Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-09
LENS, WITH GREAT
COAL MINES, NEARER
GRASP OF ENGLISH
British Forces Regain Most
of Territory Lost Around
Bullecourt.
( "
SACRIFICE IN LIFE
BY GERMANS GREAT
Field Marshal Sends in large
Numbers of Reserves to
Stem Tide, But Fails.
(By Associated PreW.)

10y AeoW1AUeU f>To0osI .aH
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg's
tremendous drive of yesterday in an
effort to stem the tide of British VIC
tory on the Arras battlefield. speedily
spent its force and all his lavish ex-
penditure of men and material bids
fair to be wasted. Already the British
have reacted so strongly that most Of
the ground lost yesterday in the vi
cinity of Fresnoy has been regained.
The Germans still are clinging to the
village itself. but the hold upon it is
so Insecure that it capture and the en-
tire restoration Of the British positions
appear imminent.
Is Important Point.
1t is vital necessity for the Gar
mans to hold fast here, if they are
not speedily to lose Lens and it's in
valuable coal fields, and hnd their
whole line in the northern sector OF
the Franco-Belgian front imperiled.
Equally necessary Is it for them to
hold the French around the great
bend in the line northeast of scissors.
where the German stronghold of
Laon. considered by some military
critics the key to the entire German
positions in northern France, is the
French objective. !.
Violent Counter Attack.
The persistence and violence Of the
German counter attack along the
Chemin -des-Dames plateau, the COM
manding ridge won by the French in
last weeks drive. indicates the Inn
portance the German high command
attaches to the lost ground. General
Nivelle's troops are yielding no inch
Of it, however. and gradually are
forging ahead in important sectors.
Chcvreaux Seems Lost to Germans.
Last night an attack by the French
gave them q line of trenches three
quarters of a mile long on the impo-.
tant ground above Craonne, northeast
Of Chevreaux, where they, are open
Germans have been claiming the re-
tention Of Chevreaux, but the Paris
reports today indicate that II the
French are not actually in possession
Of it. they at least have 1t well
hemmed in.
The German counter attacks last
night were particularly heavy and
costly and at no point were they sue
| cessful, Paris announces.
First Successful Counter-attack.
The capture of Fresnoy marks the
a German counter attack has sue
ceeded in wrestling an important posi-
ton from the British.
Curiously enough, the Berlin state
ment which announced the capture OF
Fresnoy indicated that the British are
much closer to the southern end Of the
Drocourt-Q Queant line than has been
office tells Of heavy fighting between
Raincourt and Fontaine, the former
village being bare mile and half
from Queant and less than that dis
tance from Cagnicourt, the next Ger
man stronghold north of Quesnt.
One of Wars Most Important Actions.
Everything indicates that the pres
ent struggle on the British front is re-
garded on both sides as one Of the
most important actions Of the war.
but it may be many days before any
decision is reached. The determina-
| ton with which the Germans are
fghting and the strenuous efforts at
concentration of guns and reserves.
show that the Drocourt-Queant line
| is regarded by them as Of vital i'm
portance and will be only surrendered
| in the last extremity.
| English Regain Ground.
British Headquarters in France. via
London, from a staff correspondent Of
the Associated Press. May 9-Most
Of the ground lost by the British in
| the vicinity OF rTeSHoy has ueS!A
gained The Germans are barely hold
ing Fresnoy village itself.
French Capture Trenches.
Paris. May 9.-The French last
| night captured first line German
trenches over a front Of three-quar-
ters Of a mile northeast Of CheyreuX
near Craonne. the war office announc-
es.
During the night the Germans made
repeated counter attacks in force
against the tnportant positions taken
from them Ml the plateau Of Chemin-
| Des-Dames and on the California pla-
teau. Although the Germans were
stopped by French artillery ana ma
chine gun fire, new assaulting waves
resumed the effort several times un-
til the ground was strewn with Ger
man dead.
! Still Hold Fresnoy.
| Berlin, via London. May ,9.-Fres-
noy, on the Arras battlefront, has
been held by the Germans against
fresh attacks by the French. An ad-
ditional 100 prisoners has been cap
tured. says today's army headquar-
ters statement.
Russians Advance.
Petrograd, via London Russian
troops on the Rumanian front north
west Of Senne yesterday broke through
the Teuton positions and advanced
toward Jenawer. says the official
statement issued today by the Rus
sian war department
/ 1HlVDENBURG AGAIN
pREnIfvTS VIcEnRY