New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-03-29
BRITISH ESCAPE
TRAP OF 'P|NCER'
FRIGHTFUL TOLL ENACTED FROM
GERMANS AS HAIG LINE is RE.
TIRED TO NEW POSITION.
HA|G BENDS BACK FOE
NESLE AND GUISCARD TAkEN-
BAPAUME LOST AS ALLIED
ARMIES WITHDRAW.
western Newspaper Union News Service.

49, NV paper mon N'NS SeTNIte.
London, March 2G.-"Fight.ing O
IN" most severe description has beer
taking place all day on wide fronts
south Of P@ronnc and south and NORTH
llaiG'a report from British hcadquar
tiers in Fran3e last night. In boil
sectors the enemy has attacked oul
positions in great strength with fresh
forces, and, in spite of the gallant re-
sislance of our troops, has forced US
TO give ground. Germ II troops are IN
Neale and Bapaume. Heavy fighting
continues" -
Battling 70" every point of vantage,
giving ground only when overwhelmed
by numbers, and eXacting IA frightfu,
toll Of lives for every foot of ground
abandoned, the British line in Picardy
is still intact. While the German on,
slaught gained ground at a number
of points on Monday, there was nc
siS.l of disintegration in the British
forces, which at many points, espe-
cially on the northern end of the long
line OF battle, are standing firm. The
German official report tells Of the de-
feat of the British and their retreat
via iprcs and Sally This would
seem TO indicate heavy fighting far t
the north of the Somme battlefield,
of whic. no British report has spoken.
There is, however, IA town called Sail
~ south Of Bapaumc and eastward of
this place is a town known as Ytres.
points referred 10 In the statement
from Berlin.
Military observers discern in the
scheme of the German attack a repe-
tition of h German "pincer" system
of attack, which vas used by Won
Mackenacn n Russia, Rumania and
Serbia. This attack consists of two
attacks some distance apart, which
after progressing to some depth turn
toward each other, compelling the
forces caught between them to fall
back or be in danger of capture.
The British have foreseen this dan.
ger and have met 1t by first checking,
then forcing the northern jaw of the
pincer southwark, while they have
dropped back on the center and have
not fallen into the German trap.
The pressure of the defenders of the
Somme front seems to be bending
the whole German attack to the
south, where it is hoped its force will
be d~issipated.
French Forces Take over Sector OF
Battle Front.
The French positions joined the
to the south of st. Quentin, but
there have been no reports showing
that the French have fallen back from
advanced positions. On the 9TH
er hand, reports would indicate that
original French lines now virtual
y outflank the advancing Germans
along the Disc river.
In the meantime, the British strate-
~ seems to be devoted to the task of
meeting the attack so that it Is direct
I'd no longer straight at the line, but is
toward the Disc, where the
ierman advance has been most rapid.
French troops have taken over sec
ors of the front and have released
British units for work farther north.
Berlin states that Americans have also
in the fighting, but nothing has
IS yet been officially reported on this
'oint.
The largest gains made by the Ger
mans have been west of St. Quentin,
where they nave captured Nesle and
iuiscard. These points, which are at
he tip of the Teutonic attack, are f
nore than ten miles from the front
s it stood March 81. when the battle
pened.
The fall of Bapaume in the early c
Monday was a blow to the Brit I
III, but it was the result of determin- |
ton to fall back slowly all along the a
ne that is being attacked. Official 7
nports state that repeated heavy at
.cks on Bapaume were beaten off by
he British, who also forced the Ger
lans back across the Somme at a !
umber of points, only to fall back |,
hen the safe rot'eat of the main body L
the army had been assured.
Berlin claims that $4,000 prisoners
ave been taken. :,
In a message to Field Marshal Haig n
avid Lloyd George, the British pre- r
Ter, says that the men necessary to
place those lost. are either now in
rance or already on their way. All
ms will be replaced and still further p
Inducements of men and guns ready o
enter the battle. r,