Omaha daily bee., 1918-04-27
DEFENDERS ISOLATED.


The Teutons launched terrific at
tacks along the whole Wyschaete-
Bailleul- Metern line Wednesday, ape
parently for the purpose of finding
a point which might yield. They
evidently found that spot in the
section of the front held jointly by
the British and French troops, and
against it they hurled fresh divisions
which fought their way forward all
day Thursday until at nightfall they
had surrounded KENNEL hill and
isolated the French troops holding
the position.
All night long the fight went on
and it was not until Friday that the
Germans succeeded in storming up
the slopes Of the height.
The loss of KENNEL hill Is serious,
for it overlooks much of the lowlands
lying back of the allied lines in the
Ypres salient. The hill Is 464 fe&
in height, rising from lowlands ~
the south and east. 1t is six miles
southwest of Ypres and three miles
west of. Wytschacte.
DEEP NOTCH CUT.
The German success cuts a deep
notch in the allied line to the SOUTH
west of Ypres and completely out
fanks the British on the northern
slopes of Messines ridge, to which
they were forced by the German
assaults of two weeks ago. The line
TO the southwest, toward Bailleul,
apparently is in no particular danger
at present, although the village OF
Dranoutre has been lost to the
enemy.
So important is the possession Of
KENNEL hill that the allies must
launch a counter attack to recapture
it, and the French have begun
savage attack on the height. If the
Germans continue to hold 1t and
either consolidate their lines or push
on, the allies will be at a great dis
advantage in future engagements.
Rolling up Move Launched.
The latest reports from the scene
of the battle are that the Germans
are attacking on a line from La
Clytte to the Ypres- Comics canal.
La Cydtte is about a mile and a half
north of KENNEL hill and is six and
half miles west of the Ypress
comics canal, which runs almost
due south from Ypres.
The evident purpose of the attack
is to roll up the allied positions
south of Ypres and force retire
ment from that war-tortured town.
The position of the Germans is such
that only the sternest defense will
avail to check their threatening ad-
vance.
At other points along the battle
lines the Germans have made no
important gains.
Huns Hold Hangard.
At Vilers Bretonneux the British
have held their lines and completed
the work of clearing out the last
German position on the ground held
before the German attacks Wednes-
day, but Hangard is apparently in
German hands and the Teutons have
forged ahead just to the north Of
this village and are reported to have
launched attacks on the town of
Cschy without, however, having
occupied the place.
Further south Immediately north
of Castel, the Germans have pene-
trated the village OF Hailles and are
in possession of hill 81, south of the
village.
The French have counter attacked
this front and regained ground. At
no other points has the enemy ad-
vanced although bitter fighting has
been going on in many sectors in
both the Somme and Armentieres
battle areas.
There have been artillery duels at
various points along the French
front to the south of the Somme, as
we'll as positions further south. Only
the usual patrol engagements have
been reported from the Italian front