The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-04-19
HAIG SMASHES
new HUN DRIVE
FOR BETHUNE
125, 900 Germans RepuIsed Upon
12-MiIe Front-Suffer
Heavy Losses.
BRITISH AIDED BY French
Battalion After Battalion of Enemy
Infantry Charged Into. Decimating
Fire of the AIlies-Defenders
Subjected to Storm Of
Gas Shells.

London, April 19.-One of the most
telling checks the Germans have suf-
fered in their Ypres operations was
announced by Field Marshal Haig on
the anniversary of the capture by the
British three years ago of Mount
KENNEL
Employing upwards of 125OO0 men
the enemy delivered powerful infan
try assault from the neighborhood of
st. Venant southeastward toward Gil
venchy. This comprises approximate
ly twelve miles of front. According to
the official statement the Germans
We're utterly repulsed with appalling
losses. More than 200 prisoners were
taken.
Cooperating with the British, it is
understood, were French infantry bat
taliOns and batteries of the famous
75s.
Seek Canal Crossing.
This thrust, evidently aimed at
crossing La Bassee canal and the TAX
ing of Bethune, was presaged by tre-
mendous artillery preparation, begin
ming about dawn. From Robecq along
the line to Givenchy the British lines
were subjected to storm of high ex-
plOsive gas shells.
During the forenoon the infantry ac-
ton developed, the enemy hurting him.
self furiously against the allies lines.
Battalion after battalion, moving en-
masse, charged into the decimating
fire of the allies.
The battle ragged all day, but at no
time, reports indicate, did the khaki
line yield. Toward evening" his divi-
sions disorganized by losses, the enc
my desisted somewhat, although the
fighting continued fercely at spots
with violent artillery dueling over the
whole sector.
French Take Over 500 Huns.
Paris, April 19.-The war office is
sued the following statement on
Thursday night: 1--WE have attacked
various enemy positions on the Avre
on front of four kilometers 1.-TWO and
half miles), between Themes and
Mailly-Raineval.
EAST of the Avre we have made
progress and west of it we have taken
the greater part of the Senecat woods
and carried cur line to the outskirts
of Castel. Farther south we reached
the slopes west of the heights domi-
mating the Ayre.
''The number of prisoners taken by
II nyaaa1S fn S00 Of
whom 10 are officers. We captured
several machins guns.
1T is confirmed that an enemy raid
east of Caurieres wood was deadly for
our assailants. We found about forty
German bodies on the ground. We took
20 prisoners, including one officer.
I'm the region of Corbeny the
French caught under their fire and dis
persed strong German detachment
which attempted to approach the
French lines after artillery prepara-
tion.'
May Drive at Bethune.
With the British Army in France,
April 19.-The Germans brought up
fresh divisions for the hard thrusts
which they made on Wednesday AL
though the British were unable t
hold Wytschaete and Meteren, which
they had retaken by brilliant cOun-
ter-attack, they beat off the enemy
elsewhere. The British maintained
their line throughout the night.
A renewed heavy bombardment of
the British front between La Bassee
canal, at Givenchy, and the Nieppe
forest suggests the Germans contem-
plate another heavy drive in this re
gion in the hope of taking Bethune and
creating a new salient.
All the areas back of this section
of the front were sprinkled with gas
shells throughout the night. AT six
o'clock in the morning the lombard
ment weas nearly of drumfre intensity
between LOGON and Robecq, where the
enemy has tried repeatedly to advance
his line to the canal.
Six heavy attacks were delivered by
the Germans between Bailleul and
Ypres in an attempt to bend back the
British front still farther and to Gre
ate another dangerous salient In the
Flemish marshes.
KENNEL hill was assaulted by three
waves of Germans about one O'Clock in
the afternoon, but the enemy was
thrown back with heavy casualties and
counter-attack completely restored
the British line. Other attacks were
broken by British machine gun fire.
The Germans opened a heavy bom-
bardment of the British, nOsitions on