Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-07
AUSTRALIAN UNITS
|. ADVANCE BETWEEN
ANCRE AND S0MME
No Fewer Than $4,000 Gas
Shells Hurled at Amer
ican Lines.
CANADIANS IN ACTION
ALONG VITAL SECTORS
Italian Front Not Yet Attacked
by Austrians Assembled 49,
There.
ARRAS TROUBLES GERMANS
They Must Attack 1t Before They
Can Get Far in Flanders
or Picardy.
ARRAs TROUBLES GERMANS
rBy Associated Press.

I BY Associated Press.i .aSes
Australian and Canadian troops are
il action on the British lines along
the vital sectors Of the battle front
In Franco.
The Australians have struck the Ger
mans near Morlancourt. between the
Ancrc and Sommc Rivers. east OF
Amicns, and have advanced their limos
upward of three quarters of milo as
result of two assaults on the Tcu-
tcnic positions.
The Canadians have appeared in the
Arras sector further south than they
have been since the battles in this re-
gion began. March 81. This part or
the line is most important, as il de-
tends Arras TO the southwest and in
cludes localities such Ncuvillc-Vi-
tassc, Mercatel and BoisleauX-St. Mare,
where there have been bitter struggles
since the Germans launched their grcut
offensive.
AMERICANS SUBJECTED TO
TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENTS
American troops, on the Fronch front
not far from Montdjdcr, have been
under a storm of Shells for the last
couple of days. projcctiles containing
high explosives being mingled with
those charged with poisonous Sas'tireef
into the lines held by General Pcrsr-
ings men.
Along the rest of the front in France
there have been no cnga gementssFot
unusual character, nor has tho italian
front been attacked as yet by the Aus
trians who have assembled there. The
British forces which have been holding
the town of Es-Salt east of the Jor-
dan and northeast of Jericho. for about
a week, have been compelled again to
abandon the place b>tore superior forces
of Turkish and German troops. The
British, however, arc still maintaining
their control OF tho crossings OF the
Jordan further south.
HEAVY FIGHTING WILL. DE-
RESUMED An ANY TINE;
From the official reports and ,spn-
cial dispat tchcs filed by corresponding
at the front, there como intimattotts
that heavy lighting may be resumed Il,
any time. The fact that heavy rains
are falling may have n great deal to
COS with tho delay in the German drive,
but the allies hold high ground, from
which they can observe the German
positions. which are generally in the
lowlands and have kept up heavy.
artillery fire in sectors whore the ,Get-
mans have been assembling orsthaVa
been at work in bringing up guns for
the battle which is virtually certatntp
come.
There is feeling along the French,
front that the Germans may attack ip
the Yprcs. Arras and AmicuS sectors
at the same time. These blows Whilos
carried on Independently, would really
be phases of a new attempt to cut
through the lines in the Somme sector,
eliminate the .\rraS sector and carry
tho high ground to the southwest Of
Yprcs.
1t has been pointed out by Observers
that an attack on the ArraS sector
either on the apex between 4Arras :abya
Lens or on the sides Of the all ed iips:A
as they stretch back from those citieA
must come before the Germans cahs
hope to carry their advance in either
Flanders or picardy much further T..
1t is reported that heavy forces are.
being assembled before Arras for tho
expected attack. ~
SLoVENIANS IN AUSTRIA s.@<
IN CLASHES WITH GERMANS
Little relative to the internal situa-
ton in Austria has come over the.
cables, but from Serbian sources tits
learned that on 1T least two occasions
there have been clashes between thGs
Slovenian population of that countryk
and the Germans. iyG,
The methods by which the German.
military authorities have dealt ,yieh.,
both Berlin and Vienna BY SociaIisti
leaders.
FRENCH WAR OFFICE REPORTS ~
GREAT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY
~