The Washington times., 1918-03-25
GAINSBY GERMANS
FALL FAR BEHIND
PLANS OF LEADERS

LONDON. March 25.-The German
stan planned much more extensive
gains than those recorded, according
to reports from the 'front.' Copies of
the German plan of offensive taken
from prisoners show that the enemy's
cbjectives were as follows:
First day average penetration along
the whole front OF attack. eight kilo-
meters: second day. twelve kilome-
tiers. and on the third day, beyond
which the scheme does not appear to
be carried. twenty kilometers-
The success attained thus far falls
much short OF these obtectives, the
dispatches state.
One correspondent says: Every at
tempt to cross the .Somme by means
of bridges thrown over the river dur
ing Friday night were detected and
frustrated with loss by our artillery
FIRE. All roads In the rear Of the Ger
man advance are blocked by columns
OF troops. guns, and transport veht-
cles, furnishing a target upon which
we are making deadly play. Rough
estimates OF the casualties inflicted
vary between 30 and so per cent OF
all enemy divisions so far identified,
but Igive these figures for what they
are worth. They probably are based
upon statements made by the pris-
oners."
British Defense stubborn.
A German correspondent. telegraph
ing from the neighborhood- OF the
Oise. Is quoted as saying:
"All our movements have taken
place with miraculous exactitude. ae-
cording to the plans OF the master
who organized the attack The Eng
lish are defending themselves brave
ly. but the British command was not
equal to the attack. which, although
doubtless foreseen. probably was not
expected so early"
An Amsterdam dispatch says: an
the last twenty-four hours n!nety-sev-
en- German divisions were engaged.
Thus the German command concen-
trated against the British front half
of the forces at its disposal on the
whole western front"
BIASED on 1000 men to q German
division. the number OF Germans en-
gagged. according to the Havas cor
was approximately liza
000.l
-Red0ubts VILE Apart.
The Daily Mails correspondent al
the front sends the following descrip-
ton:
along o considerable part of the
front there was q series of redoubts,
about q mile apart, each redoubt being
held by 100 men somewhat on the
principle Of the bIockhouSss ir S"r4h
with formidable belts OF BARB
ed wire around them and a strong
armament of machine guns and trench
and provisioned for two days.
"All of them did valuable work In
delaying the German waves OF ad-
vance. They were surrounded and
to a terrible fire. but all held
on during the first day of the attack
until late in the afternoon.
How Germans Advanced.
"The Germans suffered most from
the machine gun fire. Their mode OF
attack in crossing No Mans Land
consisted OF a'first wave OF two com
panies. marching almost shoulder to
shoulder. with light machine guns.
A hundred yards behind came two
more companies. closely followed by
a number OF machine guns. Next,
after an interval OF two or three hun
bred yards, came light trench mortars.
and the battalion staff Again there
was q space OF zoo yards and then
across prepared exits from the Ger
man trenches the field artillery drove
out into the open in columns. forming
into line Of battle as soon as pos
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