The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-25
HUNS STRIKE A
STONE WALL IN
AMIENS ATTACK
Americans, British and French
Stand Together.
Enemy Battling Furi0usly for
Slight Gains.
AMERICANS ARE WITH FRENCH
Only Two Villages Have Fallen
Under Attacks.
BOches Now Using Artillery
More Than Manpower.
NOT LIKE FORMER DRIVE
Enemy Attacking in Flanders
at Same Time.
Tanks of Both British and
Huns in First Clash.
Only Two Villages Have Fallen
Under Attacks.
BOches Now Using Artillery
More Than ManpOwer.
NOT LIKE FORMER DRIVE
Enemy Attacking in Flanders
at Same Time.
Tanks of Both British and
Huns in First Clash.

Yielding only slightly at the first
shock of the German assault in the
renewal of the drive in the great bat
tie south of the Somme, the British
and Franco-American lines are now
standing firmly against the desperate
continuing assaults of the enemy On
the ten-rnile front south of the
Somme, where the intensive force of
the blow has been concentrated, the
Pritish have lost Villers- -Bretonneux
and the French the village of Han
ard-En-Santerre Already Field
Marshal Haig's forces have begun to
react strongly in the vicinity of the
former place and they have regained
ground around it and considerably
improved their general position. Han
gard has once before been in German
possession during the Somme battle,
and it changed hands twice in the
present fighting before the French
drew out of it and Stablished them
selves firmly on its western edge. The
Germans have made repeated at
tempts to debouch from the place,
but each time the French were solid
~ in the way.
The fighting is continuing today
with the Germans desperately strug-
Cling to make the cOnsidera BILE head
way they must if they are to gain any
thing but relatively valueless local ad-
vantages. Thus the decision in the
renewal of the battle is by no means
vet with either side. The meager gains
of the enemy. however. after a pause
long enough for him to bring up his
heaviest artillery and when he must
have been at the pinnacle of his
strength, may well be compared with
the sweeping successes achieved in
the beginning of the battle last month
when he won miles of ground a day
and captured tens of thousands of
prisoners.
Effort in Flanders Resumed.
Meanwhile the Germans have not
abandoned, even temporarily, their
efforts on the Flanders battle front.
Apparently they are centering their
blows on the sector dominated by
Mount KENNEL, with the object of
forcing the defenders from this bull
wark. They attacked the French last
night in the region of Bailleu1, and
after being repulsed returned to the
attack today with assaults in the same
sector and on the British front fur
ther east.
The battle here was still in progress
when the British official statement
was issued this afternoon.
London, April 25.-Three attacks
made by the Germans on British posi-
tions east of Amiens have been re-
pulsed, it is announced officially.
The battle continued with violence
thru the night in this sector. The
French lost Hangard. recaptured it,
and finally were again forced out of
the town, but are holding the ground
Immediately around it.
Battle of Tanks.
Tanks were used on both sides for
the first time in history.
AS this is cabled the situation on the
Nillers-BretonneuX ridge looks better.
A British counter attack seems to
have made progress, driving the Ger
mans out of Aquenne wood, west of
the town itself is uncertain, being of a
touch-and-go nature.
First reports suggest the British
tanks drove the others off the field,
since the German infantry supported
by it's tanks has been flung back.
Two British tanks crawled up and
down the lines, moving down the Ger
man infantry in windrows.
Assault on KENNEL Hill.
The Germans made a determined
Sattempt to rush toward KENNEL hill
yesterday, but without appreciable ef-
feet. The French counter attacked
and restored the position.
At o'clock this morning the Ger
mans put down an intense gas bar
rage on the Anglo-French front in
waves of infantry delivered assaults.
Fighting still is in progress.
On the Flanders front late yester-
day the Germans attacked French
POSITIONS nOTlU6dSl Vi Ddilleul anu
were repulsed.
Early this morning, after an in
tense bombardment, they renewed
their attacks in this sector and against
British positions further east.
British Regain Ground.
The British regained ground around
Villers-BretonneuX by counter attacks
and took prisoners.
Severe fighting was IN progress al
night in and around Viller-B Breton
neuX and still continues. Heavy caSu-
alties have been inflicted on the enemy
there.
on the Bailleul sector the battle is
continuing over a wide front.
The German attack against the
French and British lines on the north
ern front in the Dranoutre-Ke Kemme
sector is continuing. The Teuton as
saults are intended to open the wa.
for the capture of Kemmell hill.
Vigorous British counter attack:
towards Villers- -Bretonneux apparent
ly resulted in the reclaiming of a con
siderable part of the territory lost t.
Continued on Page rwoJ