Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-20
English Take Prisoners
and Guns-Eject Foe
From Early Gains.

London, April 2O-Nine
machine guns, a trench
mortar and prisoners were
taken by the British in a
local operation yesterday
south of the Scarpe river,
the war Office announces.
A German counterattack
was repulsed.
On the Flanders battle
front the British elected
the Germans from ad-
vanced positions gained
by them in Thursdays at
tack in the region of Gil
venchy and Festubert.
The British gained all
their detectives in their
counterattack in Flanders,
advancing their defenses
at Givenchy and Festu-
bert and re-establishing
their positions.
In sharp fighting south
east of Robecq, the British !
drove back German at
tacking parties.
With the British Army in France.
April 20, (By the Associated Press.
l-Southward in the. region about
KENNEL it seems probably that
the enemy has paused to organize
a more careful scheme OF assault
than he has employed in the last
few days of costly fighting. For
some time the Germans have been
pushing one attack after another
against KENNEL in order to catch
the British before they could get
up reinforcements and the infantry
has been sent forward without the
usual methodical preparation for
drive.
Effort Is Futile.
The German higher command.
seeing the futility of this method.
has paused to organize greater
preliminary operation. Now anoth
er bid for KENNEL and the sur
rounding region may come at any
time.
No further enemy attacks Oc-
Cured during the night.
In the Arras region there was
more activity yesterday and last
night. The British advanced their
line slightly on a 1,700-yard front
east of Beaurains and repulsed a
German counter attack. Later,
however, the British withdrew to
their original line.
French Stop Foe.
7 Paris, April 20.-Germar troops
last night launched raiding oper
alton against the French lines in
/ the region of Hangard-En-San-
! terre, southeast of Amiens. The
effort was a failure the war Office
announced today. The French took
prisoners in this local action.
tBy Associated Press)
! Field Marshal Haig's troops took
| the aggressive last night on the
southern side of the Lys battle
front with quick and decisive re
suits. They compelled the Ger
mans to give up the small bits OF
ground in the Givenchy-FestubeTt
sector which were all the enemy
had to show for his costly all-day
attacks on Thursday on this front
The British counter blow result
ed in the attainment of all the OBJ
! jectives sought and in the complete
l nGf a h1 n ~ hn DrfFfGh line
as it existed before the Germans
struck on Thursday.
Hun Attack Fails.
The only offensive action on the
German side reported from the
I British front was in the Robecq
region, near the westerly tip of the
/ Lys salient, southwest OF Melville.
! The enemy met no success in this
/ local operation.
There is possible significance in
Eaiding operations carried out by
the British south along the line be-
low the Scarpe river just TO the
southeast OF Arras. Apparently IL
was a feeling out TO develop what
force the Germans have ready for
an attack in this region. IL re-
suited in the taking of prisoners
and number OF machine guns and
trench mortars. A German eoun-
ter-attack was repuised.
( VIII Again Try For ArraSi
1t seems not impossible that theI
I enemy viii again essay a drive
around Arras although he failed
signally there in the early stages
OF the battle. Some way the Ger
mans have got 10 force back the
British line between ArFas and Al
bert before they can so much fur
ther ahead in their push on theI
Somme battlefield. as their right
flank is held fast by the British
from Vtmy to Albert and has not
ben able to keep pace with their
ileft, south OF the Somme,