The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-03-30
NOYON IS LOST;
OISE RIVER HELD:
ALL|ESPLAN COUP
Germans Violently Attacking the
Anglo-French Army on
ChauInes Line.
LOSSES STRIP HUNS LINES
Allies Hint of Great Counter Blow
When the Right Time Arrives
Teuton Reserves Are Hurled
Into Battle.

IHlC DdLLISs
British Army Headquarters In |
France, March 27-There is reason to |
believe important events will be re-
corded within the next few hours
which may lead to betterment of the ,
position of the armies which are stem
ming the German onslaught. The enc ,,
my is fighting desperately hard against |
time. On the first day his reserves
were reduced to 81 divisions. At the
end of the second day some 40 d. |
visions from the reserves had been put |
in. A heavy German attack about Err
villers was completely smashed by the
British artillery fire.
London, March 27.--The fighting
died down during the night, the war
office reports. The British estab-
lished themselves in new positions
east of Roye and Albert.
Fight Dies Down.
The Germans this morning began at.
tacks against the combined French
anu blllioh lOlCeS SOutu VI Tie
Somme.
The German losses have been so
great that the enemy has been obliged
to bring up re-enf0rcements from all
parts of the western front. The war
office has established the fact that
! more than 70 German divisions Tin
neighhorhood of $4,000 men) have
been engaged. The statement follows !:
49, aas
nIsrss-- Our troops established them
selves on new positions east Of Roye
and Albert.
"North of the Somme continuance
of the fighting is expected, but it has
not yet developed Attacks are re-
ported to be developing this morning
south of the Somme against our troops
and those of the French in the neigh
borhood Of Roye and Chaulnes.
"The enemy's losses continue to be
severe. He has been obliged to re-
inforce his battle front from all parts
of the western theater. Over 70 hos
tile divisions are known to have been
engaged in the battle"
Noyon Is Evacuated,
Paris, March 27.-The battle contin-
ues with the greatest violence and the
Germans are making still greater eff
forts along the whole front between
Noyon and Chaulnes, the war office
announces.
NoyOn was evacuated by the French
during the night.
The left bank of the Disc is being
held firmly by the French. The state
ment follows:
"The battle continues with violence.
During last evening and in the night
the enemy multiplied his attacks on
the whole front between Noyon and
Chaulnes. The French artillery, well
established In the region of Noyon and
supported effectively by our infantry,
is retarding the German thrust. FIRE.
quent counter-attacks have been made
and heavy losses inflicted on the
enemy.
"Noyon was evacuated during the
night in perfect order. The French
are holding the left bank of the Disc
firmly"
Allies Have Trump to Play.
French Front in France, March 27.-
Entire confidence reigns that the Ger
mans last trump In the world battle
will be overtrumped when the proper
Tho oIIfnd oiItta rev
authorities were fully cognizant that
tho enemy's supreme military effort
would cause retreat until measures
could be taken to check the Eruption
into the allied positions.
AS always, the attackers possessed
the advantage of knowing exactly
where they would launch their on
slaught while the defenders were com
PEELED to await development of the
battle before meeting the onrush with
counter measures.
There is every sign In the situation
that the terrific attack, In which ap.
parently somewhere in the neighbour
hood of 100000 Germans Of all arms
are engaged, is being slackened.
French Reserves Turn Tide.
The resistance of the allies seems
firmer and the arrival on the scene of
French reserves, sent to the southern
flank, brought welcome support to the
British, who sustained the first power
full onrush.
The German divisions which began
what evidently was intended to be an
irresistible forward movement, were
so cut up that they were replaced by
fresh formations. 1t Is these divisions
which have been checked at the posi-
lions on which 1t was foreseen By the
allied generals that q stas1 would be