The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-01
BIG DEFEAT FOR
HUNS AT YPRES::
THOUSANDS SLAIN
Gigantic Drive Stopped by Fran
co-BritiSh ArmieS-Dead
Cover Fields.
GROUND RECLAIMED BY ALLIES
French Drive Germans From Locre by
Dsshing Counter et-Driye-Enemy
Swept From kemmeI Hill
by Entente Artillery.

London, May 1.-The correspond
ents with the British army agree that
the enemy Monday suffered nothing
less than disastrous defeat 1t was
the first phase of the battle in his des-
perate attempt to capture the line of
hills held by the allies, which endan-
ger his possession of Mount KENNEL
With the British Army in France,
May 1.-Further desperate smashes by
Won Arnims army against the allied
lines on the Flanders battlefield met
futile and costly attempts earlier In
the day to break through and capture
the hill positions west of KENNEL.
Allies Regain Ground.
Not only did the British and French
maintain their positions at virtually all
parts In the face of furious onslaughts
but during the night they reclaimed
several bits of territory on which the
enemy had succeeded in getting hold.
Locre had again fallen into German
hands, but the French once more made
dashing counter-drive and thrust the
enemy out of this important place.
The allied lines in Flanders in the
morning were to all intents the same
as when the Germans surged forward
Monday.
Huns Pay Fearful Price.
In front of the defending positions
gray uniformed men lay in great num-
bers, representing the awful price paid
by the Germans.
Fierce fighting continued about Lo-
ere all day and the enemy sacrificed
great numbers of men in an attempt
to push through here
In the meantime the f1anks were
holding brilliantly against successive
shocks. A particularly bitter battle
was waged astride the Kemel-La
Clytte highway, near the junction of
the French and British. Here the enc
my tried his favorite trick of dividing
the two forces, but he found no weak
spots.
AT Ridge wood, west of Voorme-
zeele, heavy fighting also continued
throughout the day, the Germans los
ing great numbers of men, both killed
and wounded. 1t is impossible to say
how many attacks the enemy made at
this point during the course Of the day;
they came forward in waves through
out long hours.
Allies, Outnumbered, Victors.
There was no cessation of the ter
rible battle. The wonder is that the
allied troops were able to hold in the
face of such onslaughts by superior
numbers.
The German artillery, which had
been greatly augmented for this at
tack, pounded the back areas inces-
sanity, and the duel between the op-
posing guns of all caliberS from Sat
urday evening until Monday night was
appalling.
The British improved their position
slightly before Villers-Bretonneux. The
enemy artillery was very active in this
region, and the enemy guns were in
creaSingly busy from Vimy northward.
Thus far the German capture of
KENNEL has done them little good, for
the allied artillery has kept the crest
of the hill so smothered with shell fire
that it has been impossible for the ene-
my to occupy it in force.
British Statement
The war office issued the following
statement: Successful counter-at-
tacks carried out by French troops
drove the enemy from the remainder
OF the ground gained by him during
the morning in the neirhborhood of
Locre and captured ii number of pris-
oners The whole village is in the
hands of our allies.
After the heavy repulse inflicted
on the enemy the night passed com
paratively quiet on the northern bat
tie front
ION the remainder of the British
yond artillery activity on both sides
in certain sectors"
French Statement.
Paris, May 1.-The war Office issued
the following statement: The region
of Hangard was violently bombarded
during the course of the day.
'1n the Noyon sector a German at
tack resulted in spirited engage
ment. Our troops drove the enemy
from advanced elements where they
had taken foot in the first assault and
re-established their line. Patrol en-
counters occurred on the left bank of
the Disc.
'The artillery battle was waged