The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-03-28

bassy, and covering the period up I'M
, III Friday evening. were that the Ger
man totaled at least 10000, and the
British less than 100000.
London, March 25.-Powerful enemy
attacks delivered with great weight Of
infantry and artillery have broken
through the British defensive system
west Of st. Quentin, the war Office an
nounces.
The British troops on the northern
portion OF the battlefield are holding
their positions.
The British west Of ST. Quentin are
falling back in good order to positions
further west. Very heavy fighting
with fresh enemy forces is In prog
ress.
The war Office states that there are
prepared positions behind the British.
TO which they are falling back. The
statement follows:
Heavy fighting continued until late
hours at night on the whole battle
front. During the afternoon powerful
hostile Attacks delivered with great
weight of infantry and artillery, broke
through our defensive system west of
st. Quentin.
! Our troops on this part of the bat
tie front are falling back In good or
der across the devastated area In pre-
pared positions farther west.
"Our troops on the northern portion
Of the battle front are holding their
positions.
"very heavy fighting with fresh hos
tile forces Is In progress"
British Fall Back.
British troops between the Scarpe
and the Disc have fallen back in
places, but the British generals had
foreseen this eventuality. and made
preparations accordingly. In the face
Of a great attack II is not only i'm
possible. but quite unsound TO attempt
to hold the front line trenches every
where.
The fighting was greatest In inten-
sity ON two sectors-One northwest OF
Cambria and the other southwest. The
fighting on the northern front was
about Bullecourt. while Hargicourt is
the southern center. A bright sun
came out at midday and airmen were
most active.
Before they attacked on the sector
between the Canal Du Nord and Crol-
stiles, on the northern battle front. the
Germans for four hours smothered the
3 M
hate which gun could throw.
The artillery preparation Of the Ger
mans In the drive against the British
lines. which is now In progress, Is de-
scribed by those who took part in II
as the most violent they ever endured,
according 10 the Daily Mails CORE
spondent on the British front.
1.-THE thing that stands out MS char
acteristic Of the fighting up TO the
present" says the correspondent. SIS
that we did So wen under the terrific
impact" Continuing the correspond
ent says:
at Is estimated that altogether
nearly 100000 Gegmans participated
In the offensive. The enemy fought
well and his gunners did good service.
The qulckness with which the guns
were brought forward into No Mans
Land after the infantry had advanced
was marked. He had in many places
the advantage over us in positions.
and he was nj all points largely SUI
perior In number.
Upon one corps front there was a
gun every Is yards. The strength OF
the mOrtars. which the enemy brought
up in such great numbers, sent over
such an overwhelming weight Of iron
and high explosives that In most parts
of the front wire ceased 10 be an OBJ
stacle and trenches We're obllterated.
IA Dreneh Batteries With Gas.
AT the same time all OF our known
battery positions were drenched with
gas, but their gas shells failed 10 reach
all OF our batteries, nor did they sue
coed anywhere In breaking down our
wire.
AT one point where the Germans
found our wire unbroken they set 10
work with scissors until they had