The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-17
SECTOR
MENACED BY
ADVANCE OF
hun H0RDES
Battle in Flanders RACES with
Incredible Intensity
Waves of Huns Shot Down
at Close Range.
HUNS TAKE ST. HOI
(By Associated Press)
BULLETIN


OF 1t fs in the hands Of the British
Major-General F. B. Maurice, chief d.
rector of. military operations at the
war Office announced today.
Counter attacking successfully at
Metrem and south Of that place the
British have driven back rhe r.
half way to Bailleul They have ad-
vanced and improved their lines in the
direction Of Neuve Eglise.
LONDON, April 1.-THE battle q
Flanders is raging today with incred.
tble intensity. telegraphed the cores
pondent OF Reuters Limited at the
British army headquarters in France.
AS far as the latest reports enable the
correspondent to Judge, the battle is
going in favor Of the British.
Notwithstanding the desperate at
tacks Of the Germans they have gained
no further ground since Tuesday morn
ing and apparently they have lost
some. The British at dusk on Tuesday
says Reuters dispatch from the Brit.
fsh headquarters in France, were ad-
vancing In the neighborhood Of WIT.
schaete south Of Ypres, and were re-
ported again to be holding the ground
Among the numerous enemy attacks
Tuesday afternoon and evening on the
northern front In Flanders was one
In great force In the Zillebeke sector
1t was disastrous for Germans whose
last waves were shot down at close
range. They apparently were ordered
to retire and then the British gunners
got on their flank the correspondent
says and the slaughter was appalling.
Six Miles From Ypres
With the Ypres salient In southwest.
ern Belgium menaced by the continued
advance Of the Germans on thu Lys
battle front Immediately to the south,
the British have begun to withdraw
from this advanced line.
Today's Official report from Field
Marshal Haig's headquarters announc.
es what is at least a partial with.
drawal from the Ypres sector. The
British forward positions east of Ypres
nave been given up and a new line to
the west occupied. The withdrawal
was carried out in perfect order with.
out enemy Interference.
Apparently the retrograde move
ment is pivoting on the wytschaete
sector where Londan today reports
successful counter attack carried
out on the Germans who yesterday cap
tured the town Of Wytschaete near
the highest point of the easterly Mes.
sines ridge and who presumably
pushed out somewhat beyond the
town. They are unofdcially reported.
indeed, as having advanced to st. Eloi.
mile and half north Of Wytschaete,
two miles west of Hollebeke, and
about six miles directly south of
Ypres.
st. Eloi is on the old battle line as
1t existed before the British began
their offensive last year, taking Mes
sines ridge and later pushing on and
gradually absorbing all the Passchen.
daele ridge, the continuation of the
spur to the northeast
This may be an indication that the
British retirement is to the line of the
spring of 1917, although such a With
drawal would include the abandon
ment Of the entire Passchendaele Do
sition, as well as the Messines ridge
area, from the greater part Of which
they have been driven in the pres
ent battle. It would leave the town of
Ypres, however, still in British hands.
Of retirement on, any much larger
scale than this on the northern end
Of the Franco Belgium line as the re-
suit of the recent German successes.
The line as a whole appears likely to
hold as long as the railway communi-
cations supporting It are intact Ap-
parently the security of these commu-
nications has been provided for by
h4 - Ia a.
northwesterly sector of Lys battle
front
The German objective here as has
been frequently pointed out is Haze
ton about miles beyond the point
Of the fartnest advance westward near
Nieppe wood, six miles southwest OF
Indicated the strength of the British
line in this vital sector. It resulted in
the driving of the Germans from the
Of Bailleui, which they had entered.
Having driven the British from
Bailleul and Wytschaete. the Germans
are battling desperately to gain other
points on the high ground south and
southwest of Ypres. After fighting
with huge forces for eight days the
Germans Tuesday got out Of the low
lands but to make their gains secure
they must push on further. The,
British, resting every step Of the way;
are striking back doggedly.
The situation, It ID moro admitted
in London. Is moro serious than at any
time since the German drive In the
north began. Some British newspa-
pers already advise the evacuation Of
the hard won sector Of Ypres and the
ridge which is con-
tinuation OF the Messines ridge.
Driven From High Ground.
In capturing Wytschaete and the
height Of Spanbroekmoleu. to the
Continued on Page Four.)