Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-04-05
important Incidents OF First Week
of Great Battle Are Given
to Public.
GERMAN AIMS NOT REALIZED
Moved Down by HaIg's Heroic Men.
the kaiseTs Troops Push To
ward the sonme by Sheer
Force Of Numbers.

lsof the great battle in France show
that, while the fighting has been more
severe than In any previous offensive,
there has been no cause for pessimism.
The German losses have been ter
rife, probably 100000 casualties hay
Ing been suffered by the kaiser's hosts.
At such cost they won less than one
third of the ground on which they had
counted. The morale of the British
troops has been perfect throughout
and they have fought magnlfcently.
Million Germans In Action.
These facts stand out:
10 Is known that at least 100000
Germans were engaged on the whole
front of attack. In the Somme area
not less than 80 army divisions were
Identified. The British line suffered
Its most severe buffeslng In this
stretch, but was firm everywhere.
The Germans believed that loss
Of 100000 would be a cheap price for
success In the west. but with loss
already OF 100000 there is no pros
pect Of their attaining the victory they
seek.
They regained all the ground lost in
the Cambrai battle and have taken
back sections of the territory taken
from them in the Somme offensive of
last year
The fighting was not by any means
continual German advance. The
British counter-attacked heavily and
Fought for every foot of ground
Details OF the Fighting.
In one battle on the extreme left
the Germans employed not less than
nine divisions In an effort to break |
through. For three days the three
British divisions held them at bay. |
Finally. under weight of numbers, the
British retired behind the line marked
by the ruined villages of Bullecourt,
East Nogueil and Croiselles.
The next morning the Germans re-
iewed the attack, striking northwari
rom Fontainelles and Croiselles and
westward from Cherissy. They drove
n mass formation, wave after wave,
oward the heights between Henin-sur-
)ojeul to Henin hill.
Two hours of drum fire, in which
as and high-exploslve shells were
Mingled. preceded the infantry attack.
rom eight O'Clock In the morning I'M
Il noon continuous waves of gray-clad
roops stormed the heights.
British machine guns posted on the
Idge swept down line after line of
ermans. BY three o'clock in the aft
rnoon the Teutons had succeeded in
ressing past Henin Hill on both sides
nd threatened TO cut off the machine
unners posted on the crests. Not
ntil then did the latter retire and re-
lin the main British force.
Similar fighting was going on at the
lme time on the right wing. Tremen-
BUS pressure was brought TO bear
FOUND st. Leger, vaux and vrau-
'urt. 1t lasted all day
At times under the German blows
e British line sagged heavily, but at
} point did It give way.
Desperate Defense of Vsulx.
A bitter battle was fought for pos
ssion of Vaulx. but British machine
miners posted In the ruins of the :
llage held the Germans at bay. A
lined factory served as a fortress !
spite the Smelling TO which it was |,
bjected. (,
Not until late In the afternoon was I.
impossible for the British to hold !.
e town longer. Even then the re- !.
Eat only went for a thousand yards. !.
he British rear guard fought every |.
~ OF the way, and. returning TO the !.
hin body. counter-attack was :.
inched against the Germans In pos I!
ssion of Vaulx and the village was 7
gained. J.
The fighting continued all night.
nally YaulN had TO be abandoned M
fore heavy night attacks. but only
cause German forces had pushed S,
st further up the line and were
wing 10 the attack of Mory.
mother bitter struggle was fought
'und Croiselles. At Mory Scottish
] English troops inflicted tremen- IN
IS losses on the Germans. on
sunday Battle South Of Peronne. III
The fighting Sunday was tremen- tic
Is. All day long heavy forces Of st,
rmnns endeavored to force a cross fri
OF the Somme south OF Peronne. eli
lie further along the line they con =
trated their Efforts against Ba- me
Inc. ity
German engineers at cel
lpted TO throw poatoon bridges sa,
nss the river. On the nearby
gifts British field guns firing prsc- die
Iuy Mt point range smashed every an,
ri. On some occasions British in TO
try couuterattacking dashed into
water 10 fight the Germans. Of
With the object Of capturing Ur- the
ers and EsSigny. southwest Of st. en-,
'ntln. the Germans employed at Ion
t six divisions. or 1000 men OF has
ming troops. the 50th. 45th IRE
-es). nth. SSth. 1S7th and 23sth.
the proportion of one division 10 S
~ British battalion. The average lea