Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-05
SEVERE FIGHTING ON
TODAY At ALBERT
British Stubbornly Resist German
Onslaught Lasting All
Day.

London. April 5-The Germans con
ceutrated troops early today near Albert.
the War Office announces British artillery
took them under its fire I'm the ncighbOr-
hood of Bucuuoy and IN the Scarpe Valley
there WAS active artillery fighting until
night.
The British have been pressed back
short distance on the front east of Amlens s
to positions east Of Nillcrs-B -Brcttonneux,
the War Office announces.
The official statement issued tins aiter-
noon reads
Between the Luce river and the Sornme
heavy fighting continued Yesterday durng
the afternoon and evening TILL late hour.
The enemy employed strong forces and
delivered repeated assaults on our po-
sItlOns These attacks were beaten of
with loss tn the enemy. hut our troops
were pressed back a short distance to po-
sltions east Of Vilicrs-BretonnelM about
nine miles east Of Amlensl winch they now
hold
North of tho Somme the enemy artIl-
lerv has been active during the night IN
the neighborhood of Bucquoy and IN the
Scarpc Valley. Hostile conce ntratlona
early this morning IN the nelghborhood OF
Albert were engaged by our artillery.
Striking position south OF the Somrne
nearest amlens, the Germans have re-
newed Their offensive with heavy force.
In desperate fighting with the British and
French the enemy has been able 10 make
only slight gains at isolated points. being
repulsed with great loss everywhere
else.
How we'll the valiant Franco-British
forces withstood the enemy onslaughts
Is shown by the fact that on q front Of nine
miles north of Montdldicr, the Germans
used more than 100000 men Field
Marhshal Haigs center and night held Its
ground against the heavy attacks, while
the left fell back somewhat around
tIamel, sorth of the Somme and about II
miles directly east of Amiens.
FRENCH GUNS NOW DOWN FOE.
Between the Avre and the Luce the
French and Germans contested all the
ground bitterly The enemy was deter
mined To break through and used his
masses OF infantry in ten reckless assaults,
the French moving the Germans down
with artillery fire On either side of
MoreuiI, IL miles southeast of Amiens.
the French retired several hundred wards
from the villages of Mailly-Raineval and
Morisel, the heights around which are
still held by the French
SouthIof the Avre the heaviest fighting
conferred on Grivesnes. Gen Petaln
men held stubbornly Ia their positions
despite repeated efforts by the Ger
man infantry and then, IN counter
attack, advanced their own lines into the
enemy positions. Between Montdldier
and Lassigny, where the German line
bends, the heavy artillery bombardment
which began early this week, continues
violently.
The strength of the British line north
of the SomInc, which the Germans have
not been able to budge IN ten days, was
shown by fruitlees enemy attacks at
Albert Thursday. Time and again the
Germans have tried to advance from
Albert only 10 be repulsed
CHKCkED BY u 5 TROOPS
Another sector OF the long lighting
front from the North sea 20 Switzerland
has been taken over by American troops
and it is announced they now hold
positions on the heights OF the Aleuse,
south OF Nerdun. This position Is almost
directly north OF the American sector
northwest OF Toul, and has not been the
scene OF any marked activity recently
Ii Joins the Nerdun battlefield on the
south The enemy already has raIded
a listening post on the new sector, but the
raiders were not able To advance further
in the face of strong American artillery
fire
reported to haze occupied the eastern
part of Temnler(ors, north OF uelsingfors
and which has been the center of much
fighting recently One thousand prs
onerS and some war material were taken
from the rebels 1t Is reported both sides
are showing much bitterness. The rebels
or Red Guards, are accused of terrible
atrocities by their opponents, the White
E1Iarols ...hn arn ch arned Will similar