Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-01
BRITISH HOLD LINE
AS GERMANS STORM
[Continued from First Page ]

CONTINUED from First Page.1
where the French have been making
such a gallant stand. The outstand
ing feature OF the conflict on the
northern end of the front is that the
British as ain have killed a grea
number of the enemy.
To-day the British initiated a for
ward movement about Feuchy Copst
east OF Arras. They launched q loca
attack at o'clock this morning ant
pressed it so vigorously that they re-
claimed q stretch of territory 1,50(
yards long and averaging about zoe
yards in depth. This success had tao.
tlcal advantages but they were small
compared with the fact that The
British were able, after the past ter
days Of gruelling work to undertake
an offensive operation.
South of the Somme, where there
has been so much hard fighting. the
British appear 10 have the situation
well In hand and the town hall OF
Moreuil, about which sanguinary
struggles have been swaying, was al
last reports still flying the British
nag detiantly from the steeple. One
of the most costly attacks the enemy
attempted yesterday was between
Morlancourt and the Somme, where
a heavy assault was made against the
Australians shortly after noon. The
attackers came forward in masses
and the British threw themselves
against the advancing lines so fierce.
~ that the Germans were hurled
back, leaving 5000 dead.
The British operations at Lassigny
farm, south of Hebuterne, between
Albert and Arras, yesterday after
noon which resulted in Strengthening
the defending line, was a brilliant
success. The Germans were pushed
back with heavy casualties and Brit
ish troops returned with 200 prison
ers, 40 machine guns and a trench
mortar.
Two Attacks Smashed
South of Arras the enemy made
two attacks yesterday. One was near
Hamelincourt, astride the Arras-
Bapaume railway while the other
was north of Boisleux st. Mare. Both
OF these efforts were smashed, al
though hard fighting centered around
Boisleux. In this operation the Ger
mans advanced in great numbers
after an intense bombardment of the
British lines for two hours. At three
places the enemy succeeded in pene-
trating the defenses and a bitter
hand-to-hand struggle ensued. The
British made such strenuous resist
ance that the Germans were thrown
back, leaving numbers of dead.
Northeast of Arras the Germans
made a slight attack Saturday after
a heavy bombardment and pushed
forward over a tiny strip of ground.
The result of the lighting on the
British front south of the Somme
during the past two days have been
satisfactory. Heavy German attacks
on both sides of the Luce river forced
the British to fall back somewhat.
Friday night the enemy pushed for
ward and penetrated a large wood
northeast of Moreuil. Saturday the
British sent out cavalry which swept
through the forest and forced the
enemy TO fall back, not only here
but further to the north.
Huns Suffer Heavy Loss
North of the Luce the enemy yes
terday morning attacked in force
along the British line between War
fusee and Marcelcave. This assault
was preceded by a vigorous artillery
bombardment. The cavalry again
came into play and by 10 o'clock the
Germans were compelled TO retire
with heavy casualties.
Subsequently the enemy again put
down a tremendous barrage between
Warfusee and the Somme and after
two hours of terrific gun fire advanc-
ed in masses. Then came again more
cavalry and met a similar fate, the
British line remaining intact
North of Aubercourt, south of Mar
celcave the British recaptured i'm
portant high ground.
1t is now possible to tell of a spec
tacular feature of n brilliant British
defense last week below the Somme
In this gallant force were included
American railway engineers, who as
i'm the battle of Cambrai last Novem.
Der, threw aside their tools and took
up arms in defense of the allied col
ors. It was last Tuesday afternoon
at q critical moment when it was alb
solutely necessary that more troops
should be thrown into the British
line to hold the onrush of Germans
Reinforcements were on the way but
could not arrive in time. A certain
general Immediately organized g
force collected from the various units
nearby, in which were the Ameri.
cans.
Fifteen hundred were strung ovel
front of 1900 yards against which
hordes of Germans were being flung
1t seems almost inconceivable thai
these defenders could have been abl,
to hold that long sector, but they did
The enemy advanced in force but the
gallant defenders clung on for many
hours until the regulars arrived.
This incident is more spectacular
but hardly finer in spirit than tina
of seven British soldiers who haC
been home engaged on leave and OIL
landing at a channel port in France
could find no transportation to tn,
front. They tramped virtually all tn,
way to the battlelines to take thei
places beside their hard pressed
comrades.