The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-01
A SERIOUS LOSS.
HUNS SUCCEED IN STORMING I'M.
PORTANT STRATEGIC POSI-
TI0N NEAR YPRES.
Allies Forced to COunterattack I'm Ef-
fort to Etegain Heights Regarded az
Key to Southern Side of Salient
Terrific Drive Launched by Ger
mans.

Kemmel Hill, a height which has
been looked upon as the key to the
southern side of the Ypres salient and
one of the most important strategic
positions en- the northern battle fronts
in France, has been taken by tn.
Germans. after defense which will
become one of the heroic chapters Of
the war. the hill was surrounded and
the French forces entrenched on it's
slopes were overcome.
The loss of the hill, which is ad-
mitted in official statements by Gen.
Delma Radcliffe, chief director of mil
itary operations at the British war of
flee, brings to the allies a realization
that the whole Ypres position is i'm
peril from the German drive north
ward from the lowlands lying to the
west of Armentieres.
The Teutons launched terrific at
tacks along the whole Wytschaete-
Bailleul- Meteren line Wednesday. ap-
parently for the purpose of finding A
point which might yield. They evi-
IDENTIFY found that spot in the section
of the front held jointly by the British
and French troops and against it they
hurled fresh divisions which fought
their way forward all day Thursday
until at night fall they had surround.
ed KENNEL Hill and isolated the
French troops holding the position.
All night long the fight went on
and it was not until Friday that the
Germans succeeded in storming up
the slopes of the height.
The loss of KENNEL Hill is serious
for it overlooks much of the low
lands lying back of the allied lines in
the Ypres salient The hfIl is 4Sl
feet high, rising from low lands OH
the south and east. 1t is six miles
southwest Of Ypres. This German
success cuts deep notch in the allied
line to the southwest of Ypres and
completely outfianks the British on
the north slopes of Messines Ridge,
to whic.. they were forced by the Ger
man assault of two weeks ago. So
important is the possession of Kem-
mel Hill that the allies must launch
counterattack to recapture it, and
the French have begun a savage at.
tack on the height. If the Germans
continue to hold and either cohsoli-
date their lines or push on the allies
will be at a great disadvantage in
future engagements.
The latest reports from the scene
of the battle are that the Germans
are attacking on a line from La
Clytte to the Ypres- Confines Canal. La
Clytte is about a mile and a half
north OF KENNEL Hill and is six and a
half miles west Of the Ypres-Comines
Canal which runs almost due south
from Ypres. The evident purpose of
this attack is to roll up the allied DO
sitions south of Ypres and force a re-
tiremenc from that war tortured town.
The position of the Germans is such
that only the sternest defense will
avail to check their threatening ad-
vance
AT other points along the battle line
the Germans have made important
gains. At Villers- Bretonneux the
British have held their lines and
completed the work of clearing out
the last German positions on the
ground held before the German at
tack or Wednesday, but Hangard is
apparently still in German hands, and
the Teutons are reported to have
launched attacks on the town or
Catchy without, however, having oc-
cupied ne place.
Farther south, immediately north
of Castel, the Germans have pene-
trated the village Of Hailles and are
in position of FviF?. LIP
in possession of Hill 50 South of the
village. The French have counterat-
tackled ON this front and regained
ground.
AT no other points has the enemy
ldvanced. There have been artillery
iuels az various points along the
French front tot he south OF the
Somme. Only the usual patrol en-
sagements have been reported from
he Italian front.