The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-31
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Paris, May S1-Bafled by the vaIor
of the Allied soldiers, the Germans
yesterday failed to enlarge greatly the
pocket in the Allied line. Even in
the center the enemy appears to have
been held and the advance there is
slackening.
In accordance with their favorite
maneuver the Germans apparently are
swinging their columns eastward with
the object of getting around Rheims
through Vile en- Tardenois and the
Valley of the Ardre The bastion con-
stituted by the ruined city and the
high ground known as the mountain
of Rheims is menace to the Ger
man flank. 1t is too strong to be att
tackled from in front with any chance
of success, so the enemy is trying to
turn it from the southwest.
While any progress by the Germans
on French soil, with the inevitable trail
of ruin and desolation, strikes French
hearts sorely, the answering conf
dence with which the general public
views the situation is most remark
able. No doubt is felt as to the out
come and there is no weakening in the
resolve to fight on to the end.
Paris, May 31.---Near scissors and
farther south German attacks broke
down, the French maintaining their
positions. the official statement of to-
day says
In the center the Germans made a
slight advance north of the Marine.
Farther east and northwest and north
of Rheims all the German efforts were
vain. The French by a counter at
| tack won back the town of Thillois,
west of Rheims.
The statement follows: '@The Ger
mans extended their effort on their
right as far as the Disc by violent
attacks in the region of the Ailette.
The French we'll back, fighting, on po-
sitions to the noi til of the line Blrean-
court-Epagny.
'In the region of Scissors and far
Their south the German attack broke
down before the heroic resistance of
the French, who maintained their po-
sition in the western outskirts of the
town and along the road to Chateau
Thierry.
I'm the center the Germans sue
ceeded in making a slight advance in
the regions north of the Marine. Far
Their east, as well as northwest and
north of Rheims, all German efforts
to make progress were vain. An en-
ergetic counter attack by French
troops won back Thillois.'
With the British Army in France,
May 31.-(By the Associated Press)-
Another big British hospital was
bombed by German airmen early yes
terday morning and once more many
medical workers and some patients
were killed or wounded.
The hospital caught fire after a
large section of the building had been
demolished by a bomb. A few wom-
en- nurses were among the slain and
their bodies, together with those of a
considerable number more of the per-
sonnet and patients, are buried in the
ruins according to the latest reports.
London, May 31.--Activity by the
German artillery in the Villers Bre
tonneux sector, east of Amiens, and
in the Albert region to the north, is
reported today by the war office
There has also been lively gun fire
from the enemy lines on the Flanders
'front.' between Festubert and the
Clarence river.
The statement reads:
ga party of our troops rushed g
German post southeast of Arras dur
ing the night and captured a few
prisoners. A few prisoners and &
machine gun were captured by us also
in \patrol encounters northeast Of
Ypres. The enemy raided one of ou1
posts northeast of Robecq. A few Of
our men are missing.
1.-THE hostile artillery was active II
the Vil1ers Bretonneaux and Alger5
sectors and between Festubert and the
Clarence river"
/ London, May Shorty German
divisions are engaged in the Aisne bat
| tie and 40 more divisions are in re
: serve, says a dispatch from Reuter-.
, correspondent at French headquarters
1t is possible, the dispatch adds, tina
the enemy may strike another blow
for Amiens or Dunkirk, but for the
moment he appears to be throwing hi!
entire strength into the conflict on thu
Aisneb Scissors was reported to havC
been in flames Wednesday evening.