Evening star., 1918-04-09
German Artillery Particularly
Active in Armentieres Region
and in Picardy.
POSSIBLE FORERUNNER
OF HEAVY ATTACKS
Petain withdraw Advanced Troops
South Of the Disc to Pre-
pared Positions.

In preparation for another heavy in
fantry attack against the allied lines in
Picardy in an attempt to reach Amiens
the German guns Of all calibers are roar
ing in thunderous tones along q front
of more than 100 miles from north Of
Arras to north of Soissons. The entire
countryside is said to be rocking from
the heavy detonations, but NO infantry
action has yet developed. The German
artillery also has begun heavy lombard
ment Of enemy positions in Flanders
along the line of approximately fifteen
miles, between La Bassee canal to above
Armentiefes.
Especially severe has been the German
fire around Bucquoy, north Of Albert;
south Of the Somme and between Mont
didier and Noyon. Last week the Ger
mans failed in mass attacks to penetrate
the British and French defenscs north
and south Of the sectors directly east
Of Amiens and thus extend the apex
of their wedge. The tremendous bonn
bardmenf now going Non undoubtedly 10
the forerunner Of heavy attacks, prob
ably all along the line from Arras -
Noyon.
The British line on the front has 1se
m0sea sln'o ~. @ su !. -. -.
- -. v.- -.
slions ~ II 'n.s R0.41' s..e
Arras Datties OF isst year iessaa8 y ul-
touched on either the north or the south
.,.,A c- ...-
Aitnousn INC uA1s -
templating an attack here with the OBJ
-. .-...,....,....h. :. ..-ts..,,, 1890. -
1ecs OF olslocatanH tne Aoftn91A ssosos = )
the British line IL possible, the prohabiK-
4..A ~. .h.,.n..a-..,t 4. 49,.
Lies eecin enas sAAo 70. >-..>.'' =
Of a demonstration than anything G11o,
w1tn tho 0p1ecs oI xs1SsesA
tei4ions nala-s nfyahly drawing -
80 :. 51s7 2. !. q a-.-.s.A
serves from peniA0 sno mUfo - 4
front To the south
....-x,..a -.~..
weather for the big stack thsy
aDD8l60ClY tWexo CouCSmVkBkk0k 0x4k148
the Britiah front. and no infantry @.
tion had develoned vhen the rapoesD
49,
were dlspaScned hrom neaouA1 -
forenoon Neither vaa there any move
a. R..-~h
ment OF tno anhantly @'oAs sne
front. probably for the same reason.
Command Approaches.
BucQuoy' Wnien - soutn - AAss. =
on the northern end OF the sector whfoh
the british defended 30 vaiiautly last
weak The British here and both t.
the north and south hold strong hill
nositions from which their artillery
- "a macbtns guns Command All Al.
rroaches The Cermans must widen
~ hnad ~ their wedge alonT tho
Sa1as erS ~ 4. believed thev a9ain
iii attsmnt to do A. by atfackS A tho
bucquoy -. r..r ,s.>
Below Moneuaoi . a. Io E.,cr 49, tHIS
% Mnehos- aere Asu sse na.r,r +sr dsw. ~.
.ne .as.n att,cLs Tn avterd fha
battle front on Tue ,1 soui1 s,,.1 sns -
ing front proDaDly woul9 Sas anSuue ~
line ease"afo ~A1o" a""e1oo1-e "
Noyon.
French Official Report.
,...a
?, .ne - vs.. ..u,.
.-..,-. ,rrr.a dur;r, III. n,~ht ~
= :, ,sr;o,,s noint. north Of Montdidier ana
also between Montdidier and Noyon. Il
is announced officially. No tnfantry
action developed. :. -
Frencn aosa p.sna-.a ,,cst.
oise river viii Wi.no~ re .h ~ ,p,var for.st of
tions southwest ol .ns owS.
Coucy and soutn OF Coucy-ie-Sneeese.
The statement foiiows:
There was great activity on the pars
OF the artillery on both sides at mum.
erous points along the front north Of
and between Montdidier and
Noyon No infantry action occurred
.on the left bank of the Disc there
were intermittent bombardments. Ad-
yanced French troops. in conformity
with orders which had been given. car
lied out a withdrawal to prepared posi-
ions southwest Of the lower forest OF
coucy and south of Coucy-le-Chateau.
German troops were kept constantly
suffered heavy losses in the course Of
ms .aTwn Upei Gsrman .raids northwest Of
Rheims were repulsed. Other German
efforts against smai. Erenen ,, p1;ss neas
Epatses. an Pnnbomma @ aciieved no
npeater npe sf success.