Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1918-03-28
GERMANS CROSS
THE SOMME RIVER
TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER WROUGHT
AMONG TEUToN INFANTRY
BY MACHINE GUNS.
FRENCH CAPITAL BONBAR0ED
Main Body Of British Falling Back
Deliberately and Without Confusion
French Are Optimistic.

London.-"Fresh hostile attacks de.
veloped have great strength on the
whole battle front" says Field Mar.
shall Hiag's report from headquarters,
land they have continued throughout
the day.
South of Peronne the enemy sue
ceeded, after heavy fighting, in cross
ing the Somme at certain points
These are being dealt with.
Berlin (via London) Paris has
been bombarded by German long'disr
lance guns, according to the German
official communication.
The statements add that the British
in their retirement are burning French
town and villages and that between
tn Somme and the Disc the Germans
are still going forward.
Enormous quantities of booty have
been taken by the Germans, according
to the statement which follows:
Between the Somme and the Disc
our corps are fighting their way for.
ward Chauny has been taken.
"Our booty in war material is enor-
nous. The British, in their retire
ment, are burning French towns and
villages.
I'VE have bombarded the fortress
Of Paris with long-distance guns.
"A gigantic struggle is taking place
for Bapaume A battle is in progress
on the Transloy Combes- Maurepas
line.
"The Somme has been crossed at
many points in our attack between
Peronne and Ham"
The withdrawal of the British forces
along the battle front in France was
long ago planned in the event of the
Germans attacking in great force. This
announcement comes from the British
front through the Associated Press
correspondent, who describes the OPP
Grafton of the British army as mas
terly withdrawal. made possible by
gallant shock troops in the front
lines, who checked the advance OF the
Germans, while artillery.,machine gun
and rifle fire worked appalling slaugh.
ter among the masses of German in
fantry as they were sent forward, this
enabling the main body of the British
t. fall back deliberately and without
confusion.
This army, 1t is declared. has been
conserved, and up to the present very
few counter-attacks have been made
against the Germans. Where the Brit,
ish have stormed the Germans newly
acquired positions they have driven
them back. But each mile of advance
makes the bringing up of supplies to
the German artillery and infantry
more and more difficult, and unques.
tionably the British strategy, as DEM
onstrated since. the beginning of the
great attack, Is to let the enemy, so
far as he may, wear himself ont
against powerful defense.
Both British and French forces,
where their lines meet south of St
Quentin, are watchin events with op.
timistic eyes.
Paris.--The German monster caR.
non" which has been bombarding
Paris has been located in the forest
of St. Gobain. west of Laon and ex.
actly 122 kilometers approximately
rs miles) from Paris city hall, The
gun bombsrded Paris during the great.
er part of Sunday.
The day was ushered in by loud eI.
plosions from the 10-inch shells, and
Immediately the alarm to take cover
was sounded This occurred at SIS
o'clock and many persons sought
shelter, but greater numbers OF them
appeared in the streets on their way
to the churches which were almost
as we'll filed as usual. The women
who sell palm leaves on Palm Sun
davs did their usual business.