Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-28
BRITISH REPULSE
HEAVY ASSAULTS
ON SOMME RIVER
Recapture Morlancourt and
Chipilly and Advance as
Far as Proyart.
ENEMY PAYS DEARLY
FOR ALL HIS GAINS
Whether Won Hindenbure or Lu-
dendorF Commands Attack
ing Forces Is in Doubt.
FLANKs OPEN TO ATTACK
Alllcd Front Nowhere Shows Sixus
OF Being Dented by Terrific
Teuton Onsiaughts.
FLANKs OPEN TO ATTACK
Icy Associated Press. 3,

me strength OF the great German
offensive in France apparently is fas,
diminishing. On tho seventh day OF
'he titanic battle there were strong in
d!cations that the enemy was feeling
materially tho strain he had undergone.
and that his power had been greatly
impaired through hard usage
While the town OF Albert has been
captured from tho British and west OF
itoye the French have been compelled
10 give ground in the face of greatly
superior numbers. the British have re-
pulsed heavy attacks. both aorth and
south OF the Sommc. and also driven
back across the Ancre River the Ger
mans who forded the stream W'cdncs-
day. The fighting still, continues OF a
sanguinary character on all these sec
tors but everywhere the British and
French arc holding the enemy Espc-
cially severe has been the lighting west
OF Albert, where tho Germans, in an
endaaror to debouch westward. were
repulsed by Field Marshal fIa;g's men
with the heaviest casualties.
The British gains between the Sonlmc
ard Ancre regions are represented by
the recapture of the towns of NIorlan-
court and Chipilly. South OF tho Somune
they have advanced TO Proyart which
lies to the south OF Bray.
All along the ffty-milc front from
the region OF Arras to the south OF
the Disc. near Noyon. tho effects OF
what was TO have been the final stroke
10 end the war in victory for the Teu-
tons are only too plainly evident in the
rcdevastaton of the countryside and
the wreck and ruin of the tow.s. viii
lagos and hamlcts through which the
armies have passed.
Westward from where the old battle
line reared itself the Germans every
where have pushed forward for mate
rial gains but with foes before them
who fought with the greatest brav-.
cry and stubbornncss and coded no
ground unless recompensed at usurious
rates in men killed. wounded or made
prisoner. 1t is estimated that in the
great attacks delivered in mass forma-
ton more than 100000 OF the nearly
100000 men the Germans threw into,
the fray are dead, wounded or in the
hands OF their foes.
About twenty-five miles represents
the greatest point OF penetration made
at any place by the enemy in his ad
vance. and on the northern and SOUTH
ern ends OF the big salient he has lett
his Hanks dangerously open to Counter
attacks, which. il successful, possibly
might result in a retreat greater than
the 1916 retroSrade movement OF Won
Iiindcnourg and nullify in its entirety
the drive that has been accomplished.
H. is not improbable that British and
French reserves. and possibly Amer
lean troops known to be behind the
battle front, soon will be thrown
against the weakened enemy.
ALLIES STILL HOLD PORTIONS
OF OLD HINDENBURG LINE
Notwithstanding the strength OF tho
German drive, nowhere has the Brit
ish or French front, along tho latte"
of which American troops have given
Il good account OF their ability as
lighters. been even dented. Ground
has been given, 1t Is true. but 50 skill-,
fully and with such precision OF move
incnt that from north to south a
surveyor scarcely could have worked
out Il more even line. Still intact in
the hands of the allied forces are por-
tons OF the old line from which Hin
Gcnburg fell back In his strategic"
retirement in 1916.
Just who is in command OF tho Ger
man forces seems TO be somewhat In
doubt Late dispatches report that
Field Marshal Won HindenburG has been
at Drinsk In the Russian theater, and
German war correspondents assert
that General Won Ludendorff not only
planned the offensive. but was on the
ground last Friday personally to con-
troll the attacks.
On The whole hattie fronts the opera
tons continue OF n minor character,
but daily the situation in Italy gives
greater indications that an offensive
against the Italians Is in prospect
Largo re-enforcements continue to be
drawn up behind the line by the Aus
trians and Germans AID the artillery
activity on the whole front is growing
moro intense. Tho fresh men being
sent to this theater are said 10 have
been drawn heavily from the Rou-
manian line.
In Russia the situation again attracts
attention by reason OF the fact that
Ukranians and the Bolshcviki have re-
captured Odessa from the Toutonio
allies, and in addition now hold the