Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1918 — GREATEST OF BATTLES OF THE PRESENT WAR [ARTICLE]

GREATEST OF BATTLES OF THE PRESENT WAR

Still Raging On Western Front —British Army Forced Slowly Backward. FEARFUL PRICE PAID BY HUNS As Every Foot of Ground Is Being Contested andSDead Lie In Heaps. ADVANCE OF GERMANS IS CHECKED Weight of Numbers Is Forcing Defenders to Slowly Give Up Ground. With the British Anny in France, March 25. —This has been another day of most desperate and sanguinary fighting along the whole front of the new battle zone. In fact in the northern sector there has been no cessation in the awful work since Sunday morning. The Germans have continued to hurl great forces of infantry into the conflict, depending largely on weight of numbers to overcome the increasing opposition offered by the heroically resisting British. Near the center of the line to the south, a strong attempt is being made by the invaders to extend the long narrow salient which they had pushed in south of Bapaume, near Lapgueval—famous in the annals of the battle of the Somme. These places were again the scene of shambles in which the British machine gunners and rifleman exacted a terrible toll of death from the closely pressing enemy. Still further south the Germans were pounding the front hard in an endeavor to push on and get a firm grip on Nesle and swing the British right flank back while the determined defenders were battling doggedly to force the enemy back and reclaim the positions previously held by them along the river. The decision at all of these centers is yet In abeyance so far as known at this time and the struggle goes on with unabated fury. The resistance of the British right wing has been particularly spectacular. On Saturday the Germans essayed the crossing of the Somme on rafts in the Nesle sector but these expeditionary forces were caught in a hail of artillery, machine gun and rifle fire, and virtually wiped out.

Yesterday, however, the Germans succeeded in getting troops across in this manner and followed these advanced guards up with strong forces which pushed on in the neigh-; borhood of Morchain, the British were contesting the enemy advance fiercely and at latest reports were holding the hard hitting enemy . strongly. The battle today on the historic ground about Lonueval was per- 1 haps the most spectacular of any, along the front. It was a day for machine gunners and infantry. The Germans were pursuing their tactics of working forward in massed formation, and the British rapid firing squads and riflemen were reaping a horrid harvest from their, positions on the high grounds. Notwithstanding their terrible losses the Germans kept coming on, filling in the places of those who had fallen and pressing their attack. The British artillery in the 1 meantime poured in a perfect rain of shells on the enemy, carrying havoc into the ranks of the enemy. I In this section the Germans were operating without the full support ’of their guns because of their rapid advance. In the north, in the region of Ervilters, the British last night were forced once more to i abandon Mory. which had changed hands several times in the last few days. They fell back for a short [distance and the battle this morn- , ing was staged largely along the

Bapaume-Ayres road. The Germans employed a large number of divisions in this assault, which In the early hours was held off by the British gunners. For the last four days French refugees have been streaming back from the evacuated towns in large numbers. Everywhere along the 1 roads leading to the front were to be met old men, women and children, all trudging stoically behind their horse drawn carts of household furniture, or even packing a few belongings in a bag on their backs. It is possible today to give details of that most important phase of the battle fought in the sector between Gouzeaucourt and St. Quentin. The country here was shrouded in mist Thursday morning land the Germans advanced without being seen. Strong forces of infantry flung themselves against the British front line and after a fierce struggle broke through it at several places. They then continued driving hard for Templeux, near HlarglI court.

Just in front of the former village were quarries in which the British had taken up positions and here a battle of great ferocity was waged. The Germans repeatedly tried to take the quarries by storm

but so gallant was the defense of the comparatively small forces that the attacking troops were unable to push their way through^.y While this struggle was in progress the dnemy flung five division# against the line in front of Hargicourt and compelled the British to fall back from that place. This automatically ended thq struggle in the Temple quarries and the defenders fell back a little. On Friday a fierce engagement was waged about LaVerguier, which the Germans captured, but not until the British infantry holding the place had fought to the last man and Indicted extremely heavy losses on the enemy. The British again fell back; this time to a line through Hervilly, just east of Roisel and Vermand. The Germans captured Hervilly, but the British came back with the help of tanks in a dashing counter attack which forced the enemy to withdraw. The Germans, however, in an attack further down the line, had forced the British line to swing back and the. whole front of this sector was compelled to give way, falling back to the line of the Somime. Every inch of ground was contested as the British withdrew and some of the most magnificent work of the war was done by the party troops who fought the rear guard action and allowed the main force to retire in an orderly and moderate manner. The fighting southwest of Roisel was especialy severe. On Saturday . the Germans were tired and there was no very heavy fighting in this i section. The enemy forces pushed • forward to occupy the evacuated | territory and as they came they , were deluged with shells by the I No finer targets could have been offered to the defending artillerymen, i who Shot all day with open sights and covered the ground in front of them with dead and dying. | On Sunday the Germans advanced against the Somme defenses and lywing pierced some of* these are seemingly pushing their advantages to the full in the hope of, overcoming all opposition to the objectives which they have planned.