The sun., 1917-05-22
DEFENCE LINE IN
GRIP OF ALLIES
System From BullecOurt to
Arras Now Held by
the British.
FRENCH TAKE TRENCHES
Petain's Troops Dominate Re-
giOn, Permitting Drive
Against LaOn.
FRENCH TAKE TRENCHES

LoNDQN. May 31.-French and British
troops have been successful in attacks in
the last twenty-four hours. Gen. Petain
by strong Assault in the Champagne
has taken the last Of the points OF OBJ
servation on the front OF the French Of
fensive there apd 500 prisoners. Field
Marehal Haig has pushed on from the
first line Hindenburg trench taken yes
terday and now holds the support trench.
In announcing this success British
headquarters takes occasion to report on
the progress made thus far in forcing
the Hindenburg line. British troops now
hold some eight miles OF this famous de-
fence system. Except for a mile of
trenches still unconquered east OF Bulle-
court the British hold the whole line
from the western edge Of the Queant
ridge to where 1t Joined the old line at
Beaurains. Immediately southeast of
Arras.
French Take Trenches.
| The French success in Champagne.
which was won last night. Is officially
described as important and brilliant"
Several lines of German trenches on the
slopes north of Mont Carnillet and on
the Teton. were taken by the French ad-
vance, and every German counter attack
was frustrated by artillery fire.
Holding as they do Mont Carnillet,
Mont Haut. Mont Sans Nom and other
| heights, the French now dominate the
German positions for miles to the rear.
| II these observation points are held an
| advance toward Laon from the southea ST
| may be begun
The German official statement to-day
gives different version from the French
| OF the outcome Of the fighting. though It
, admits that the French attack was not
fruitless. The Germans are established
on the northern slopes Of the heights,
Berlin says. As the northern slopes are
the further slopes this Is a clear admis-
! sion that the Germans have lost the
! crests. At other points German counter
attacks regained lost ground.
Omcial Reports Diner.
Regarding the British attack be-
| tween Bullecourt and Fontaine -lez g roi
stiles the German report differs some
what from the British. The trench the
British took was left In possession of
tne enemy in accordance with our plan.
Berlin says. but the British attack as a
whole was failure, for it was launched
on front of eight miles and more and
the British either could not leave the
trenches. were shot to pieces by arti-
lery or repulsed by counter attacks. The
official statements follow:
British Night Statement--Our new
positions in the Hindenburg line north
| west of Bullecourt have been secured
during the day with little interference
from the enemy. All information re-
ceived confirms the severity of the
| German losses in the recent fighting in
this area.
With the exception OF a sector about
1000 yards long imm mediately west OF
Builecourt We now hold the whole of
the Hindenburg line from a point one
mile east of Bullecourt to Arras.s
The hostile artillery has again
shown considerable activity on the
north bank of the Scarpe.
There was great aerial activity yes
terday. A number Of successful bomb
| ing raids were carried out, and our
airplanes cooperated excellently with
our infantry In the attacks. engaging
! the enemy troops in the enemy's front
! line trenches with machine gun fire.
seven Airplanes Brought Down.
In the. air fighting seven German
| airplanes were downed. of which one
fell inside our lines. Eight other. were
! driven down out OF control. Another
| hostile machine was shot down out of
! control by our ant-aircraft guns Four
| Of our airplanes are missing.
British Day Statement-Our opera
tions In the Hindenburg line between
Bullecourt and Fontaine-le -Croisilles
were continued with success during
the night. Our troops. who had carried a
front trench in the Hindenburg line
Yesterday morning and had repelled
several counter attacks. renewed the
attack In the evening and after hand
| to hand fighting captured a support
trench also.
Hostile counter attacks were again
beaten off with heavy loss to the
enemy, whose troops wero engaged
| In the open by our ma ssed artillery.
A large number OF the enemy's dead
were found In the captured positions.
| About $50 prisoners have 80 far been
taken by us In these operations Two
German divisions have been engaged
in the fighting In this ne!ghborhood
since yesterday morning.
We carried out successful raid
last night near Loos. Early this
morning an enemy party endeavored
10 enter our trenches southwest OF
Messlnes. but was driven of
German Guns Active.
French Night Statement--The day
was comparatively calm. The artil-
lery actions were intermittent over
the greater part OF the front except
| in Champagne. where tho enemy
Violently bombarded the positions we
occupied yesterday In the region south
of Moronvilllers. There was no In
fantry action.
On the night OF May 1890 our air
planes dropped 2,200 kiiogrammes Of
explosives on railroad stations and
bivouacs In the region OF Epoye and
Bethsniville. On May 20 the aviation
ground at Habsheim and bivouacs at
Pont-Faverger and Betheniville were
likewise bombarded with Numerous
proJectiles-
! The same day two German air,
planes were brought down by our
pilots, and a third by the fire OF our
special guns. Three other enemy ma
chimes were compelled to make q
landing. having been seriously dam
aged.
i Belgian tatement--Yesterday at
the END OF the afternoon violent bomb
| 0~htiuw fo0k Dlaca IN the radon 0f