The evening world., 1918-04-23
SEVEN RAIDS MADE
BY THE CANADIANS
WITHIN Il HOURS
Germans GaSsei With Tear
ShellS-TrentheS Swept
With Machine Guns.
cANADrAN HEADQUARTERS IN

CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE. April 20 (by Canadian
Press. Ltd.)-.Thc Canadians during
Che last twelve hours have raided tho
German lines al seven places. gassed
the enemy with thousands Of lachry-
nialory and lolhsl shells, harnssed
him by special artillery shots. swopt
his trenches with machine gun and
rife bullets and hammered his front
line with trench mortors.
In some OF the rnldB sharp fighting
developed. In ono instance protracted
hand hand nghting taking place,
this struggle being so intense that the
Canadians were unable 10 tako pris-
oners. The seven raids together
nettcd five prisoners and two machine
guns. Two Of tho prisoners have
since died.
From dusk until dawn tho whole
front has been lively north and south
OF Lens. The ceaseless rumble OF our
henvics, which arc neutrallzlnR hos
tile batteries by calculated and con-
tinuous gas shelling, has been accom-
panied by the sharper chorus Of our
field artillery. carrying out a particu-
larry harassing fro programme.
Periodically our artillery Gre has
reached a barrago intensity In sup
port Of raidinE parties.
Regularly the German lines have
been liz up with scores OF flares, be-
traying tho nervousness which has
been produced among the enemy by
such activity aB ho has not known
on hia front for weeks. The enemy
has been forced to fire his guns under
gas clouds and in gas masks. He has
betrayed tho effect OF our tactics by
tho Diminishing volume OF his Are.
but he has made answer TO our gen
ernl ralding and gas activities by
projecting much tear gus against our
positions north OF Lens.
This projection was bigger in vol
ume than anything ever attempted
against the Canadians by the enomy.
Its effect, beyond discomfort, was
slight. The weight OF evidence gath
cred from enemy sources gives every
ground for belief that 1t must be far
otherwise with tho German. His gas
Is not so effeotual and his masks are
not nearly as good as ours.
or the batteries bombarded by our
gunners during tho last twelve hours
many will not be heard from for
some time. Continuous forcibla feed
ing for such IA protractod period on
lethal and tear gas, mixed with high
explosives, has proved too successful
before 10 doubt It's destructive virtue
now, Unable to obtain rubber TO
give the masks that close At which
Ia essential for full protection, the
Germans protective measures fall
short OF our own and tho enemy
gunners must have suffered heavily
under our bombardment. for we used
nearly six thousand shells against
/ some thirty battery positions. Our
40 Howltzera secured six direct hits
on concrete shelters in the Avion
district
Encounterins gas In raldlng opera =
tions ole os our patrols consisting of
one officer and ten OF other ranks
donncd masks and proceeded into
tho enemy trenches until they en-
countered a hostile party of fifteen.
A lively fight ensued with bombs and
rlfes.
Early IN the morning another one
hour battle occurred between patrols
under cover OF a smoke barraRe from
gronades. Our men entered the
enemy's line. bombed dugouts and
killed two and wounded one. and
also secured valuable information.
with fair weather succeeding tho
cold. dark days of last week our air
/ pianos were busy. With reckless dis
regard for thc regular machine gun
or rifle bullet barrage u patrol Of four
OF our machines flew mp and down tho
enemy trenches for fifteen minutes ut
attitudes OF from fifty 20 a hundred
yards, emptying machine gun drums
! into tho enemy front line. Similar
work was carried out IN other parts
OF the line, and NJ midnight ono OF
our planes bombed the hostile firing
1 trenches.