The sun., 1918-05-08
Canadians in Hand to Hand
Fighting Kill Many Ger
mans Near Arras.
MANY RAIDS OCCUR
French Carry Out Success
full Minor Operation in I,
Amiens Sector.
ACTIVITY ALONG LYS
Berlin Reports Attempted
British Advance North Of j,
River Failed.
MANY RAIDS OCCUR
ACTIVITY ALONG LYS

tinue to delay resumption of their great
offensive. Meantime the Allied lines in
France and Flanders are being atrength-
OF the muddy and shell SCARED country
over which he must advance undoubt-
edly has been one Of the main factors in
delaying the enemy's moves. Whether
he Is massing troops at some new point
OF prospective attack Is a matter which
the allied commanders can only con-
lecture.
Very severe artillery exchanges and
several spirited raids were made a,
various points last night and to-day, but
there was no infantry engagement
worthy of the name The Canadians.
near Neuvile-Vitasse. southwest Of Ar.
ras, killed and wounded many Germans
in hand to hand fighting and wrought
great destruction in the enemy trenches.
The French carried out a similarly sue
cessful operation in the Amiens sector
and repulsed a severe German raid.
The artilleries Of both sides were par
ticularly active north OF the Lys TODAY.
while there were sporadic outbursts OF
great intensity at other points on the
British front. The chief big gun ex.
changes on the French front have becn
on both sides the Avre and southeast Of
Amiens.
Berlin Reports Repulse,
Berlin reports to-day that an at
tempted British advance on the northern
bank of the Lys failed. In regard 10
the Australian attack OF yesterday Ger
many admits that the British forces
reached the Teuton front line. but claims
that otherwise the assaults broke down
before the German posts with heavy
losses to the assalants
An Associated Press corresondent
with the British army tells how the ar
tillerymen yesterday and last night con-
t!hued TO carry the weight of the con-
nict on their shoulders They had "a
nusy time Of it at numerous points along
the battle front. There was no infantry
action IN this period but from the fu-
rlous gun dues waged south OF Ar-as
during the early part Of the night ono
might easily have drawn the conclusion
that a grand attack was in progress. i,
developed nothing bigger than raids. but
the quick response OF heavies along tho
line showed the tension that existed.
During the evening the Germans e--
"!eo " rdiu near Soyelles. and about
the same time the British. a few thoy
sand yards northward. at Neuville.
N!tasse undertook an expedition into the
ehemys lines The first move sent COL
cred nareS whirling across the sky I'm
an appeal for artillery barrage Within
"A Few seconds the big guns of botb
sides ali along this part of the from,
were pounding away like mad. and for
several hours the duel continued with
drum1relike intensity
Yesterday and last nirht tho Cav
mans kept up considerable lombard
ment of the back areas in Flanders with
nigh velocity guns. The Allies on the
other hand, We're busy hammerng the
enemy's roads and concentration points
1t raincd again last night and this
morning. making the Flanders hattie
ground still more difficult for the enemy
TO work over in carrying out prepara-
tions for a further attack
official Reports.
Official reports Of the fighting follow:
BRITISH tNIGHT)-Our own and
eremy's artillery have been very ac-
tive north of the Lys and have shown
some activity on other parts Of the
battle fronts. There Is nothing further
to report
BRITISH DAY)--We carried out
successful raid last night in the
neighborhood Of Neuville- -Vitasse con
the front recently taken over by tho
Canad!ans). and captured few pris-
Oners and three machine guns, with
slight casualties to our troops
raid attempted by the enemy near
Boyelles was repulscd There is moth.
ing further TO report
FRENCH lNighu--There has been
marked activity by both artlleries on
the front OF Villers- Breton
neuX tAmens secior).
An enemy surprise attack to the
south OF Iiartmans Weilerkopf (Alsace
failed.
On May four German airplanes
we're brought down during an aerial
fight Ten others were sent down dam
aged within their own lines. During
the same day our bombarding ma
chimes dropped 1000 kilos Of projcc-
tiles on the stations Of Fluvillc. Mar
tel. Mcrresis. Ham. Guiscard, Noyon
and Nermond.
FRENCH DAY,-Thc artillery on
both side. was active north and south
OF the Avre a German raid aeains,
a small French post near Hangard
was rcpulsed. In the same region va
carried out a local operation and
brought back prisoners.
There Is nothing to report elsewhere
on the front.
GERMAN lDAY)--On tho BATHS
front in the morning hours 'he artil-
lery activity was lively. On the north
ern bank Of the Lys advances by Eng
lish companies failed, Between the
Ancre and the SOmmc the enemy en-
ployed Australians for a night attack
on both sides Of the torbie-Bray
road they succeeded In reaching our
foremost line. For the rest Their
twice repeated attack broke down he
fore our posts with heavy losses The
artillery battle continued until day.
light with the greatest intensity
South OF Brmont storming detacl,-
ments pushed forward across the Aisns