Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-25
BRITISH FACE ODDS OF
8 TO1AT SOME POINTS
[Continued from First Page I

against the British line near Ergillers
but at the latest reports the onrush-
ing troops had been unable to force
their way through the intense artil-
lery barrage which the British main
tanned. ,1
A heavy battle also has been pro-
ceeding to-day on the British right
flank, where the enemy had sue
cecded in forcing his way across the
Somme and the canal south of Ham,
The allies were delivering counter
attacks with the purpose of push
ing back the invaders across the
waterway.
British Army Headquarters in
France. Sunday, March "a. - The
main thrust on the British right
flank by the Germans Thursday
morning was south of St. Quentin
and the enemy used division for
every 1000 yards of the front, there
being approximately one German
division against every British bat
talon. The purpose of the attack
here was to capture Urvillers and
Essigny-1e-Grand and thereby ac-
quire high ground for a further ad-
vance. 1t now is possible to give
more details of the early stages OF
this and other fights.
On the extreme right of the Brit
ish army the enemy crossed the river
| Disc at two places. One body OF
| troops came out of La Fere and
| swung north, while another armN
| crossed at Moy and turned south to
form a. junction with the La Fere
group. Throughout the day the bat
tie ragged in the lowlands about the
| Oise.
Hold Until Lost
At Nendeuil a group of British
! held out until 4 o'clock Friday af-
ternoon. A little further north the
Germans stormed Urvillers and Es.
| signy. Just west of st. Quentin the
British were forced to fall back bu;
| throughout the day they clung tC
| the Holnon wood, a little northwest
of the city.
! South of st. Quentin a number o.
| strong British redoubts made a gal
liant defense and it was nightfall be
! fore the last of them, with their ma
chine gunners, had been reduced
| The end of the first day found tn,
British behind the st. Quentin canal
| Renew Desperate Fighting
NJ Friday morning the enemy re
newed his assault with increasing vi
| gor and after desperate fighting il
| the region of La Fere, succeeded il
| getting across to the British side.
! Further north the British alsC
| withdrew from the Holnon wood
| The Germans then drove at Ham
which had been cleared of civilians
| and Saturday morning, after obtain
/ ing a crossing of the canal, drove
| southwark into the British posi-
! tions.
In the other main theater of op
| erations-between Arras and Ba
paume-the Germans made thei
first drive against the high rounC
between the Cojel and Sensee rivers
| The German preliminary lombard
ment was terrific and their infantr!
| outnumbered the British eight to ont
| in some cases.
Hot Point at NLory
Early the Germans began attack
ing southwark into Bullecourt ant
the British withdrew in n line cover
ing NaulX-Vrancourt, Morchies ant
Baumetz Les Cambria. The hotties
and most disputed point was Mory
which the Germans occupied onl.
| yesterday.
/ During Friday the Germans over
ran st. Leger, NaulX-Vrancourt ant
! Henin. One company of machine
gunners on Henin hill held up th'
German advance for a long time
doing deadly execution in the denscl,
formed ranks.
! The Germans have been bringinl
up artillery in the most able man
ner behind their shock troops anC
have been making full use of thi
arm as the advance continued.