, 1918-04-04
,..,o,tant Incidents Of First Week
| Of Great Battle Are Given
to Public.
herman AIMS NOT REALIZED
v,v.d Down by HaIg's Heroic Men,
III. Kafser's Troops Push To-
ward the Somme by Sheer
Force Of Numbers.

:, tho great battle in France show
aot while the fighting has been more
..rere than in any previous offensive,
marc has beer no cause for pessimism.
The German losses have been ter
Lsc nrobably 100000 casualties hav-
,,r been suffered by the kaiser's hosts.
AZ such cost they won less than one
th,rd of the ground on which they had
.,rnted. The morale of the British
troons has been perfect throughout
md thev have fought magniicently.
Million Germans In Action.
These facts stand out:
II Is known that at least 100000
Germans we're engaged on the whole
tront of attack. In the Somme area
MT less than 81 army divisions were
identified. The British line suffered
is most severe buffeting in this
stretch, but was firm everywhere.
The Germans believed that a loss
Of 100000 would be a cheap price for
uccess In the west, but with a loss
already of 100000 there is no pros
meet of their attaining the victory they
seek.
They ~regained all the ground lost in
the Cambria battle and have taken
back sections of the territory taken
from them In the Somme offensive of
last year.
The fighting was not by any means
a continual German advance. The
British counter-attacked heavily and
fought for every foot of ground.
Details Of the Fighting.
In one battle on the extreme left
the Germans employed not less than
nine divisions in an effort to break
through. For three days the three
British divisions held them at bay.
Finally, under weight Of numbers, the
British retired behind the line marked
by the ruined villages of Bullecourt,
East NOgueil and Croiselles.
The next morning the Germans re-
newed the attack, striking northward
from F~ontainelles and Croiselles and
westward from Cherissy. They drove
in mass formation, wave after wave,
toward the heights between Henin-sur-
COjeul TO Henin hill.
Two hours of drum fire, in which
gas and high-explosive shells YER
mingled, preceded the infantry attack.
From eight o'clock in the morning un-
til noon continuous waves of gray-clad
troops stormed the heights.
British machine guns posted on the
ridge swept down line after line Of
typrmOnE Ru fhran atolDnIy IN %hA off
ernoon the Teutons had succeeded in
pressing past Henin hill on both sides
and threatened to cut off the machine
gunners posted on the crests. Not
until then did the latter retire and re-
Join the main British force.
Similar fighting was going on at the
same time on the right wing. Tremen-
dous pressure was brought to bear
around st. Leger, vaux and vrau-
court. 1t lasted all day.
AT times under the German blows
the British line sagged heavily, but at
no point did 1t give way.
Desperate Defense Of vauIx.
A bitter battle was fought for pos
session Of Vaulx, but British machine
suhners posted in the ruins of the
village held the Germans at bay. A
ruined factory served as a fortress
despite the Smelling to which 1t was
subjected.
Not until late In the afternoon was
II impossible for the British to hold
ue town longer. Even then the re-
treat only went for a thousand yards.
Inc British rear guard fought every
S'ep or the way, and, returning to the
maih body, a counter-attack was
launched against the Germans In pos
session Of Vaulx and the village was
regalned,
lhr lighting continued all night.
tln"lly Vaulx had to be abandoned
oe'ofe heavy night attacks, but only
Ueeause German forces had pushed
pust further up the line and were
Wt'lhg to the attack of Mory.
another bitter struggle was fought
sfound Croiselles. At Mory Scottish
anu English troops inflicted tremen-
uous losses on the Germans.
Sunday Battle South Of Peronne.
Hshtlhg Sunday was tremen-
SouS. All day long heavy forces of
Germans e~ndeavored to force a cross
Jug or the Somme south of Peronne,
VINE further along the line they CON
.sn,ruted their efforts against Ba-
ne 'ntedly German engineers at
n'.ea to throw pontoon bridges
ss,oss the river. On the nearby
Seishts British field guns firing prac-
Hs'Ily at point range smashed every
lort' On some occasions British In
tn'Ey' counter-attacking, dashed into
'"T water to fight the Germans.
nlth the object of capturing Or
oniefs and Esslgny, southwest Of st.
yuentin' the Germans employed at
sast six divisions, or 72,OOO men OF
pVuIullng trOOna tho Rntb ARtb fro.