Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-04-06
BRITISH uNbROKEN,
HUNS SLAUGHTERED
important Incidents of First Week
of Great Battle Are Given
to Public.
GERMAN AIMS NOT REALIZED
Moved Down by Haig's Heroic Men,
the kaiser's Troops Push To-
ward the Somme by Sheer
Force Of Numbers.

VVINS VI uVVSIOSSSs
L0ndOn.-DetailS of the first week
of the great battle in France show
that. while the fighting has been more
severe than in any previous offensive,
there has been no cause for pessimiSm
The German losses have been ter
rife. probably 100000 casualties hav-
ing been suffered by the kaiser's hosts.
At such cost they won less than one
third of the ground on which they had
counted. The morale of the British
troops has been perfect throughout
and they have fought magnificently.
Million Germans in Action.
These facts stand out:
1t is known that at least 100000
Germans were engaged on the whole
front of attack. In the Somme area
not less than - army divisions were
identified. The British line suffered
its most severe buffeting in this
stretch. hut was firm everywhere.
The Germans believed that loss
of 100000 would be cheap price for
success in the west, hut with a loss
already o.. 100000 there is no pros
pec1 of their attaining the victory they
seek.
They resained all the ground lost in
the Cambria battle and have taken
back sections of the territory taken
from them in the SOmme offensive of
last year.
The fighting was not by any means
Il continual German advance. The
british coun:er-attacked heavily and
fought for every foot of ground.
Details Of the Fighting.
In one battle on the extreme left
nine divisions in an effort to break
through. For three days the three
British divisions held them at hay.
Finally under weight of numbers, the
British retired behind the line marked
by the ruined villages of Bullecourt.
East EogUeil and CrOiSelleS.
The next morning the Germans re-
newed the attack. striking nOrthward
from E0ntainelles and CrOiSelles and
westward from CheriSsy. They drove
in mass formation. wave after wave,
toward the heights between Henin-sur
Coieul to Henin hill.
Two hours of drum fire. in which
gas and high-eXplOsive shells were
mingled. preceded the infantry attack.
From eight O'Clock i'm the morning I'M
Of lod
troops stOrmed the heights.
British machine guns posted on the
ridge swept down line after line of
Germans. BY three o'clock in the aft
ernoon the Teutons had succeeded in
pressing past Henin hill on both sides
and threatened to cut off the machine
:unncrs posted on the crests. Not
until then did the latter retire and re-
join the main British force.
Similar fighting was going on at the
same time on the right wing. Tremen-
dous pressure was brought to bear
around St Leger. Vaux and Vrau-
court. 1t lasted all day.
At times under the German blows
the British line sagged heavily, but ut
no point did i; give way.
Desperate Defense Of VauIx.
A bitter battle was fought for pos
session of Faulx, but British machine
gunners posted in the ruins of the
village held the Germans Mt bay. A
ruined factory served as Il fortress
despite the Smelling to which it was
subjected.
Not until late in the afternoon was
it Impossible for the British to hold
the town longer. Even then the re-
treat only went for thousand yards
step of the way, and. returning to the
main body. counter-attack was
launched against the Germans in pos
session of E:ulx and the village was
reg:,ined.
The fighting continued all night. !
Finally Vaulx had to be abandoned
before heavy night attacks. but only !
because German forces had pushed
past further up the line and were
driving to the attack of Mory.
Another bitter struggle was fought |
around Croiselles. At Mory Scottish !
and English troops inflicted tremen-
dous losses ON the Germans.
Sunday Battle South Of Peronne.
The fighting Sunday was tremen-
deus. All day long heavy forces of
Germans cndeavored to force cross !
NJ of the SOmme south of Peronne, !
Nhile further along the line they con- !
-entratcd their efforts against Ba- !
paume.
Repeatedly German engineers at
tempted to throw pontoon bridges !
across the river. On the nearby |
heights British field guns firing prac-
ticaliy at point range smashed every ,
effort. On some occasions British in !
fantry, communicating. dashed into /
the water to fight the Germans.
With the object of capturing Ur-
villers and Essigny, southwest of st. !
Quentin. the Germans employed ut ,
least six divisions. or 1900 men Of ,
storming troops. the 5Oth. 45th ire |
serveS). nth. SSth. 18th and o3Sth, |
in the proportion of one division to |
every British battalion. The average ,
width of each attack was 1000 yards. !
lNe>aL Aa,.aa A..:A r.