The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-17
Town of Meteren Has Been
Recaptured.
Before Ypres Positions Are
Withdrawn to New Line.
HUNS BATTLING DESPERATELY Y
DOgged Resistance of British
Holds High Ground.
Nothing Vital Lost, but Situa-
ton Is Serious.

London, April 17.-The greater part
Of Wytschaete and probably all of it,
is in the hands of the British, Maj
Gen. L. b Maurice chief director of
military operations at the war office
announced today.
Counter attacking successfully at
Meteren and south of that place, the
British have driven back the Germans
half way to Bailleul. They have ad-
vauced and improved their lines in the
direction of Neuve Eglise.
London. April 1.-THE battle in
Flanders is raging today with incred-
ible intensity. telegraphs the corre-
spondent of Reuters Limited at the
British army headquarters in France.
A.. fat as the latest reports enable the
correspondent to judge the battle is
going in favor of the British Not
withstanding the desperate attacks of
the Germans they have gained no fur
ther ground since Tuesday morning
and apparently they have lost some.
The British made successful coun-
ter attack in the neighborhood of
Wytschaete. Repeated German at
tacks north of Bailleul were repulsed,
the Germans suffering heavy losses.
Withdrawal to New Line.
With the Ypres sla5ent n so .sth-
western elgium menaced by the con-
tinued advance of the Germans on the
Lys battle front Immediately to the
south, the British have begun to with
draw from this line.
Today's official report from Field
Marshal Haig's headquarters an
nounces what is at least a partial with
drawal from the Ypres sector.
The British forward positions east
Of Ypres have been given up and a
h..
withdrawal was made without enemy
interference.
Apparently the retrograde move
mcnt is pivoting on the Wytschaete
sector, where London today reports a
successful counter attack upon the
Germans. who yesterday captured the
towr Of Wytschaete near the highest
point of the easterIy Messines ridge
anC who presumably pushed out
somewhat beyond the town. They are
unoffioially reported having ad-
varied to st. Eloi. a mile and a half
north of Wytschaete two miles west
of Hoilebeke and about six miles di-
rectly south of Ypres. st. Eloi is on
the old battle line it existed before
the British began their offensive last
year, taking Messines ridge and later
pushing on and gradually absorbing
all of Passchendaele ridge. the con-
tinuat;on of the spur to the north
east
Back to Old Lie?
This may be an indication that the
British retirement is to the line of
the spring of 1917. althO such a with
DRAW would include the abandon
mem of the entire Passchendaele po-
siuiOn as well as the Messines ridge
area, from the greater part of which
tho have been driven in the present
battle.
l. would leave tho town of Ypres
however. still in British hands. There
seems no danger at present of a re-
Jrament on any much larger scale
THAI this on the northern end of the
Franco Belgian line. The line as a
whole, appears likely. to hold as long
the railway communications sup
porting it are intact Apparently the
Sc .ITity of these communications has
been provided for by the massins of
large forces in the northwesterly sec
= tor Of the Lys battle front.
British Successful in Counter.
The German objective here is Haze
hrouCk. the important railway junction
about four miles beyond the point of
the farthest advance westward, near
Nieppe wood. six miles southwest of
Bailleul. A British counter attack last
night indicated the strength of the
British line in this vital sector It re
suited in the driving of the Germans
from the town of Meteren, a mile and
a half west of Bailleul
The Germans are still hammering
the British line north of Bailleul. while
TO the northeast they are reported to
be close to Mount KENNEL. the tower
ing height which dominates the situa-
tiOn in this sector. The British now
seem able TO deal with them along the
Eailleul-Wytschaet line however.
and the repulse of repeated attacks
with terrific losses to the enemy in
the Bailleul sector is reported.
Allied Reserves Arc Not In.
The present attack in Flanders does
not seem to have diverted material
reserves from the Somme battlefield
as the Germans apparently expected
and such operations as are occurring
to the southward from Arras reveal
the British in strength on this. the
battle front where the main German
effort must inevitably be eXerted. The
British last night counter attacked op-
posite Boyelles and drove out parties
Of Germans who had entered the Brit
iSh trenches yesterday, completely re-
storing the line. The Somme battle
appears likely to break out furiously
again in the near future. judging from
the reports that come from both the
French and British war offices of the