The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-05-03

and out of the hamlet for hours.
The British counter stroke which
ousted the Germans from Yillers
Bretonneaux, south of the Somme, was
q great success from the start. The
town had been cleared of the enemy
by Thursday afternoon with the ex-
ception of two pockets of infantry
and these pockets were cleared up in
the evening.
Several light British tanks were
used against the enemy in this action
There was fierce fighting in the streets
of the town after, the British had
launched their counter attack at 10
O'Clock. British gunners had been de-
luging the place with gas and the as
saulting infantry went in wearing gas
masks.
The Germans also were forced to
don their masks and the streets were
filled quickly with madly fighting
men who looked like beings from an
other world in the big eyes of their
face projectors. The town hall was
full of boches. Many of them had re-
tired to the cellar wnere they were
trying to sleep in their gas masks
for there had been no thought of
British attack that night.
Large numbers of the enemy were
slain in the streets and many were
taken prisoners. BY Thursday morn
ing those who had been in hiding
were crawling out and surrendering
freely. They were still wearing their
gas masks.
Among the prisoners captured were
several young officers who gave their
opinion of things in general with re-
freshing candOr. They We're chagrin-
ed at the fiascO which the Germans
had made of the Villers Bretonneaux
attack Some had unkind things to
say of the higher command
A British officer in talking with
one of the young German lieutenants
asked the latter to explain why the
German submarines had sunk only
one American transport.
'That is what we would like to
know" the youngster replied.
Submarine Bases Raided.
British naval forces, reinforced to
some extent by French war craft. have
carried out startling and daring
which. if it should prove to
be successful, may play II marked part
in the future of the war.
No less objective was sought thar
the plotting out by one sweeping blow
of Germany's submarine menace from
the bases at Zeebruge and Ostend by
the sinking across the exits from the |
harbors of large old time cruisers |
laden with cargoes of concrete tc |
make them more difficult of removal |
While full details of the attack have |
not yet been received. the information |
at hand is that two of the cruisers |
we're blown up at the entrance to the |
Bruges canal at Zeebruge and another |
was sunk while passing IN the canal |
At Ostend two additional warships |
we're run ashore and destroyed by
bombs, but it is believe they failed to
fully choke the channel.
Volunteers were chosen by the Brit
sh admiral in command for the dan.
,erous task, and a far greater mum.
)er of men than could be used in the
willingly came forward and
offered their services for a maneuver
which might be successful in Kidding
he waters of menaces which had re-
NAMED impregnable under the shore
batteries, the guns of warships and
he treacherous shoal water outside.
0ne British torpedo boat destroyer
vas sunk by the German guns and
our smaller craft are missing, while
considerable number of casualties
N board the attacking vessels was