The Raymer enterprise., 1918-04-04

. bloody struggle In chalk quarry,
where many German dead now lie.
After the Germans had come some way
forward ten British tanks drove into
them and shattered somc Of their bat
talions with their machine-gun fire,
dispensing groups Of the advancing
units,
The British fought many rear guard
actions and made numerous counter
attacks In the neighborhood of Roisel,
falling back to the line Of the Somme
only when new masses Of Germans
passed through those battalions which
they had not met and beaten.
Between Gozeaucourt and Epephy
occurred most desperate struggle.
The GERMANS attacked In overwhelm-
Ing strength. Their previous BON.
bardment had had little effect and the
British troops had suffered but
slightly.
The weather was misty, and. screen
ed by this mist. the Germans were
on top Of the British before the lat
ter were aware Of 1t. In dense for.
nation they came on. offering excel
lent targets. Ground was yielded by
the British only under pressure Of
overwhelming numbers.
Heroic Deeds Of the British.
Fighting Saturday between Arras
md Bapaume for possession Of the
heights between the Cojeul and Sen.
see rivers was especially bitter. Out.
numbered eight to one, the British
troops clung to their positions to the
last.
In Gauche wood. where Scots and
South Africans were placed. another
terrific struggle ensued. The Ger.
mans several times managed to reach
the wood but were repeatedly thrown
back. Their losses In killed werc
especially heavy. as they came on ir
mass formation. Attempt after at.
tempt was frustrated.
From a height below Gauche wood
known as Chapel hill to Epephy three
German divisions and parts Of a
fourth were thrown against the Brit.
ish. At one point the enemy was ac-
tually among the British advance
posts before he was discovered. The
fog thoroughly screened him.
Waves Of Germans flowed past the
farm and around 1t. but In the farm
itself the Leicesters held out, fighting
and refusing to surrender until every
man was killed or SO severely wounded
he could fight no more.
The British showed the greatest
strength between Bapaume and Pc
rome and above Bapaume as far as
Arras. The Germans. however, con
cerned with the southern flank, at the
Franco-British junction point. concen'
trated their most terrific blows against
the Peronne-Ham-C -Chauny line, relying
on the necessity of an automatic Brit
ish withdrawal In the north II theiI
line was bent or broken In the south
Bapaume was an obstacle on. the
northern side, to capture which they
sacrificed thousands Of their best
troops. Rivers Of blood were shed fol
the towns possession In a combat tina
lasted almost all night, until thu
British finally yielded the ruins, aftel
having exacted a fearful price.
Kaiser Orders JubiIatlon.
The kaiser was with Field Marsha
Won Hindenburg In Peronne surveying
the bloody fields where thousands oI
his best fighting men were killed OF
MANNED before the British finally with
drew. The emperor ordered genera
jubilation throughout the empire
rockets and flags and a holiday for th'
children being the chief symbols o.
celebration. He conferred a gold In
laid iron cross on Hindenburg.
Wilhelm also sent dispatches to TIL
empress telling Of the progress mad
by his armies.