Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-03-29

The British here are falling back in
good order. That the yielding of the
line at this point had been by no
means unexpected and possibly had
been foreseen as ultimately inevitable
| is indicated by the statement that the
retirement is to prepared positions
farther west, across the devastated
| district.
The Germans forced their way into
Mory, but dashing counter attack
| drove them out. A large party was
surrounded and captured.
There is reason to believe that SO
German divisions are flowing into the
struggle, and probably half as many
more are in close reserve. Under the
Tremendous onslaught the British
troops are falling back slowly and in
excellent order. At MANY points they
are withdrawing voluntarily so as to
The Germans this morning were
maintain an unbroken front
pressing hard the British forces de-
Tending Hermies (about 2k miles
back of the old line, in the region
southwest of Cambrai)
The scenes af activity behind the
battle front battle description, but
everywhere there is the same well or
dered organization and quiet conf
! dence.
The weather is wonderfully fine, al
| though the visibility is handicapped
by local mists. Mory is on the north
ern battle front, Is miles below
Arras. 1t is about four miles back
of the line held by the British before
the Germans began their offensive.
Taking the situation as whole, the
British are well satisfied with the re-
suits of the first stage of the fighting.
They undoubtedly lost several ruined
villages and the Germans probably
will make much of their capture, but
the defenders have held on amazingly
well and worked terrible slaughter
among the attackers.
The fighting today was greatest in
intensity on two sectors, one north
west of Cambria and the other south
west. The fighting on the northern
front was about Bu1lecort, while Har-
gicourt is the southern center. A
bright sun came out at midday anG
airmen were most active, the Brit
ish aviators flying at very low alti-
tudes and using their machine guns
against the opposing infantry.
Before they attacked today on ths
sector between the canal du Nord anG
Croiselles. on the northern battle
front, the Germans for four hour.
smothered the British with every con
ceivable form of hate that a gur
could throw. The enemy depended
chiefly on large numbers of. trench
mortars to cut the wire entangle-
ments The British had had warnings
that the Germans would use great
quantities of gas shells. This prov
ed to be true, although there wa!
nothing new in the type of gas ant
the British gas masks appear to have
been most effective.
The British tonmies and their Off
GERS fought for hours with their gas
|. masks on, but even this drawback
could not dampen their jubilation at
the havoc they caused as the German
| infantry presented itself in the form
of point blank targets. Nine German
divisions negotiated the assault in
this section but they met with siren
, uous resistance. British machine gun
ners did terrible. execution as the
Germans moved forward.
AS on Thursday, the Germans today
J depended on tremendous artillery
boInbardments and massed attacks
with great numbers of troops to
achieve results. At least 40 German
divisions have been identified and the
German artillery concentration Is the
greatest that has been seen on the
western front.
| TT is ranOrfed that in ono s.en+;
the Germans came across No Mans
Land in regular formation and gaps
in the ranks were quickly filed tC
present a solid front The Germans
are said to have stopped when they
reached the barbed wire and to have
cut it by hand under a heavy fir
kfrom rifles. machine guns and artil