Bisbee daily review., 1918-04-27
COUNTER DRIVE
 IS STARTED BY ALLIED ARMIES
Take Initiative in Attempt to Regain Important Position of Hemmel; Retake Some Former Positions.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE. April 26. (By the Associated Press) The allied armies were talk ing the initiative on both the northern and southern ends of the battle front. This morning the British and French troops. acting in conjunction, began counter operations in the region of Mont eknImel and the neighbOring ter ritory. which the Germans captured in yesterdays sanguinary struggle.
 The aegressors at the time of the filing of this dispatch had made some progress hut they were battling in the face of great odd ansd heavy fighting was continuing with the enemy hold ing the advantageous high ground in strength
 South ol the Somme the allied forces launched a combined drive against the German positions between Hangard and the southern outskirts of Villers- BretOnneax The latest reports re- corded some progress but an intense conflict was in progress and the situ- atiOn was nebulou.
 Retake old Positions
 Yesterday Villars- -BretOnenux had been cleared of the eenmy. who over ran it Wednesday, and the British. by brilliant counter attacks ha dretaken virtually all their original positions.
 The main interest from the military pOnt of view today centered in the northern contest. where the Germans have been making such determined ef- forts to gain control of the chain of hills, of which Kennel is one. and thereby. threatening the allied posi- tions to the north.
 This morning found the Germans holding the salient which they had driven into the French and British lines beyond Mount Kemmel eKmmsl village. DranOutre and farms and ham lets in the immediate vicinity A gal lant regiment of poilus had been or dered to hold Kemmel hill at all costs. After the eGrmans had broken through the defending lines and were encirc- ling the elevation. the French chung to their positions and Obeyed their commands to the letter. They battled to the bitter end and overwhelming forces of the enemy were able to gain the crest. only over the bodies of these gallant defenders. No more dr2matic and inspiring stand has been made in recent days that this.
 French Aid British
 The allied counter attack began at an early hour this morning While the French infantry drove forward against Kemmel from the west. their British comrades began operations on their let. In the first rush the sturdy British Tommies forced their way for ward in the face of a heavy fire and got into Kemmel village. It was striking exhibition of bravery that took the men in khawi across the open ground that was being swept with ma chine gun fire.
 For two hours they held the village while Germans from the neighbOring hills poured bullets into the place from rapid firers. At o'clock it became apparent that it would be a useless sacrifice of life to remain longer and the British were withdrawn to safer ground. from which the assault con tinued.
 The French were reported to have made some progress, but they. too. were coming under a grilling fire from Mont Kemmel and other points It was obvious that it would be extreme ly difficult to oust the Germans from this commanding position which they held with large numbers of heavily armed men.
 Poilus Show Bravery
 How long the French regiment was able to continue its dramatic resist ance on the crest of Mont Kennel yesterday. may not be'knOwn until the German historians record it after the war. It was about o'clock yesterday when the Germans finally succeeded in enicrcling Kennel, after forcing back the allied line at the
 Continued on Page Four)