The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-28
Germans Penetrate "FOrWard
Zone" of English.
New Thrust Near Arras May Be
Aim at Channel Ports.
ENGLISH HOLD ALBERT LINE
Repulse Heavy Thrust of Enc
my in Bray Region.
Germans Claim To Have Cross
ed Ancre in Two Places.

London. March. 2S.-The British
front has been pierced at new
point the war office announced this
evening.
Opposite Arras. the British for
war zone has been penetrated, it
was announced.
This is on the extreme right flank
of the German advance.
Opposite Arras, at least seven
enemy divisions attacked the line
which runs thru Arleux. Fampoux,
MeuvilIe-Vitasse and BoisleuX. The
fighting was severe, with heavy enc
my losses. Opposite Arras our for
ward zone has been penetrated,
North of the Somme the situation
lis substantially the same as last night.
Between Hainvllers and Pont-
leveque, the French counter attacked
in force anG dove the enemy back
on a front of ten kilometers, to the
depth of three kilometers. The
French pressure here continues.
The enemy has crossed the Somme
from the north near Chipilly. We
fell back toward HameL"
French Counter Attack.
London, March 2S.-French troops
tkis morning counter attacked with
great dash and drove back the enc
a depath of three kilometers south
ward of Noyon.
Q}y the Associated Press)
Berlin. March 2S.-Troops of the
German crown prince having penetrat-
ed to a depth of sixty kilometres (37
milesO from St Quentin. across the
Somme, have captured Mont Didier,
says today's official report.
The German losses have been kept
Ii
fnunication, altho they have been
heavier at the vital points on the
front The slightly wounded are esti-
mated at 60 to 20 per cent.
South of Somme the Germans broke
thru the old enemy position at many
points and drove back the British and
French into territory which had re
mained untouched by war since 191 4,
says the statement.
6This presumably developed into
the capture of Mont Didier, reported
\ today by Paris.)
striking with almost uneXampled
furv against the allied front near the
point where the French and British
lines connect. the Germans yesterday
and last night drove in a deep wedge
to the west and forced the French out
of Mont Didier-
This town. which lies nineteen
miles southeast of Aniens, one of the
German objectives is ten miles west
of Roye. which the Germans took on
Tuesday.
The threat against Amiens in the
north seems to be we'll held by the
British along their front north of the
Somme. where they have maintained
their line firmly at all points and even
as indicated by today's official report
have. advanced it in places.
In the Noyon and LasSigny regions
and along the Disc to the east the
French are likewise preventing the
Germans from getting opening. The
force of their drive was thus diverted
to the west of Roye region and tht
forward push there developed proba-
bly, the fiercest fighting of the pres
ent battle.
Retires in Good Order.
Paris characterizes the engagement
as of "unheard of ferocity." The
French regiments. however. fough
with their accustomed bravery and
made the Germans pay dearly for ev
cry bit of ground they covered in thei1
desperate push for an outlet. the
French finally retiring in gooC order
to the heights to the west of Mon
Didier. News dispatch from the from
CONTINUED on Page Two.)