The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1918-05-31

aoTH FLANKs OF BATTLE LINE
SCENE OF VERY HEAVY
FIGHTING.
RETREAT IN GOOD ORDER
Allied Movement To Rear Was Exc
cuted With Greatest Precision
There Was NO Disorder and All
Units Kept Together.

With the French Army in France
The GeCmans advanced against the
French lines again. throwing further
masses of troops into the battle. Both
tanks OF the battle line were the
scene of very heavy fighting by in
ferior numbers against superior, with
the result that the allies were again
obliged to cede ground at several
points.
Besides Won Boehmn's and Won Be
lows armies, many divisions of shock
troops were engaged. These special
ly trained units had participated in
the first rush on March Il and since
then had been reconstructed.
An enormous number of light ma
chine guns were employed by the Ger
mans, as well as large fleet or
tanks and much heavy and light ar
tiliery. while the German aVialors
were extremely active.
From the plain toward Juvincourt.
Vile Aux Bots, Pontayert and Berry
.au-ESac, numerous tanks came into ac-
ton. For considerable time the
thin allied line held. but as the enemy
, debauched wave after wave the
French and British, almost submerged,
ell back slowly, getting across the
liver. Several British officers after
ward sacrificed their lives in Destroy
ing bridges.
Almost simultaneously, overpower-
ing enemy forces made their way to
the top of the Chemin-des-D Danes ridge
and also to the western end of this
road. in the neighborhood OF ChaYig-
non and Malmaison and the troops
holding these points were obliged 10
recede.
The allied movement to the rear
was executed with the greatest pre-
cision; there was no disorder and all
the units kept in constant liaison.
Zone section missing.)
Further east other British divisions
amalgamated with French colonial
troops held fast and are still firmly
sticking to their positions, although
they have been compelled to rear
range part of their front in order to
keep alignment with their retiring
comrades.
In the direction of scissors a read
.justment of the front line also be-
came necessary, in consequence of the
falling back of the center, where the
Germans were pushing hardest.
Fighting has been continuous for
TWO days. through country composed
of series of challly plateaus with
winding valleys, whose slopes are half
clothed with trees and containing
many caverns. Along the top of one
of the principal ridges runs the To-
nous Chemin-des-Dames. from which
valleys spread angualarly towards the
Aisne The allied possession of this
ridge compromised the security of the
German southern flank
The enemy's torrent of divisions
rolling forward found only the thin
nest line of allied troops facing the
advance. These fell back before the
irresistible pressure, retiring, but
struggling valiantly. The torrent, as
1t moved forward, became even strong
Ell. for tho Germans added new forces
TO it. Even the Aisne did not stay
it's rush.
The Germans followed the allies
across the river and at the same time
spread along the sides, the allies hay
ing decided that it was useless to sac
rifice men in efforts to hold these po-
sitions with too few defenders.