The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-04-04
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
PROGRESS OF THE WORLDS
GREATEST BATTLE.
German Drive Comes to Halt.-Ne"
Offensive Against French.-Am-
ericans Take Hand.
THURSDAY.

THURSDAY.
The strength of the great German
offensive is apparently just diminish
ing. On the seventh day of the IT,
tantic battle there were strong lndl-
cations that the enemy was feeling
materially the strain he had unoer-
gone and that his power had been
greatly impaired through hard usage
While the town of Albert has oeen
captured from the British and west
of Rove the French have been COM
pelled to give ground in the face OF
greatly superior numbers, the Brit
ish have repulsed heavy attacks, Doth
north and south of the Somme, anu
also driven back across the Ancre
river the Germans who forded the
stream Wednesday. The fighting stlil
continues of sanguinary nature on
all these sectors, but everywhere tne
British and French are holding the
enemy. Especially severe has oeen
the fighting west of Albert.
The British gains, between the
somme and Ancre regions are report
ed bv the recapture of the towns OF
Morlancourt and Chipilly. South OF
the Somme they have advanced TO
Proyart.
Along the ffty-mile front, from
the region of Arras to the south OF
Disc, near Noyon, the effects of what
was to have been the final stroke to
end the war in victory for the Teu-
tons are only too plainly evident in
the redevastation of the countryside
and the wreck and ruin of the towns,
villages and hamlets through which
the armies have passed.
- FRIDAY
Slowly assuming the shape OF a
giant plow share, the German drive
in Picardy has come almost to a halt
except, at the very tip of the salient
driven into the lines of the entente
allies. AS the area covered by the
Teutonic offensive stands now, it
runs, on the south, in an almost
straight line from Ian dricourt on
the old "Hindenburg line to Mont
didier, we'll behind the allied posi-
tions as they stood in 1915.
Severe fighting has taken place on
the French part of the line. The
German attempts to advance on the
extreme tip of the salient driven into
HE French positions have been fruit
less. The British on the front north
ofsthe Scarpe also have repulsed the
enemy, but south of this river they
hare been forced to retire. From
Moptdidier the line to the northeast
runs with sharp angle to Warvillers
and there it turns northwards and
passes along the river Somme to-
above Albert, where it again turns
to- the northeast until it joins the
old lire held by the contending arm
ing on the morning of March 21.
Two New Features.
OF the confusion of the battle and
the contrary claims of the contending
armies two new features stand out.
The first is that the French, over
front of six miles, have driven into
the German lines along the southern
side of the salient established by the
Teutonic drive. The other is that
the Germans have begun new oper-
alton to the east of Arras, which
may be the inception Of a widening
of the area of battle to the north
ward.
At the present moment the allied
world is looking anxiously for news
OF the success of the French thrust
into the flank of the German forces.
The fact that the drive progressed
rapidly and cut deep notch into the
German held ground in the region
OF Noyon may indicate that this
movement is the counter offensive
which has been expected for the last
three days.
Progress by the French for con-
siderable distance in the German
forces would cut of the Teutons'
fighting at the very tip of the plough
share" and compel them to retreat
or at least pause.
SATURDAY
After eight days, during which 1t
has swept forward over the rolling
hills of Picardy, at times like tidal
wave, the German offensive has slow
ed down. Instead of sweeping ad-
vance, it's progress has beer checked
at all but one sector of the front, and
there it has been merely creeping for
the last two days-this fact is even