The Washington herald., 1918-05-09
Forward Thrusts Are Near
Merlancourt and Sally
le-See.
iNR0AD INTO ALLIED
| LINES COMPENSATED
French Gain Ground Near
La Ciytte; Germans
Advanced Also.

London, May s.-The Germans,
in a heavy local attack on the
Flanders front between La ciytte
and Noormezeele this morning.
succeeded in entering the Franco
British front line positions in the
center, after heavy fighting, Field
Marshal Haig's night report ssyx.
The German attack was repulssdl
at other points, the stasene,s
adds. The French dsrias ehs
night advanced their line soxth Of
La Clytte, taking priso.erk
! Fighting Continues at the poi.As
where the German peuet-.&sss
were made.
The text Of tse statenest 49,
! lows:
: This morning the eoemyI
launched = strong local attack
against the French and Brt;shi
troops holding the sector betweeni
La Clytte and Voormezelle and
IN the center Of his attack suc--
ceeded, after heavy fighting, iui
entering the front line Of the al.
lied positions at certain points.
Fighting is continuing in those
localities.
AT other points the eneary's at
lacks were repulsed.
BY a successful local operation
the French troops advanced their
line overnight south Of La CIvtie
land captured number of prison
rcrs.
From the remainder Of the
| British front there is nothing of
Especial interest to report"
Australians Thrust Forward.
Aside from the German attack north
OF hemmel. the most important W.
tantry action Of the last twenty-four
hours was carried out by the Austral-
lans. They advanced their lines Oh a
front Of 800 yards to a depth Of Efsl
yards lear Sally Lezc. southeast OF
Amiens, and added to their esins
around Aorisncourt. pushing forward
some 800 yards on 4 front Of 500 wards
Prisoners were taken.
Only artillery and raidIng actions
are reported from the French front.
The Exchange Telegraph's CORE
spondent at the front foreshadowed a
new drive against Epres He thinks
"a storm is at hand" and ADDS:
Everything is ready TO meet the new
push"
Some correspondents say the Ger
man losses have ben replaced by Aus-
trian units. Other dispatches indicat.
the possibility OF a German general
assault along the whole front between
pres and the Disc. Days of rain have
turned the Flanders front area into a
quagmire.
Twelve German Planes Dowued.
London, May S.-Four hundred
bombs were hurled by British ayi-
ators on various important works
and stations behind the German
lines yesterday. Twelve German
machines were brought down in air
battles. A violent aerial engage
ment was fought near the German
base of Douai A German obser-
vatfon balloon was also brought
down. All British machines re-
turned safely.
Flame Proved Spstter.
| Won Arnim stuck poker into
the glowing Flanders battle cauId-
ron this morning. For a while it
looked as IL he were intent on shak-
ing things up again 20 bursts OF
flames. But IL that is what p. was
after he feiled signaIIy. for he raiI-
ed to get beyond a limited. almost
timid stir. causing all kiud~ 90
sputtering but comparatively little
damage
He attacked the Franco British
lines between La Clytte end Voor-
mezeeI. north of KENNEL.
Beaten on on FIsaks.
In the center. according to Haig's sd-
mission tonight. the German shock
troops succeeded in entering the sliicd
front line positions. after heavy Tight
ing, but on the TANKS they were
beaten 0H II ua~ an oDeraff0n and