The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-04-04

a bloody struggle in a chalk quarry,
where many German dead now lie
After the Germans had come some way
forward ten British tanks drove into
them and shattered some Of their bat.
tallons with their machine-gun fire,
dispensing groups Of the advancing
units.
The British fought many rear guard
actions and made numerous counter.
attacks in the neighbOrhood Of Rolsel,
falling back to the line of the Somme
only when new masses OF Germans
passed through those battallons which
they had not met and beaten.
Between Gozeaucourt and Epephy
occurred a most desperate struggle.
The Germans attacked in overwhelm.
ing strength. Their previous bonn
bardment had had little effect and the
British troops had suffered but
slightly.
The weather was misty, and, screen
ed by this mist. the Germans were
on top of the British before the lat
ter were aware of It. In dense for
nation they came on, Offering excel.
lent targets. Ground wus yielded by
the British only under pressure Of
overwhelming numbers.
Heroic Deeds Of the British.
Fighting Saturday between Arras
md Bapaume for possession Of the
heights between the Cojeul and Sem
see rivers was especially bitter. Out.
numbered eight to one, the British
troops clung to their positions to the
last.
In Gauche wood, where Scots and
South Africans were placed, another
terrific struggle ensued. The Ger
mans several times managed to reach
the wood but were repeatedly thrown
back. Their losses in killed were
especially heavy, as they came on in
mass formation. Attempt after at
tempt was frustrated.
From a height below Gauche wood
known as Chapel hill to Epephy three
German divisions and parts of q
fourth were thrown against the Brit
Ish. At one point the enemy was ac-
tually among the British advance
posts before he was discovered. The
fog thoroughly screened him.
Waves of Germans flowed past the
farm and around it, but In the farm
itself the Leicesters held out, fighting
and refusing to surrender until every
man was killed or so severely wounded
he could fight no more.
The British showed the greatest
strength between Bapaume and Pc
rome and above Bapaume as far as
Arras. The Germans, however, coz
cerned with the southern flank, at the
Franco British junction point, concen
trated their most terrific blows against
the Peronne-Ham Chauny line, relying
on the necessity of an automatic Brit
ish withdrawal in the north if thelI
line was bent or broken in the south
Bapaume was an obstacle on the
northern side, to capture which they
sacrificed thousands Of their bes
troops. Rivers of blood we're shed fOl
the towns possession in a combat tha
lasted almost all night, until thu
British finally yielded the ruins, aftel
having exacted a fearful price.
Kaiser Orders Jubiation.
The kaiser was with Field Marsha
Won Hindenburg in PerOnne surveying
the bloody fields where thousands o
his best fighting men were killed o
manned before the British finally with
drew. The emperor ordered genera
jubilation throughout the empire
rockets and flags and holiday for tn
children being the chief symbols o
celebration. He conferred a gold In
laid iron cross on Hindenburg.
Wilhelm also sent dispatches to tn
empress telling of the progress mad
by his armies.