Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 83, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1918 — WAR SUMMARY. [ARTICLE]

WAR SUMMARY.

Neuve EgliseNew Church—the little town three miles to the southeast of the southern slopes of Messines ridge and a little less than six miles slightly northeast of Bailleul. has fallen to the Germans after a fotfr days* battle in which it changed hands several times. The turning menace to the ridge and to Bailleul has thus been increased. Now a fierce battle for Baileul is in progress as well as a thrust north to outflank Messines. But offsetting this reverse to Haig’s troops in the center of the line north of the Lys is' a marked stiffening of British resistance in every other sector of this northern battle, a stiffening which has resulted in bloody checks to the enemy. To the northwest of Merville, for instance, near the pistol-point of the German wedge, seven massed assaults by fresh picked Teuton troops were smothered by the British, whose fire slashed bloody lanes into the enemy ranks. Similar punishment was meted out north of the Lys canal, to the east of Robecq, the farthest point of the German advance, some fifteen miles southwest of Armentieres. In this sector the Teutons were not only beaten back with heavy losses but the British took prisoners, 150 in. number, and several machine guns. The French reinforcements .whose arrival Haig heralded in his famous ordo* of the day, are now reported approaching the Lys battlefield and before many hours have I passed they are expected to be in the thick of the struggle.