Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1918-03-29
German Advance Losing Its
Momentum in Spite of
Superior Forces.
NO SIGNS OF A BREAK
German Leaders, After Sacrificing
Hundreds Of Thousand Lives, Face
the Same Organized Defense as at
start Of the Deadly Drive.

LondOn.-The greatest battle of the
present war-the spring drive which
the kaiser has been promising for some
tlme-is still In progress, fighting hav-
ing been continuous since the battle
began on March 81.
The German tactics of sending
troops into the battlefield in massed
formation has cost them staggering
losses. 1t would seem that the Hun
leaders have decided to sacrifice men
without stint in their desperate at
tempt to break through the allied lines.
Casualty List Heavy.
Following is an estimate of the num-
Der of men engaged and the casualties
in the greatest battle of the greatest
war; based on the best obtainable in
formation, but subject to official cor
rection:
Germans-T0tal number engaged in
the last six days, 1,250,OO0. Total num-
Der engaged daily, $4,000. Total a s
ualties, 100000.
British-Total number engaged in
the last six days, 100000, Total num-
Der engaged daily, 100000. Total cas-
u%alties, 10000 (including German
claim of $4,000 prisoners.) Estimate
casualties include killed, wounded, cap
tured and missing.
The German losses have been SO
great that the enemy has been obliged
to- bring r~einforcements from all parts
of the western front. The war office
has established the fact that more than
seventy German divisions Tin the
neighborhood Of Of $4,000 men) have
been engaged. 50
5ritons Exact Heavy Toll.
Exacting the heaviest toll for every
foot Of ground, the British line CON
tinues to withdraw slowly before the
pressure Of the German masses, Reu-
ter's correspondent at British head
quarters wires.
Over a large part of the battle zone
he retirement is being made volun-
tarlly so as to maintain unbroken
front.
Prisoners say the advance Of the
Germans Is behind their schedule. The
tenacity of the British resistance, the
prisoners say, exceed anything the Ger
mans deemed possible. They complain
of great prlvations on account Of lack
of supplies and extreme WEAKNESS also
Is telling heavily. Owing to the dense
masses of supporting troops, however.
the enemy is able to ~replenish his for
ward line with fresh units.
The weather remains dry, thus ia
vSring the enemy.
The Line Is Holding.
The allies on Tuesday had retreated
beyond the old line at some points and
ut others are not yet back to 1t. At
Albert they are on the 1916 line. AT
Braye and south thereof for a few
miles they are slightly west of it.
The French are not quite back to the
line in the NOyOn region. The line
of 1914 is still far to the e
THE line is holding was the la
comic comment of the British leaders
Wednesday morning when, for the
first time, the German claims did not
exceed the retreat admitted by Haig.
The latest German cIaim alleges the
crossing of the Ancre, the capture of
Biaches, BarleuX, Etalon, Busy, Bfhu-
court, Biefvillers, Giervillers; Irles and
Miraumont, and the capture of 963
guns.
Biaches and Barleux are but one
and three miles, respectively, beyond
Peronne, which the Germans claim to
have captured two days previous. They
are In the line extending to Roye, to
which the British admitted their re-
treat Monday night.
B%ihucourt, Biefviiiers, Giervillers
Irles and Miraumont are close together,
just beyond Bapaume, already con-
coded to the Germans. Mfraumont is
five miles southwest of Bapaume and
In line to Albert, which the British
have been long occupying.
Busy is five miles due north of
Noyon and somewhat east of the line
between Noyon and Roye, which the
French have been holding.
Losing Their Speed.
British officers express the grimmest
satisfaction at the result to date. The
offensive. they say, has lost its pace.
"We know to a division the troops
the Germans had available" said one
of the most important British Officers