line slightly during the night on the south bank of the somme east of vaire-sous-corbie north of the somme a few prisoners and a machine gun were captured by us in the neighborhood of nuville vitasee the enemy's artillery has shown increased activity during the night on the whole british battle front heavy hostile gas shelling has taken place also between lens and la bassee canal and east of armentieres french paris april 8 â€” the war office announcement to-night said : during the course of the day the enemy pressure con tinued north of the ailette river in the region of the lower coucy forest the advanced sections of our troops resisted and hin dered the advance of the enemy who was in greatly super ior numbersinflicting upon him heavy losses on the somme front between montdidier and noyon there was no infantry action but the two artilleries dis played spirited activity in the vosges an enemy attack failed north of tete de faux the day statement said : the night was marked by violent artillery actions especially on the left bank of the oise french patrols were very active bringing in pris oners on the left bank of the meuse in the argonne ger man raids were repulsed everywhere else the night passed in quiet german berlin april 8 â€” the official headquarters statement to day says : in continuation of our attack on the oise we drove the enemy out of his strong positions on the heights east of coucy-le-chateau an earlier