Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-29
,ENEMY,S ARTILLERY DELUGES ALLIED LINES
WITH SHELLS. BLASTING WAY FOR INFANTRY
IN WHAT MAYBE THE CRUCIAL TEST OF WAR
Battle on TODAY
MayDecide Fate
of Ypres Sector

The Germans today began what seems
to be a general assault on the British
hill positions on the KENNEL front,
southwest of Ypres. opening a ne"
phase of the great drive in Flanders.
Apparently the crucial test of the allied
holding power in this area is at hand.
The preliminary bombardment. started
in the early morning, took in ten-mlle
front from Meteren. west of Bailleul' to
Voormezeele. two miles south OF Ypres.
Infantry attacks in this area developed
shortly afterward, and the battle ap-
pears to have been on in earnest when
Field Marshal Haig's report was issued
in London at noon. Other reports in
dicate that the battle front has an ex-
treme length Of fifteen miles.
Striking With Great Fury.
The enemy has been striking with
great fury at Voormezeele for the last
two or three days evidently hoping to
drive in behind Ypres and break up the
orderly withdrawal of the British from
the further portions Of the fpres sal
lent which they have been evacuating.
Gen. Won Arnim has been successfully
held off from this southern bulwark OF
the salient. but meanwhile he has been
preparing to take advantage of the sue
cess he won last week in the capture
Of Mount KENNEL. which he was unable
to develop Immediately because of the
stiff allied resistance.
Further attacks in the VoormeZeele
sector may accompany the delivery of
todays blow, but the greatest force
of this thrust seems likely to manifest
itself in the vicinity of Locre. where
Sharpenburg, Mount Rouge. Mont Note
and other eminences are the enemy OBJ
jectiyes. The French. who are holding
the line at Locre. fortified themselves
late last week by clinging to this vii
lage, although more than once driven
out by savage thrusts. Another attack
which was launched there yesterday
afternoon was promptly repulsed.
Haig Withdraws Lines.
Northeast and east Of Ypres Field
Marshal Haig has withdrawn his lines
to verlorenhook and Hooge and has
given up famous Hill so. south of
Ypres On the south the British hold
verezelle after two days Of the most
bitter fighting, so that the Germans
are still two miles from ruined Ypres,
which is being bombarded violently.
especially with gas shells.
Probably to mask their real purpose
the Germans last night heavily bonn
barded the northern portion Of the
Lys battle front from Givenchy to
Nieppe wood, and likewise turned
their artillery loose on the front be-
tween there and Arras. further south.
ed in these sectors except on the part
of British, who by a successful coup
last night recaptured the post taken
from them last week near Festubert,
north Of Givenchy.
Attacks on the Somme.
As in the case Of the last previous heavy
assault in Flanders. the Germans have
also been demonstrating on the Somme
front, although not in such force as was
the case last week. They drove several
in Hangard wood, however, and heavily
bombarded this sector north to Villers-
Bretonneux. The infantry attacks were
broken up by the French fire and the al
lied artillery vigorously answered the Ger
man guns in this region and between Las
signy and Noyon. on the lower side of the
Mount Didier salient.
The German artillery is most active on
the Toul sector. keeping up an intermit-
tent fire against the American positions.
1t is believed the Germans hope by this
show Of activity to prevent the movement
of American troops to the northern part
OF the western front.