Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-13
WIDEN RANCE
Of ACTIVITIES !
IN GREAT DRIVE
British Still Being Pushed
Back and in Critical
Position.
GERMANS ATTEMPTING
TO ENCIRCLE RIDGE
Msssines Heights Important Strategic
al Point For Which Fierce Battle i:
Being Wased-Ameriean and French
Troops Repulse Attacks East Of st.
MihieI, Where Two Sectors Join
French Lose and Retake Hansard.

sBT0USU SoSe anu i'Ss"NS go ~
Ladications that the German
drive in the Armentieres region is
losing some OF it's force are con-
tanned in today's official news from
the battle lines.
Simultaneously American help is
counting strongly IL .he heldina OF
the long Franco Belgian front at
other points. notably in the region
east Of st. Mihiel, where American
troops have again given splendid
account Of themselves in hard
fighting in Apremont forest.
In the Flanders fighting the Ger
mans apparently are making their
strongest effort in the drive for
sailleui, the important railway
point southwest Of Armentieres,
feeding the Messines ridge section.
The heaviest fiehtins last night
in this region seems to have been
in the Neuve Eglise -Wulverhem
sector, between Bailleul and
to the southwest Of il, as was indi-
Gated yesterday. This engagement
was still in prosres at late hour
last night.
ELSEWHERE the British successes
were tof Z positive nature. They
sstopped the attempts Of the Ger
mans 70 advance west Of Merville,
s,whers the railway base Of Haz-
hro1ek e tiis objective, rspulsing
an ensmy attack. Likewise they
held up the enemy in his south
westerly push for Bethune, check.
ina him at LOGON, three miles south
Of eethune, whore two heavy at
racks were beaten off.
Meanwhile the southerly anchor
aae Of the BRITISH line was being
strongly held just to the north/of
J Givenehy, where the British not
only maintained themselves but
advanced their line slightly nIar
Festubert. capturing an important
enemy post. ;.
Allied successes were also scored
on the Somme battle front, the
British and French in united at
tack near the river Luce, southeast
Of Amiens, where their lines join,
driving the Germans completely
out Of the village Of Hansard,
which had been penetrated in
German attack during the day.
Pressing their attacks against
the British southwest Of Armen-
there's, the Germans also have ex-,
tended their. efforts to other fronts
and have elashed with French and
American TROOPS.
East Of ST. Mihiel American and
French troops have repulsed an
enemy attack in the Apremont
forest.
Repulsed in tneir efforts to gain
the Messines-W -Wytsehaete ridge,
the Germans are putting most OF
.heir strength toward widening
the salient south-of Armentieres in
an evident attempt to outflank the
hill positions and gain important
railway eenters.
In heavy fighting tho British are
being forced back to eailleul on
the north and toward Aire on the
south. Near the center the British
and the Germans are hotiy ehsaged
around st. venant, which marks
an approximate advance Of ten
miles for the Germans since Tues
day. Onthe extreme northern and
southern ends Of the twenty FIVE
mile front, where the Germans
have at least 100000, there has
bsen little fighting. 1ailleul is
Z horthwest Of Armsntieres and west
Of the southern end Of the Messines
ridge, while Hazbrouck and Aire,
toward which the Germans are
\ gsndeavorins to push home their
attacks, are important railroad
---hases.
Field Marshal Hais, like Marshal
JofFre al the battle Of the Marns,,
has called to his soldiers to stand
firm and die rather than give up q
position to the invaders. Military
observers and Major General
Maurice agree that q crisis has
been reached.
~ ;s; 4ti;ri,ssre ii,ssTre nn:u.s he no retirement"
Field Marshal Hais says in his ap-
peal. "Freneh forces rapidly are
coming to the aid Of the British
and 4 gigantic struggle probably
will be enacted on the lowlands be-
tween Lille and ST. omer."
Tho Apremont forest, whore the
Americans and French repuIsed
ths enemy, is whore The American
sector northwest Of TouI joins the
Y french lines. The Germans gained
advanced elements, but the Ahieri-
cans and French made q spirited
sounter attack and drove them out.
osrn,an aerial forces also have
Been busy. Paris and the east Of
England were raidsd Friday night.
Two asropIanes got thru the Paris
3sfsrsss and eleven persons were
xilled and fifty wounded. One Of
IN 80 fff1 . n