northward
from Arras to Arleux. distance Of
about five miles; and southwark from
Lafere to st. Gobain forest, dis
lance of about seven miles. But ali
sides OF this huge triangle are ex-
tremely irregular, especially the
his night communique, described the
from south of the Somme
to northeast Of AIras" as fifty
mile 'front.' The British and French
lines apparently converge at Warvil-
Iers, about ten miles south of the
Somme. This includes slightly more
than half of the present battle front.
From Haig's statement it would ap-
pear, then, that the entire present
frontage Is between ninety and a
hundred miles.
At several points, notably IN the
region of Albert and Montdidier, the
Germans have advanced beyond the
point where their retreat began in
1916. The farthest German penetra-
ton Is at Montdidier. which repre-
sents an advance thirty-seven miles
west and south from st. Quentin.
Allied Reserves Not Used Vet.
lBy Ed L. Keen. United Press Staff
Correspondent
LONDON, March 29-There is no
reason yet to believe that Quarter
creased his prospects of winning the
great political gamble-which is the
real character OF the German super
offensive.
Every effort thus far made to draw
in the allies reserves has failed
Meanwhil the German line has been
compelled to take an increasingly
precarfous shape. simultaneously,
the German command has been forced
to drain its own reserves past the
point Of highest effectiveness.
The time undoubtedly is approach.
ing when the allies reserves, still in
tact, would be able to strike where
they please.
Prisoners Are Taken.
LONDON, March 29.-British forces
took number of prisoners and ma
chine guns north Of the Somme, in
flicting heavy losses on the enemy.
Field Marshal Haig reported today.
His frequent attacks with great de-
throughout the day
Thursday only gained our outpost
lines after severe hand to hand fight
Ing" Haid said. His reserves sent