The Monticellonian., 1918-04-05


 heights British field guns firing prac. tically at point range smashed every effort. On some occasions British in. fantry, counter-attacking, dashed into the water to fight the Germans.
 With the object of capturing Ur. villers and Essigny, southwest of St Quentin, the Germans employed a; least six divisions. or 72,000 men of stormlng troops, the 5oth, 45th Gre. serves), 11th. SSth, 1S7th anr 23Sth, in the proportion of one division to every British battalion. The average width of each attack was 2,000 yards. Ten Tanks Wreak Havoc Amid Foe.
 Passing through Urvillers, there was a bloody struggle in a chalk quarry, where many German dead now He. After the Germans had come some way forward ten British tanks drove Into them and shattered some of their bat talions with their machine-gun fire. dispensing groups of the advancing units.
 The British fought many rear guard actions and made numerous counter attacks In the neighborhood of Roisel, only when new masses of Germans passed through those battalions which they had not met and beaten.
 Between Gozeaucourt and Epephy occurred most desperate struggle. The Germans attacked In overwhelm- In ct bardment had had little effect and the British troops had suffered but slightly.
 The weather was misty. and. screen ed by this mist. the Germans were on top of the British before the lat nation they came on. offering excel lent targets. Ground was yielded by the British only under pressure of overwhelming numbers.
 Heroic Deeds af the British.
 Fighting Saturday between Arras and Bapaume for possession of the heights between the Cojeul and Sen see rivers was especially bitter. Out numbered eight to one. the British troops clung to their positions to the last.
 In Gauche wood. where Scots and South Africans were placed. another terrific struggle ensued. The Ger mans several times managed to reach the wood but were repeatedly thrown back. Their losses in killed were especially heavy, as they came on in mass formation. Attempt after at- tempt was frustrated.
 From a height below Gauche wood known as Chapel hill to Epephy three German divisions and parts of . fourth were thrown against the Brit. ish. At one point the enemy was ac- tually among the British advance posts before he was discovered. The fog thoroughly screened him.
 Waves of Germans flowed past the farm and around it. but in the farm Itself the Leicesters held out. fighting and refusing to surrender until every man was killed or so severely wounded he could fight no more.
 The British showed the greatest strength between Bapaume and Pe- rome and above Bapaume as far as Arras. The Germans. however. con- cerned with the southern flank. at the Franco-British junction point. concen- trated their most terrific blows against the Peronne-Ham Chauny line. relying on the necessity of an automatic Brit ish withdrawal in the north If their line was bent or broken in the south.
 Bapaume was an obstacle on the northern side. to capture which they sacrificed thousands of their best troops. Rivers of blood were shed for the towns possession in a combat that lasted almost all night, until the British finally yielded the ruins. after having exacted fearful price.
 Kaiser Orders Jubilation.
 The kaiser was with Field Marshal von Hindenburg in Peronne surveying the bloody fields where thousands of his best fighting men were killed or maimed before the British finally with drew. The emperor ordered general jubilation throughout the empire children being the chief symbols of celebration. He conferred a gold in- laid iron cross on Hindenburg.
 Wilhelm also sent dispatches to the empress telling of the progress made by his armies.