The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-04-26
WEEKLY WAR REVIEW

Another German thrust at the al
lied lines, more powerful than those
that have gone before, is looked for
by the American war departments
strategists if the present drive at
the channel ports fails. The depart
ment's weekly review says the enc.
my's enormous sacrifices have been
barren OF primary results.
"In what has hitherto been held
the principal scene OF operations, The
salient stretching from south OF A.
ras to south of the Oise canal, with
its apex in front of Amiens," says the
review, there has been no important
change during the week in the posi-
tions of the contending forces. An.
apparent slackening of hostile pres,
sure north and south OF the Somme
is recorded. though 1t would be pre-
mature to assert that the Amiens OBJ
lective has been abandoned.
along the front from the Avre
TO Noyon, French counter thrusts net
ted local advantage Northwest of
Moreiul the French launched a strong
assault, which resulted in the cap
ture Of 300 prisoners. A second at
tack in this vicinity gained some $50
prisoners and enabled the French to
advance their line in the neighbor.
hood of Castel.
I'm the secondary theater Of the
offensive the new salient formed by
the pressing back Of the British be-
tween Merkem and the La Bassee
canal, desperate fighting continued
throughout the week. Here the enc
my was able to win terrain of dis
tinct tactical value, and, by occupying
part Of the Messines ridge, exerted
such threat upon the British forces
in the old Ypres salient, posted be.
yond Passchendaele and the Ypres
Menin road, as to force their with
drawal along a line running east Of
Ypres. and thus stra gntening out the
irregularity of allied dispositions in
this area.
"Wulverghem, Neuve Eglise, Met
eren and the area stretching to the
Lys was the scene of some Of the
bloodiest encounters of the war. Here
the British have been pressed back
only locally and the various tactical
objectives have changed hands rap
idly.
The fighting in the area centering
around Mt. KENNEL continues with
increasing intensity. This key posi-
tion remains in British hands, though
the enemy gained a foothold along
its southern slopes. The British, with
French support which has arrived.
are consolidating their positions and
holding we'll"
The Germans launched a formid-
able attack against the American
lines northeast Of Toul A heavy
cannonading preceded the attack.
The enemy succeeded in penetrating
the American lines, but was finally
beaten back with heavy losses, and
the lines restored. Berlin asserted
that in the drive 1873 American pris.
oners and 25 machine guns were cap
tured by the Germans, who cut their
way for about mile and a quarter
into the American lines at Sieche-
prey
The Turks are continuing their ad-
vance in Caucasia and are approach
ing Kars, the leading city of one of
the districts given 10 Turkey under
the Brest-Litovsk treaty, They are
already in control of Batum, where
they captured 3,10O men, OF whom
800 were officers.
Artillery duels and local raids feat
ured the week on the Italian, Mesopo-
tamian and Macedonian fronts.
April 23-American forces in the
battle of Seicheprey, while suffering
the heaviest Losses Of their fighting
to date, inflicted casualties number
ing close to 500 on the Germans, Gen
eral Pershing reported to the war de-
partment. Our losses have not been
checked up, but are known to have
been less than the Germans, 1t was
stated
Reports from the western battle
front indicated resumption OF the
great German offensive.
April 24-British naval forces sue
cessfully raided the submarine bases
ut Ostend and Zeebrugge, Belgium.
They bombarded the harbor defenses
and sank five concrete filed ships IN
the channels t. block the egress Of
enemy craft. An enemy destroyer
also was torpedoed. One British de-
stroyer, two motor boats and two !
launches were sunk.