The sun., 1918-05-15
Enemy Assault Near Nor
lancOurt Breaks Down,
Except at One Point.
so PRISONERS TAKEN
Australians Recover Lost
Section and Lines Are
Reestablished.
BATTLE FOR HILL A.
Sergeant Baylies Of "Stork"
Escadrille Bags His
Eighth Plane.
BATTLE FOR HILL A.

which in other wars would have been
Of tremendous Importance. although
now classed as local operations is
being resumed along the lines in France
and Belgium. accompanied by a bonn
bardment Of apparently increasing In
tensity. Tho great German thrust haa
not been resumed In force. but There
are indications that the enemy will not
delay his attack much longer.
To-day the Germans made an as.
sault upon a mile front near Morlan-
court. on the Bray-Corbie road, north
Of the Somme. At one point the British
positions we're penetrated. but the Allies
held everywhere else. according to Field
Marshal Haig's report.
Later. according to the same authority,
Australians recaptured the lost positions
and restored the British lines. Berlin
claims that the counter attacks failed.
The British suffered light casualties and
took fifty prisoners. INJECTING heavy
losses In killed and wounded upon the
attackers
So-called local engagements also have
taken place north Of KENNEL. where
French troops repulsed the Germans;
near Robecq. where the British raided
enemy trenches. north OF Hangard
where the French executed a successful
patrol man9uvre. and at other points.
Activity of ARTILLERY.
The Official reports reflect the In.
creasing activity OF the artillery, to
which the allied guns are replying In
kind. The Sonnne, the Ancre, the Cham.
payne and the vosges sectors have been
subjected to furious bombardments.
| An Associated Press correspondent
with the British army in France says
| that Hill ~. small but important
elevation near the Vyverheek River.
north Of KENNEL, about which such SAN
, culinary conflicts have been waged since
May s. appeared to-day to be in tho
hands Of the Germans again.
The enemy began an assault yesterday
| morning and gained a hold on this no.
sition and at latest reports was cling
! ing tenaciously to the rugged slopes al
| though the hard hitting French had been
| pressing the invaders vigorously Hill
~ has been one Of the most hotly con.
| tested points on the northern battlefield.
| When the Germans attacked between
La Clytte and Voormezeele on May
| the British were holding the elevation.
Strong enemy forces centred drive
! against this point and after bitter fight
! ing captured it, Their tenancy was
| brief, however. for the British in q
| sma shing counter thrust hurled the gray
coats back. Throughout hours OF in
| tense conflict the British hung to the
shell pitted crest. but the following da!
| the enemy organized such heavy counter
| attacks that the defenders were once
more forced to fall back behind the hill
The Germans retained the defences
until the day when the French were sent
| in for a counter attack. The poilus
stormed and retook the hill In brilliant
operation. which also resulted in the
capture Of Goddezone farm, a strong
position to the east.
| II was a foreEone conclusion that the
| Allied claim TO Hill ~ could not 20 un-
disputed since 1t dominates . consider.
able stretch OF territory In the valleys
OF the elugKish little kemmelbeek. Willie
beck and Vyverbeek rivers.
| Yesterday morning the enemy carried
out a local bombardment about the hill
and followed this by a determined at,
/ tack. The French Opposed strenuous
| resistance. but the persistent Germans
kept pressing forward slowly in the
face Of heavy machine gun and rife
| Are until they secured n footing on the
hill The fighting was still going on
! to-day
There has been considerable artillery
activity at various points along the
; front. but nothing big In the way Of in
fantry actions had been reported up TO
mid afternoon.
Ready for shock.
1t is regarded as possible that these
lesser assaults will be delivered before
the principal attack. Whenever the Ger
mans decide to engage In battle, how
ever they will f'nd facing them French,
| British and American troops ready to
meet the shock In whatever strength It
may be delivered,
The enemy's searching for weakness
in various parts Of the allied lines has
brought him only defeats, such as that
southwest OF Mailly- -Raineval Saturday
morning The special shock battalion
which the Germans threw in there left
behind ninety -six prisoners, including an
officer and fourteen n-comm' 'ssoned
officers. when il retired. beaten. The
ground facing the position was covered
with dead. almost the entire attacking
party being destroyed.
The Germans are preparing most mo
thodcally for resumption OF their gen
eral offensive. Signs seem to show that
they will attack between La Rasse" and
the front south OF Ami"ns, but 1t is also
! probable they will execute secondary
operatiu..> simultaneously In Flanders,
between Montdidter and Noyon. and pos
siby on other parts Of the 'rcE, 's 'hS
hope of attracting the allied reserves
| away from the centre.
In preparing for resumption OF tie
fighting the Germans are reconstituting
their used M divisions and bringing up
others which have not participated pre-
viously in the great battle. They are
also reinforcing their artillery power
fully and forming large supply depota
behind the lines
For the present the German miltar,
| authorities declare through the press
that the delay in carrying out THEW
plans is due to bad weather and the coa.