HOW WE ENTERED LENS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 17 April 1917, Page 5

HOW WE ENTERED LENS

GERMANS CAUGHT UNPREPARED THE BAPAUME-CAMBRAI ROAD :- : ~'■■ , BATTLE ~ •' HEAVY.GERMAN LOSSES ■ ■ PRESIDENT APPEALS TO AMERICANS : "THE SUPREME TEST"

'■;. How the British'entered Lens is graphically and thrillingly/told Li-a long dispatch by Mr. Philip Gibbs , to-day. Clever tactics, whicft spared many lives and caught the; Germans in unexpected places, contributed to the enemy's discomfiture and heavy loss of war material. Further details of the German counter-attaok on the Bapaume-Cam-brai road show that larger forces were employed than was at first thought, and the enemy's losses from our artillery were correspondingly, greater. The Germans managed to set foot in Lagnioourt, but were no sooner in than they were out again, flying for their lives. The British and French advance meanwhile steadily continues. There is also a welcome indication of amove oh the Belgian front, where the German second line was penetrated : at Dixmude. One important result of our recent successes- has been the fact that the Germane ha,ve been compelled to reinforce their Western line with drafts from the Russian front. Sixty divisions are now reported to be facing us in the.West. President Wilson lias issued a.' stirring message to the 'American people, calling upon tlie nation to make a groat concentrated effort to , aid and co-operate with the Allies. The Navy is to be placed upon an effective footing, a great Army is to.be raised and .equipped, and a national effort made to ensure an adequate supply of foodstuffs for the Allies and adequate transport forHhe same. "The supreme test has come,", he declares.