The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-04-11
GERMAN DRIVE
1870 MILES WIDE
British Are Holding Enemy on
New Front.
AMERICANS IN BATTLE ZONE
French Army Foils German At
tempts to Advance and lnfiict
Heavy Losses.

tempts to Advance and lnfiict
Heavy Losses.
In their new offensive north of the
drive for AmienS the Germa::S have
extended their attack to IL front of
old battle-tOrn region of MeSSineS, in
Beg Um.
This stretches the great battle line
10 about 1870 miles
or the pew front the Germans have
penetrated the British line to depth
OF more than four miles at one point.
The northern extremity of the attack
is the Ipres-Comines canal, south
east of Ypres.
American troops have arrived on
tho ole battle front below. The Ger
mans have made no further progress
there.
American Troops Reache Battle Zone.
London, April 11.-American rein
forcements have appeared in the bat
lie zone. says a despatch from the
British headquarters in France, to
Reuters Limited.
Their presence in the fighting line,
the correspondent adds, should soon
be felt.
The battle between La BaSSee and
FleurbaiX, the correspondent says, is
continuing with undated violence.
The artillery duel has extended
southwark to ArraS. while jhe Ger
mans also are attacking between Ar
mentierpS and MesSineS, on the Bel
gian border.
The enemy brought into action a
tremendous concentration of artillery
and is throwing in his infantry in
dense masses. The Germans, the writ
err declares, plainly are making an
other effort to break through the Brit
ISL positions.
In their new attack on the front
north OF the SOmme battlefield the
chy, but the British recaptured the
town, the war office announces.
The German front of attack was eX-
tended. The bOmhardment was begun
on the British positions from the Ar
mentieres region as far north as the
YpreS- Confines canal.
''In the attack the enemy entered
the British first-line trenches between
the rivers Lys and Double said Ma
jor General F.. B. Maurice, chief di-
rector of military operations at the
war office.
"The attack extended from Armen-
there's to MeSSines The German
gains" continued General Maurice,
sin conjunction with the results of
his attack Tuesday. have placed Ar
mentieres in an awkward salient.
"On the Messines front the enemy's
attack was repulsed. The enemy has
obtained no footing on the high
ground anywhere.
'Armentieres is now little more than
d Heap 81 ruins and IT'S loss wottid be
vital matter. 1t is not Lost yet, and
we hope it will not be, but it may be.
THE Germans captured a consider
able part of PlOegSteert wood" Cen
eral Maurice said.
in the fighting the enemy advanced
in the center to a depth of 1900
yards" said General Maurice. 1T is
quite certain we lost some guns. In
an advance Of such depth considerable
Portuguese artillery must have been
lost. and probably number of prison
erS
"In th,, retirement of the French TO
the line Of the Ailette river, two
F'r; nrh battaliOMS were cut off and
the Germans took about 1000 prison.
ers The withdrawal of the French
was ilHde on account of an awkward
corner in the line.
The lat rSt fighting shows that the
enemy is merely carrying out another
chapter in his effort to exhaust the
British army. HIS first scheme was
to cut off the British from the French.
That failed. Now he is attacking
wherever he sees a favorable chance,
with the idea of bleeding US white
if he can.
Great importance attaches TO the
fieh.i.,& around Givenchy, because
this is enc of the few rises and is
an important gateway on the road
to Beil;nr. It's recovery by the Brit
'Gh. therefore. is highly important