The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-05-04
Germany Putting 18ga10Ld Boys Fray Beloc Declares
It Significant Of Battles Great Drain On Her Man P0zge1

from cachy and partially restored
the line there also, but not sufficient
ly to permit the French to advance
eastward OF Hangard Wood.
The Germans claim in their first
blow against both the French and
British total OF 1000 prisoners and.
four guns, and the British at the end
of their counter attack counted 900
prisoners. The action was over by
noon on Thursday, and has been
succeeded by no further infantry
movement in this region. but only by
violent mutual bombardments. The
total number of German divisions
occupied from first to last during this
affair, counting from the Somrne on
the north to the extreme left of the
Germans attempted turning move
ment against the French, must have
been about eleven, of which eight
were identified from prisoners taken
by the allied forces.
THE TAKING OF
MOUNT KENNEL
In the battle on the north for
Mount Kemmel nine German divi-
sions were used, being taken from
the German Fourth army-that OF
General Won Arnin-With the object
of capturing this mound Of ground,
the first Of the somewhat isolated
hills which stretch in on chain west
ward across the plain OF Flanders.
1tsis a point giving excellent obser-
walton over all the region TO the
north, including the neighborho
OF Poperinghe and Ypres. The hill
was too difficult to take by frontal
assault, and the action therefore
developed, as had been expected ever
since the loss Of Messines Ridge,
along, the two valleys to the east
and west OF it. with the object OF
turning the summit.
A village to the northeast Of the
hill gives its name to KENNEL. A
village on the southwest bears the
name OF DTanoutre. The enemy
fought his way along during the
whole Of Thursday, April 25, on eth
er side of the base of the hill; he
passed Dranoutre by about 5000
yards and reached and held the VII
lage of KENNEL. AT this point the
summit was surrounded by a. sort Of
horseshoe.
/. Orders had been given for the
French division occupying the sum-
nit to hold on tIll the last-not be-
cause, there was any hope OF holding
the hill which was now obviously
doomed, but presumably in order to
give time SO that necessary disposi-
tions could be taken in the rear. This
French division hung on until the
last, and it's survivors were captured. :.
The action continued during the
whole OF Friday, the German line
reaching the village of Locre and La
Ciytbe, the crossroads OF Vierstraat
and the village OF Saint Eloi, outside
of Ypres. On Saturday, Locre was
retaken by the French, but. heavy
pressure was continued along the
whole line during the period In which
the German command was bringing
up the new forces, which were used
ia the tremendous and futile as
sault ON Monday
MAY COMPEL. E5TF7 u
YPREs EVACUATION.
It is clear that the German adj
vance here seriously threatens the.
Ypres salient and may compel it's
evacuation. What is less fully un-
derstood outside OF military circles
is that this salient dn itself has no
strategic value. Any advantage.
which the enemy might gain In COM
pelling the evacuation of it would
depend upon the rapidity with which
he could enforce the British retire
ment and the corresponding conflls-
ion which he might impose upon the
British armies.
On fha other hand ,fJna ca,nt11ra eo4