The sun., 1918-04-18
'Passchendaele Ridge Given
Up, Thus Leaving Ypres
Exposed to the Enemy.
GERMANS PAY, HEAVILY
They Win. Lose and Again
Regain Wytscllaete and
Meteren in Day.
FRENCH IN THE BATTLE
They Join British Near Merris,
Where Germans Also Re-
port Small Advance.
FRENCH IN THE BATTLE

special Cable Dtspoich 10 TnE Suv.
Copyright, 1918: oN rights rtserted.
LONDON. April 11.--After winning a
footing IN the village Of Wytschaete
on Messines Ridge, captured by the
Germans yesterday. the British were
unable to maintain their position
there and retired to-day under ex.
ceedinsly heavy German onslaughts
The same thing happened at Meteren.
just west Of Bailleul. where the Brit
ish took Metercn and drove the Ger
mans half way 20 Bailleul. only to I've
forced back later to the west OF
Meteren
The recapture Of Wytschaete and
British and French. OF whom leen-
forcements have arrived. .on the Brit
ish battle front and went Immediately
into action. After these places were
given up again and the British ana
French troops had retired to the high
ground back or north OF them the
Germans made repeated assaults on
the new positions. all of which were
repulsel. and very heavy losses were
inflicted ulpn them.
Gain Of Little Value.
The ground gained by the Germany
Is Of little Importance at this stage
In the buttle. as their advance brings
them under the direct fire OF the Al.
lies artillery on the higher ground.
The loss of Wytsthaetc is more seri.
Gus than that of Buillcul, rs it en-
ableS the Germans. by rcsnlnin: DOS
session Of Messinrs Ridge. to attempt
TO turn the line of the ridges from
Mont KENNEL to CnsSel
Ii should b, remembered. however
Thar the French and British are now
back on the line held by the British
before the capture of Mcs.incs last
June and thar for two ana IL half
years the British held the Ypr:s
salient despite successive attacks by
he Germans. who then possessed, as
they do now. Messincs Ridge.
Despite the heavy fighting on ,he
whole line OF nine miles from W.T.
schaetc 10 MsteIcn. the Germans had
enouch troops 10 deliver a sudden al
tack to the north Of Yprcs, where there
Fad been no lighting before in this
offensive, ard captured the villages Of
Lansenarck and Poelcapclle. Berlin
reports tonight. Passchendaele also
vas taken and the German lines were
advanced near Becclaere and Gheiu-
welt.
Nprcs May re Abandoned.
TlNa 80 l..
the north is plain: the Germans are
driving deep wedges on both sides ot
iprcs, after the usual German method
for the purpose OF compelling tho
british 10 evacuate the city. This
method is usually successful and Il
looks tonight as if it would succeed
IN Vie case OF Ipres.
There is heavy artillery action on
both sides OF the Somme. south Of
Arras. and also near Bethune, which
indicates that the Germans are pre-
pairing to renew their offensive in
| these sectors.
prominent military authority ex-
pressed tho belief to-day that the en-
cmy. having driven deeply his wedges
IN tile Allied lines north and south c,'
.Airas, is about TO launch n r.rewet
attack on that point. which is the
80 ''0 '"''c III" H"' III a..
'io'''"'d'e''
E...
"" "'e"e'
ASIDE from this artillery actiy.ty no
French forces We're not IN action to-day
Field Marsha! Iia!g repor,s to-nisht thas
French reenforceme have arrived on
the British front, wes, o. y ,-cs, and are
now in the battle lire. l. Is no' be-
lIeNed however, that these are the fore
runners OF oio". Fochs great ieservs