Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-26
FIRST ehocK ls ENpEp

Yielding only slightly at, the first
shock Of the German assault in the
renewal Of the drive in the great battle
south Of the Somme, the British and
Trench-American lines are now stand.
ing firmly against the desperate count.
ibss assaults OF the enemy on the KEN.
mai hvut
South Of the Somme. where the in.
! concentrated, the British have lost VII
lefs-Bretonneaux and the French the
village Of sHangard. Already Field
,NaYshal Haigs forces have begun to
react strongly In the vicinity of the
, former place and they have regatned
ground around 1t and considerably Inn.
proved their general situation.
Hangard has once Before been in
German possession during the Somme
battle and 1t changed hands twice in
the present fighting before the French
drew out of 1t and established them
selves firmly on it's western edge. The
Germans have made repeated attempts
TO debouch from the place but each
time the French we're solidly in the
WAY.
HUNS ARE pEPERATE
The fighting Is continuing today with
the Germans desperately struggling to
make headway. Their meagre gains,
after . pause long enough for him to
bring up his heaviest, artillery and
whom he must have been at the pin.
nacle Of his strength is significant.
Meanwhile the Germans have not
abandoned even temporarily their ef.
forts on the Flanders front. Apparent
" they are .center1ng their blows on
the sector dominated by Mount KEN
mel.
They attacked the French last night
IN the region northeast Of Batlleul and
after being repulsed returned to the
attack today with assaults in the same
sector and on the British front further
east.
i Against the Franco-American post
lions, the Germans, although In large
force. had to be content with only a
footing In Hangard and in the woods
to the north. Assaults east Of Hailles
and against SENEGAL wood and Hill 81
IN the region Of Castel, were thrown
hack with no gains for! the attackers
The line between Hailles and Castel
a but three miles from the railway
running south from Amiens.
GERMANS LEARN CAUTION
Apparently the Germans did not re-
sumo the offensive with as heavily
msssed forces as were used in the
previous battles in Picardy and last
week in Flanders. Probably they are
counting on the artillery to blast a
way for smaller bodies of troops, the
losses since March 81 in massed as
saults having necessitated economy in
man power.
Il IL not yet clear whether the re-
newal Of the fighting east Of Amiens
means another desperate attempt to
roach that city or whether the Ger
mans ore carrying out attacks on a
large front imam endeavor to straight
On out their line. The German posi-
lions from Albert south to Montdidier
have several small and dangerous
Balients In them and the enemy may
desire to wipe them out.
There has been some increase also
b tho fighting activity in Flanders, es
pecial1y at the apex Of the new enemy
salient. The Germans attacked east
Of Robecg, and were repulsed while the
British made slight gains west Of Mer.
rille and around Meteren. Northwest |
81 Festubert, where the new line joins
The old, the British have recaptured an |
advanced position, inflicting losses on
The Germans.