Evening star., 1917-06-04
INFANTRY LULL OVER
IN VICINITY Of LENS
British Make Attack Along the Val
ley of the Souchez and
Establish Post.
From STAFF Correspondent of the Associated Press.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN

From STAFF Correspondent of the Associated Press.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, via London, June 5, $3.50 pm.
The infantry lull of several weeks
| night, under the light of a nearly fun
moon. the British made an attack
southwest of Lens and in the direction
of that besieged city. The point of at
one of the southern suburbs of Lens,
the latter being the center of mining
district which sprawls for miles along
the valley of the Souchez river.
Most of the nights fighting was
south of the river, although an ad-
vanced post was established north of
that stream. The British by early dawn
had captured all the intended positions
and were still fighting yesterday along
the Lens-Arras road. They had cap
tured the electric power station just
south of the river, where the Germans
had been established for many months
and which was fairly stiff with ma
chine guns. The station had been
pretty well blown about by artillery
fire, but was still formidable fortifi-
cation.
Farther south the British captured
some brick chimneys which had been
transformed into a strong point. These
detectives sound rather strange, hut
most of the bitterest fighting in the
world war on vast front has from
time to time Swirled about sugar fac
tories, windmills, farm buildings, ceme-
ter1es. breweries. Stag heaps, unim-
posing mounds. like the Butte du War
lencourt; churches. nasteries and
even asylums for the insane.
Nearly a Hundred Prisoners.
Nearly 100 prisoners had been counte ed
yesterday morning from the nocturnal
operations about Lens. and there was
every indication that heavy losses had
been inflicted ON the enemy. Artillery
activity continues unabated, first one
side and than the other bombarding and
retallating in turn.
Ypres comes in for the usual day and
night Smelling. There has not been
day in the last two years that shells
nave not poured into what is left of
TINS once important little Belgian city.
Not content with purely destructive
fire, the Germans lately have been re-
sorting to use of gas shells in great
profusion. The Germans made minor
attack Saturday night on British out
post line southwest of Cherisy, the
weight of which carried two posts, but
them.
The Germans. still resentful at their
defeat at Bullecourt, have been bonn
pa rding the ruins Of that town and the
british positions to the east of it. in the
Hindenburg line. with great violence
Tor several days past, their guns pour
Ing shells of all calibers into these po-
sltions throughout last night. notwith-
standlng the German wireless stute-
ments that bullecourt and vicinity are
or absolutely no Importance German
airpianes dropped bombs rather indis-
criminately back of the British lines
during the emoonlight hours of last
night.
Many Raiding Parties.
Raids continue all up and down tho
British lines. One British raidimg
party met large body of Germans in
No Mans Land" and had a hot fight,
finally routing the Germans, who He'd
leaving numbers of dead and prisoners
behind.
Recently captured letters written by
Germans on the Russian front to
irlendS on the western front show that
the soldiers are not at all pleased with
any proposal to change fronts One
written by German officer on the Rus
sian front is particularly interesting. 1t
says:
1T is quite untrue that Russians are
deserting in great numbers or that an
armistice has been declared. AS mat
ter OF Iact, the situation has led to
more casualties than usual, because the
Germans are becoming foolhardy. We
nave iost here. during a short period, a
battalion commander, regimental medi-
cal ofncer and company commander, all
tnrough lack of caution. The first two
We're pagged by an infantry Sniper
Whlle they were debating with Rus
sian on peace. Our great topic is the
possibility OF moving westward We
do not desire a change of fronts"