Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-28
CANADIANS STORM
LINE BEFORE AV|0N
British Now Within One Mile
of the Center of
Lens.
ATTACK ON 2-MILE FRONT

By the Associated Press.
CANADIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE, June 2s.-Under pro-
tecting concentration Of artillery fire.
Canadian troops early today stormed
and captured the German front line be-
fore Avion. a suburb of Lens.
The Canadians. heartened by sue
cesses gained during the last few DAYS
at relatively small cost. decided this
morning to attack across the open
ground Sloping upward to Avion and
the village of Leauvette. near the Sou
chez river. They met with opposition of
serious character at only one point.
where combination of machine gun
fire and uncut wires delayed the ad-
vance. The attack was not intended
spot. as the ground specially favored
the Germans SO that the delay did nc
harm.
The assaulting troops comprised men
from British Columbia, Manitoba. cen
trail Ontario and Nova Scotia.
By this mornings advance the British
line has been carried forward to within
one mile of the center of Lens. The
attack was made along a two-mile
front. On the extreme left, Nova SEQ
tldHS puSHeu tHelT way up the Lens
Arras road to the village of Leauvette
Here they took a number of prisoners
Caught in Dugouts.
At the other end Of the line. east OF
the railway tracks. enemy dugouts were
bombed. Their occupants belonged to
the crack Prussian guards corps, the
5th Guard Grenadiers, who refused in
most cases to come out and surrender.
"a nd fyyn rfry- of he
grenadiers decided that discretion was
the better part of valor. Others are
believed to be still alive in the dug
outs, which will be thoroughly explored
after the ground won is consolidated.
At daybreak Canadian airplanes flying
low over Ayion saw few Germans there.
Craters which recently were made by mine
explosions at the cross roads are now
seriously hinderfng them in bringing up
troops from Lens for counter attacks.
The enemy's guns have been shelling
Canadian communication trenches. but
Canadian "heavies" are now taking them
on with good results
The enemy clings to Avion. He gave
up his trenches. which were on slope
leading UP to the village a little over
a quarter Of a mile from the nrst
only under strong compulsion.
His new line was Immediately in front
OF the most westerly row of houses in
Avfon. 1t was connected with cellars
and dugouts in the villages to which
the occupants could retire when heav-
lily shelled.
Strong Canadian patrols were sent
out along most of the front to learn
Of the conditions in this
trench line. They found 1t strongly
held by the enemy and were unable to
enter his defense. The Canadian heavy
artillery once more took up the
work of destruction. Between Avion
a nd there fa a rNnSide h1a OF fch
Of marsh along the Souchez. This has
been flooded and wire entanglements
have been constructed on the eastern
side Of the flooded area There. as 1t is
to the south, the new German line is
strongly held.
German Attacks Fail.
LONDON. June zs.-German attacks
south Of the Cojeul river were repulsed
announces.
During the night the enemy's artillery
heavily bembarded our positions In the
neighborhood Of Fontaine-lez- Croisilles,' %
against our advanced posts south Of the
Jojeul river were successfully repulsed. A
German raiding party entered our trench
es last night east Of Vermelles. 1t was at
once elected. One of our men is missing.
The official report from British head
quarters in France last night reads:
"A hostile raiding party was repuls-
ed early this morning north Of Roeux
after sharp lighting. in which the
enemy suffered considerable loss.
Much successful work was accom-
plished by our airplanes yesterday. In
the air fighting fve German machines
were brought down. Two others were
driven down out Of control In addition
one hostile machine was shot down by
fire from the ground. None of our air
planes is missing.
French Check Germans.
PARIS, June 2s.-The official state
ment of today follows: "..."...
The artillery fighting was particu-
larly active last night in the region OF
the Hurtebise monument and Mount
carnillet- A German attack against the
THANH, was repulsed. The enemy left
behind several dead. including the body
of an officer.
Patrol engagements near Flirey and
Bezonvaux enabled US to take prison ers
TT has now been established that an
planes on Monday. fell within the enc.
my lines east Of Gratreuil. Yesterday
an albatross was brought down south
east of Moronvilliers."
Chaplain Aids Capture.
By the Associated Press.
FRENCH FRONT IN FRANCE. June
2S-A French military chaplain figured
prominently with the French troops in
a brilliantly successful attack on the
Dragons Cave on the Chemin des
Danes. in the neighborhood of Hurte-
bise. While advancing with a stretchel
bearer detachment the chaplain was
confronted by the fearsome figure of q
German officer whose clothing wa.
afiame The chaplain raised a crucif1
and offered religious comfort to the
burning man. who pointed to tho real
where another German officer was
creeping out Of a hole.
The chaplain, still holding tho cruel.
fix aloft, advanced shouting to the Ger
mans to surrender. The officer replied
I'VE are ready, but will surrender only
to an officer"
A French officer approached and en-
tered the cavern. where $50 Germans, In
Guiding three officers. laid down their
arms
Scene of Ambuscade.
Where the action occurred was the
scene Of an ambuscade of the French In
the beginning of 1915, which resulted in
considerable French losses When the
French attacked on this occasion the
position was peculiar. The southern
entrance of the enormous cavern. be.
tween Grotto farm and the monumen,
commemorative of a Napoleonic victory
in 1914, was held by the French. The
northern entrance was held by the Ger.
mans. The cavern was 500 feet long
and 300 feet broad. Across 1t the Ger.
mans had built brick wall Above. or
the ridge. the French and German
trenches were separated by only a few
70