The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-03-21

| tory outside OF Flanders, over
| which the British have been fight
| ing, sometimes alone and some
times I'm conjunction with the
French for the last two years. IL
| takes in for instance, the entire
field OF the battle of tho Somme,
fought in the fall OF 1916. and
great part OF the area evacuated
by the Germans the following
spring.
Within these limits also II the
battlefield of Cambria, where the
British and the Germans sue
ccssiyely won VICTORIES In last
falls hghting. Virtually all the
territory fought over in the great
battle of Arras, during the spring
OF 1917. also lies In the area under
bombardment.
French Positions Attacked.
Paris, Wednesday. March 20,
strong attack was made today by the
Germans against French positions In
tho Woevre. The war office announces
that after spirited fighting the enemy
was driven back,
Tho statement follows:
There was intermittent artillery
Alsno and In the Champagne, The
artillery struggle proved rather vio-
lent on the right bank OF tho Meuse,
tVerdun fronD and In the forest u
pnrroy. In the Woevre In the region
OF Brule wood. the Germans today
made IA strong attack on our positions.
After spirited engagement our
troops elected enemy detachmenta
which had succeeded IN gaining a
tt, 81 nI xN.a
tionH
Heavy Losses Suffered.
According TO fuller information
which is now AT hand, the attack
which the enemy made In the region
OF Soualn early this morning wus
carried out by two battnlions OF shock
troops, which suffered heavy iosses
and met with n complete check.
Had weather yesterday impeded
aerial operation. Information now Mt
hands shows that the six German air.
plancH and one captive balloon re-
ported ns having boon damaged ON
the preceding day In reality were de-
stroycd by our pilots
Germans Driven Back.
Rotwoon Caurleros wood and BeYon-
vauN. on the Ncrdun front. the Ger
mans wcro driven back in violent
hand to. hand lighting.
In Lorraine the Germans suffered q
complete defeat In the region of
Nomony. sustaining heavy losses with
out attaining any success.
Bombardment Sustained.
PARIS, March ~. -- There has
been an intense and sustained
bombardment OF the sectors north
and southeast OF Rheims as we'll
a. on tho Champagne front, the
war office announced today.
A. Many Points.
British Army Headquarters In
France, March u. II andy the
Associated Pross)---A heavy hom-
bnrdmcnt by the enemy on the front
from u short distance below the Scarpa
river 20 the British right hank--from
east Of Arraa to the region OF La kere
was begun at Q o'clock this morning
and was stll continuing at the latest
report At the Same hour tho Ger
mans began "a display OF artillery ae-
tivity In the Messlncs sector.
AZ o'clock they began a homhard-
mont with gas Hholls along the Fleur-
baiG -Armentiefca sector.
II may be merely coincidence that a
German prisoner stated recently that
ln enemy offensive was to begin March
20 or 81. Numerous other dates also
have been givon. At any rate. no in
'autry action had been reported at the
limo OF filing this dispatch.
For several days II has been tndi-
N ted that tho Germans have completed
Al their plans and are ready 10 begin
operations. II thin be within the scope
II their program.
The sky was overcast this morning.
Observation from airplanes was ex-
rvmcly difiicult.