Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-04-19
GERMANS MEET
I WALLS Of STEEL
At LA BASSEE
Ten Divisions Cut Up in Efforts
to Effect Crossing Of Canal;
Battle Continues at
WytSChaete.
(Ry Associated Press.l

With the British Army in France,
April 18,-Ten divisions of German
troops were driving today furiously
against the British defenses between
Givenchy-Les-La Bassee and-St. Ven
ant in an attempt to effect crossing
of La Bassee canal.
The British were holding we'll and
inflicting heavy casualties on the
enemy, according to the latest re-
port.
CoincidentalIy with this assault, the
Germans surged forward further north
and again began hammering at the
approaches of Kemmerl and the neigh
boring high ground.
FIGHTING INTENSE IN FURY.
The attack between Givenchy and
St. Venant began at 9 o'clock after
heavy bombardment by the enemy ar
tillery, lasting five hours Hard fight
ing developed Immediately along most
of the line. 1t was especially intense
about Givenchy and in the Robecq-
LOGON sector. The British were fac
ing at least $4,000 riflemen, supported
by great numbers of guns and from
$4,000 to $4,000 other troops, who go
to make up the compliments for the
infantry.
The defending forces at Givenchy
had sustained numerous desperate at
tacks and had held their ground dur
ing the early hours of the battle. East
OF Lacon, where the German line
bulged out close to the canal, the
enemy made a particularly deter
mined effort to get across the water
way. Twice the German infantry at
tackled here, each time coming for
ward in four waves. In one of these
drives they succeeded in getting some
bridges across the canal, but the only
Germans who crossed were those who
ran over and surrendered.
The British artillery and machine
guns poured deluge of steel about
the frail bridges, and the slaughter of
the opposing troops was heavy. One
party of 200 Germans advanced at
one time with hands over their heads
to surrender. For some reason they
changed their minds abruptly and
fed. They were shot to pieces as
they ran.
There also was hard fighting about
Pacaut wood, near the canal and be-
tween Robecq and St. Venant, where
the Germans hoped to improve their
positions in order to facilitate opera
tons to the north and south. The
attacks in this region were repulsed
completely.
A concentration of enemy infantry
in Calonne, west of St. Venant, was
caught in the British artillery bar
rage and badly cut up.
Wytschaete Invested.
British troops in the neighborhood
of Wytschaete this morning were
continuing their all-night battle with
the Germans. A German attack yes
terday resulted in pushing a salient
out northwest of the place, but sub
sequent British counter attack again
drew the British line close about the
town and at one time a small body
of British infantry penetrated to the
southeastern section.
The British lost a very small piece
OF territory between Bailau and
Dranoutre> yesterday, but the Ger
man attack here must be recorded as
a failure. Further westward hard
fighting continued about Meteren, and
this place today apparently was No
Mans Land. A heavy German attack
east OF Meteren was smashed.
The Germans have been bringing
up fresh divisions to the Bailleul sec
tor, but the most promising sign is
that they are beginning to use a. sec
ond time the troops which had such
hard fighting the early days Of the
offensive.