Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-13

Great Britain's armies stand at bay iu France and Flanders. After three weeks of a combat which has eclipsed anything that has ragged during the entire four years of warfare, Field Marshal Haig has issued a command to his men to hold their ground at whatever cost, and fight with the knowledge that their blows are struck flor safety of their homes and the freedom of mankind"
 The end of the first phase of this giant struggle may now be Considered as passed. There must be no retire Snent,n is Haig's admonition. which adds that the British are now fight ing with their back to the wall. The withdrawi in Picardy was officially re" ported to have been a part of the al- lied strategy, but the period for such tactics seemingly has gone into his tory.
 The order issued by the field mar shal contains another sentence which may be pregnant with significance. The French army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support he said, and this is tho first official in timation that the allies are ready in Flanders. nor yet in Picardy, but may be aimed at some part of the line where Generalissimo Foch may beli- eve he can cut through the German front and compel the Teutons to re- lax their pressure against the Brit ish.
 The allies stand today on a front which has been dented and battered, but which Is very stronE throughout.
 Tracing this line from the south, it is found to leave the sold battle front at Braucourt, west of Loan. From this point it runs to the west, passes south of Coucy-le- -Cheteau and curves north until 1t reaches the Disc River, which it follows until it reaches a point south of Noyon. Here the line crosses over some high hills and runs just north of west to Mesnnil, west of Montdidier, where it turns to the north. This line is continued as far as Castel, where 1t turns northeast to Hangard and then by a crooked line through Albert to a point east of Hebuterne. Here the line runs off to the northeast through Bucquoy and Boisleux to F'ampoux, east of Arras.
 At this point 1t turns north to Be- yond Lens and then turns sharply to the northwest past Bethune, entering the scene of the most bitter fighting. Jt continues as far as Merville, which marks the farthest advance of the Ger mans in their present offensive opera ton, and then bends to the northeast to Passchendaele, north and east of Tpres. Here it curves to the north west to Merckem and thence north over the lowlands of Belgium to Nie- port to the sea
 The capture of Merville features the fighting of during the past day, but all along the line from just north oi Lens to HoIlebeke southeast of Ypres there have been tremendous attacks which have been met by savage re- sistance. The hardest fighting along this front seems to have centered ab- out Messines Ridge, for which the Ger mans and British have struggled hand to hand. At last reports the Ger mans held the eastern half of the ridge while the British were in contro of the western slope.
 This sector has been the only in fantry fighting of the past day, but g bombardment of the Bray -Corbie road south of Albert and north of the Somme, may foreshadow another blow there. Hangard, too, has been heavily Ihelled by the Germans. On the othel ironts reports show only usual trencl operations.
 The Turks and Germans have beer attacking the British lines north O. Jericho since April 10 and have en tered British positions both east anC west of the Jordan, but London say they have been driven out by coun, ter-attack.