The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-03-25
GERMANS TAKE PERONNE
British in Retreat, Americans Defeat,
ed, Boasts Huns.


British in Retreat, Americans Defeat.
ed, Boasts Huns.
Berlin, March 25.-Victory in the
battle which has been raging near
Monchy, Cambria, st. Quentin and La
Fere is claimed for the German army
in the Berlin headquarters statement.
Ham and Peronne hav fallen.
Paris has been bombarded by Ger
man long-distance guns, according TO
the German official communication.
The statements add that the Brit
ish in their retirement are burning
French towns and villages, and that
between the Somme and the Disc the
Germans are still going ahead.
Enormous quantities of booty have
been taken by the Germans, according
to the statement.
The British third and fourth ar
mics, and parts of Franco-American
reserves which had been brought up,
are declared to have been beaten and
to have been repulsed with the heavi-
est losses On the line from Bapaume
to Bouchevesnes and behind the Som
me between Peronne and Ham, as
we'll as at Chauny. The Americans
were thrown back on Chauny.
(Chauny is on the Disc river, seven
miles southwest of La Fere and about
five miles back of the recent battle
line. This point is about at the juno
ton of the French and British lines
at the southern end of the offensive
begun last Thursday by the Germans.
American troops are known to have
been on the Chemin des Danes line
just to the east of this 'front.'
More than 10000 prisoners and 600
guns have been taken by the Ger
mans.
Following 10 the text of the first
war office announcement:
western theatre: The battle near
Monchy, Cambria, st. Quentin and La
Fere has been won.
"The British third and fourth ar
mics and portions of Franco-American
reserves who had been brought up
were beaten, and on the hne OF b.
paume -Bouchevesnes and behind the
Somme, between Peronne and Ham,
as we'll as at Chauny, were repnlsed
with the heaviest ssf lesses- s.
"The army of General Won Below
(Otto) took by storm Monchy height,
and south thereof carried forward the
attack in a westerly direction beyond
Wancourt and Henin. 1t is now en-
gagged in a fight northwest of Ba-
for hn third rnCifjnnQ -
Strong British counter attacks were
repulsed.
THE army of General Won Demar-
Witt, following upon the heels of the
vanquished enemy, pressed forward
in close pursuit Friday night as far
as the third enemy position in the
Equancourt, Nurlu, Templeux, La
Fosse, Bernes line.
EARLY Saturday morning they re-
newed their attack against the enc
my and defeated him, in spite of his
desperate defense and continual coun-
ter attacks A junction. with the left
wing of the attack of General Won
Below was effected.
Between Manancourt and Peronne
the troops of Generals Won Kathleen
and Won Gontard have forced a cross
ing over the Tortille sector, and on
the Somme battlefield are fighting
around Bouchevesnes. Peronne has
fallen. Other divisions pressed for
ward TO the south thereof as far as
the Somme.
"As early as Friday evening the ar
my of General Won Hutier, pressing
closely forward, took by storm the
third enemy position, broke through 1t
and compelled the enemy to retire.
.In ceaseless pursuit, the corps OF
Generals Won Luettwitz and Won Oct
inge have reached the Somme. Ham
fell after a desperate fight into the
hands of our victorious troops. Brit
ish reserves which were thrown
against them in a desperate attack
sustained sanguinary losses.
THE corps of Generals Won Webern
and Won Conte and the troops Of Cen
eral Won Geyl, after a fierce battle.
crossed the Crozat canal. French.
English and American regiments
which had been broSght up from the
southwest for counter attack were
thrown back on Chauny in south
westerly direction.
For the achievement~of formid
able success the troops of all the Ger
man races exerted their utmost; the
attacking spirit of the infantry could
not have been exceeded. 1t was
shown what German bravery can &C
complish. Light, heavy and the heavi-
est artillery and mine throwers, I'M
ceasingly pressing forward over crater
fields, essentially contributed to the
support of the infantry attack, which
continuously pressed forward.
"Flame throwers took their part of
pioneers in the fighting, as in their
ordinary work, and maintained the
old traditions.
"Aviators and balloons brought
valuable information to the command.
Our chasing and battle echeions, &C.
customed to victory, maintained in
hard fighting mastery in the air and
attacked the retreating enemy col
umns. Motor troop columns and
trains worked necessarily.
points of communication in the
rear of the enemy were the objec-
tives of our bombing squadrons, who
have been active every night.
Our captures have increased to
vc- 10000 prisoners and 600 guns y