Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-04-03
ALLIED TROOPS
drive WEDGE IN
THE HUNS LINES
petain and Haig Gain in Region
Between Somme and
Demuin.
coUNTER-ATTAckS REPULSED

Heavy Artillery Fighting Occurs at
Some Points-EnglIsh Troops Take
Prisoners and Machine Guns
in Avre-Luce Sectors.
British Army in France, April B.
The British stormed strongly held po-
sitions in wood along the Luce rived.
When the enemy withdrew after sharp
fghting he left the ground strewn with
his dead.
Paris, April 3-French and British
troops advanced between the Somme
and Demuin, it is announced officially.
Over most Of the front between the
Somme and the Disc the night was rel
atively calm. Heavy artillery fighting
occurred at some points. The state
ment follows:
''The night was relatively calm on
the front between the Disc and the
Somme. The artillery fighting became
rather heavy along some parts OF the
battlefield.
franco British troops made some
progress during the night between the
Somme and Demuin.
4 '.In the region OF the Colonne trench
and at Ban de Sapt, the French made
TIVE successful raids and took prison.
ers. At Chambrettes a German attack
on small French posts was repulsed."
/. British Take Prisoners.
London, April 3.-In the sector be-
tween the, Avre and Luce rivers the
British took 80 prisoners, the war Of
nee announces. Thirteen machine guns
were captured.
I, Near Hebuterne the British made a
successful attack, capturing machine
runs and prisoners. A German coun-.
ter-attack was repulsed. The state
ment follows:
.'In the course of the fighting in the
area between the Avre and the Luce
rivers, we captured so prisoners and
Is machine guns. A large number OF
German dead were found on the
ground in this locality by US, and two
counter-attacks attempted by the, enc
my later in the day were broken up
with heavy loss by our artillery. A
German battery In action in this area
was successfully engaged at short
range and silenced by our machine
guns.
Counter Blow RepuIsed.
"a successful local enterprise car
ried out by us in the neighborhood OF
Hebuterne resulted In the capture OF
% prisoners and three machine guns.
Many Germans were killed In this op-
eration also, and hostile counter
attack during the afternoon was COM
pletely repulsed.
"On the remainder Of the front sue
,cessful raids, in which we secured sew
eral prisoners and killed a number Of
the enemy were carried out in the
neighborhood Of Acheville and Holle-
abecke."
General Foch, the new allied COM
mander In chief, has stated that Ami
ems is covered and that he is prepared
30 guarantee 1t. This has come as
strong tonic, because the British pub
lie appreciates fully the serious con-
sequences which would follow It's loss.
:a Infantry Battle Dies Down. ia
S Infantry operations on large scale
"a the Picardy battlefield have died
down, while both sides prepare for the
next move in the great conflict. Vicious
local fighting has occurred between Al
bert and Montdidier, but the Germans
have been checked in all attempts to
advance toward Amiens, while the
Franco British troops have made small
gains between the Somme and Demuin.
In the days of desperate and san
culinary fighting since they launched
their attacks on the line before Cam
brai st. Quentin and La Fere, the Ger
man command apparently has learned
that massed infantry attacks without
great artillery preparation are fruit
less and most costly. The German ar
tillery fire is reported to be weak, In
dicating that the enemy has not yet
been able to move his big guns across
the barren region between st. Quentin
and Albert.
Seyenty-seven German divisions are
on the battle line waiting for the guns
before attempting another gigantic
effort to reach Amiens. North of the
Somme there are 40 divisionsS while
~ are on the line between the Somme
and Chauny. And 1t Is known that the
German guns have not all been moved
forward.
Americans May Participate.
Meanwhile the allies armies under
General Foch are making ready not
only to counter another German blow,
which the enemy must make or con-
lcede defeat, but probably also to open
counter oftiensive. 1t is not unlike
lIy that American troops will partici-
pate in the approaching renewal Of
hecvy fighting along most Of the line,
as more than 100000 are moving to-
WARD the battle lines. Some unseason-
ed American units will be placed side
by side with hardened British and
French veterans, according to a deci-
sion announced in London.
The Germans are reported to be
massing troops before Albert, where
their attacks were beaten back by the
British Monday The British COM
mand looks for heavy German efforts
north of the Somme, where it is be-
tlieved the enemy has most of his fight
ing force. but where there has been