Gilpin observer., 1918-04-04
GERMANS SUFFER
TERRIFIC LOSSES
First Week Of Great Battle De-
scribed in Detail.
AERoIsM OF THE BRITISH
Retiring Slowly to the somme, They
Exact Awful Payment for Every
Foot Gained by the
kaiser'e Hordes.

London.-Details of the first week
of 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 25O.OOO casualties hav-
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 magnificently.
Million Germans In Action.
These facts stand out:
1t Is known that at least 100000
Germans were engaged on the whole
front Of attack. In the Somme area
not less than 50 army divisions were
identified. The British line suffered
Its most severe buffeting In this
stretch. but was firm everywhere.
The Germans believed that loss
of 100000 would be cheap price for
success in the west, but with loss
already Of 25O,OOO there is no pros
pect Of their attaining the victory they
seek.
They regained all the ground lost in
the Cambria 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
a 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-
newed the attack, striking northward
from FOntainelles and Croiselles and
westward from Cherissy. They drove
in mass formation, wave after wave,
toward the heights between Henin-sur-
Cojeul to Henin hill.
Two hours of drum fire, in which
gas and high-explosive shells were
mingled, preceded the infantry attack.
From eight o'clock in the morning un-
til noon continuous waves of gray-clad
troops stormed the heights.
British machine guns posted on the
ridge swept down line after line of
Germans. By three o'clock in the aft
ernoon the Teutons had succeeded in
pressing past Henin hill on both sides
and threatened to cut off the machine
gunners posted on the crests. Not
until then did the latter retire and re-
join the main British force.
Similar fighting was going on at the
same time on the right wing. Tremen-
dous pressure was brought to bear
around st. Leger, Vaux and Vrau-
court. 1t lasted all day.
At times under the German blows
the British line sagged heavily, but at
no point did it give way.
Desperate Defense Of vaulx.
bitter battle was fought for pos.
session of vaulx, but British machine
gunners posted in the ruins Of the
village held the Germans at bay. A
ruined factory served as fortress
despite the shelling to which 1t was
subjected.
Not until late In the afternoon was
1t impossible for the British to hold
the town longer. Even then the re-
treat only went for a thousand yards.
The British rear guard fought every
lfn nf 70 ho
main body, counter-attack was
launched against the Germans In pos
session Of vaulx and the village was
regained.
The fighting continued all night.
Finally Vaulx had to be abandoned
before heavy night attacks, but only
because German forces had pushed
past further up the line and were
driving to the attack of Mory.
Another bitter struggle was fought
around Croiselles. At Mory Scottish
and English troops inflicted tremen-
dous losses on the Germans.
Sunday Battle South Of Peronne.
The fighting Sunday was tremen.
dous. All day long heavy forces of
Germans endeavored to force a cross
ing Of the Somme south Of Peronne,
while further along the line they con.
centrated their efforts against Ba.
paume.
Repeatedly German engineers at
tempted to throw pDntoon bridges
across the river. Cn the nearby
heights British field guns firing prac-