The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-04-03
HUNS PAY DEARLY
FOR EVERY GAIN
IAN c OF FIRST WEEK OF THE
GREAT BATTLE TELL OF
BRITISH HERolsM.
OVERWHELMED By NUMBERS
.,..eeIy contesting Each Position,
u,io's Men Fell Back In Good Order,
uowino Down the Advancing Foe
and often Counter-Attacking.

uow,no Down the Advancing Foe
and often counter-Attackins.
Iondon.-Details of the first week
=, the great battle in France show
.hot while the fighting has been more
.ov.re than in any previous offensive,
.,.re Inns been no cause for pessimism. |
Tho German losses have been ter
dsc probably 100000 casualties hav-
,cg been suffered by the kaiser's hosts.
A. such cost they won less than one
.hIrd Of the ground orr which they had
,ounted. The morale Of the British
.,oons has been perfect throughout
and they have fought magnificently.
Million Germans In Action.
These facts stand out:
II is known that at least 100000
Germans were engaged on the whole
front of attack. In the SOmme area
not less than SO army divisions were
identified. The British line suffered
us most severe buffeting in this
stretch. but was firm everywhere.
The Germans believed that a loss
If 100000 would be cheap price for
success in the west, but with loss
already of 100000 there Is no pros
nect of their attaining the victory they
seek.
They regained 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
a continual German advance. The
British counter-attacked heavily and
fought for every foot of ground.
Details Of the Fighting.
In one battle on the extreme left
the Germans employed not less than
nine divisions in an effort to break
through. For three days the three
British divisions held them at bay.
Finally, under weight of numbers, the
British retired behind the line marked
BY the ruined villages of Bullecourt,
East Nogueil and Croiselles.
The next morning the Germans re-
newed the attack. striking northward
from Fontainelles and CrOiselles and
westward from Cherissy. They drove
In mass formation, wave after wave,
toward the heights between Henin-sur-
Cojeul 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 in the morning un
til noon continuous waves Of gray-clad
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 il
pressing past Henin hill on both side.
and threatened to cut off the machine
sunners posted on the crests. No
until then did the latter retire and re
Join the main British force.
Similar fighting was going on at tn
same time on the right wing. Tremen
dous pressure was brought to bea
around st. Leger. Vsulx and Vrau
court. 1t lasted all day.
At times under the German blow
the British line sagged heavily, but a
no point did it give way.
Desperate Defense Of Vaulx.
A bitter battle was fought for pos
session of Vaulx, but British machin
sunners posted in the ruins OF tn
village held the Germans at bay. .
ruined factory served as fortres
aespite the Smelling to which it wa
mbjected.
Not until late in the afternoon wa
II impossible for the British to hol
me town longer. Even then the r.
treat only went for thousand yard
The British rear guard fought ever
step of the way, and, returning to III
main body, counter-attack Wa
Nunched against the Germans in pc
session Of Vaulx and the village VIZ
regained.
The fighting continued all nigh
Finally vaulx had to be abandone
eelore heavy night attacks. but on
eecause German forces had pushe
past further up the line and wei
arlvlng to the attack of MOry.
Another bitter struggle was foug
around Croiselles. At Mory Scottis
wa English troops inflicted IRENE
uous losses on the Germans.
Sunday Battle South Of Peronne.
The fighting Sunday was IRENE
uous. All day loLg heavy forces
oermans endeavored to force eros
4 lug OF the Somme south of Peronn
!. while further along the line they co
), sntrated their efforts against b
paume.
). repeatedly German engineers
~mpted to throw pontoon bridg