The sun., 1917-05-17
BRITISH REPEL
FURIOUS DRIVE
Line WaverS for a Time
Under Sheer Weight of
German Masses.
ALL GROUND RECLAIMED
Hindcnburg's Troops Fail to
Push Temporary Advan-
tage in Bullecourt.
ALL GROUND RECLAIMED

LONDON. May is. - Against both
British and French Won Hindenburg
threw to-day massed attacks OF great
power. using picked troops which may
have come fresh from q long rest on the
inactive Russian front British and
French fought better than the Germans
and Won Hindenburss effort ended in
failure.
1t was no easy victory, however. The
FIRST onslaught Of the picked troops met
with success against both Of the allied
armies. British and French wavered for
a moment under the shock, but they
quickly rallied. regained all the ground
lest. took numbers OF German prisoners
and sent the shattered remnant back to
their trenches.
Flght at Roeax.
Won Hindenbury chose for his effort
on the British front the two mile stretch
from Gavrellc to the Scarpe. which In
| cludes the village of Roeux. with the
| chemical works and the cemetery which
day. Tho waves IN field gray ca,nc for
ward from Plouvain. and were met by
whirlwind fire. Other troops coming
down the slopes OF Greenland Hin were
caught by high explosive shells, and
their losses were tremendous. Then the
British machine guns got to work. but
| the Germans were IN unusual strength.
sheer weight and momentum carried
the Germans beyond the British out
posts. and even into tho chemical works
| themselves" writes the Associated Press
correspondent at tho front. but like "
! rubber ball the rebound was instan.
taneous, and swiftly the defenders
struck. After short, hard fight the
enemy was thrown out. with heavy
losses. leaving the British moro estab-
| lished than ever"
At Builecourt there was soms furious
hand to hand fighting. with the result
that practically all the advantage the
Germans won there yesterday was nulli-
ded. On the Hindenburg line cast Of
Bullecourt the British troops made prog.
| rcss.
| Allemant II ThreateneA,
On the French front the Germans were
! fully as anxious to succeed as against
the British, for they were trying to re-
capture the Laffaux mill. tho loss Of
which was very serious blow TO them.
/ From the mill the French have valuable
observation on the German positions and
threaten Allemant, which French ex-
perts think Is the key to the German
position along the Ailette Valley.
Against the whole French trench sys.
tenn about Laffaux and the mill the
Germans brought to bear terrific pres.
sure on n front Of nearly three miles.
The fighting began this morning after
the German guns had hurled thousands
of shells upon the French trenches. The
Germans used large forces in their at
tacks.
Time and time again the German
waves came forward. In the main the
whole French line held firm, but at vari-
Gus points advanced positions were lost
In one attack or another. Then came
the French counter attacks, and after
fierce fighting tho knots Of Germans
that had penetrated French positions
were thrown out or wiped out.
Brandenb1rxersi in Action.
The German official statement says
that the storming troops who gained
this temporary success were Branden-
burgers and that they captured French
trenches on n front OF nearly half a
mile. holding them against several
strong French attacks. The official
statements follow:
British Night Statement-After n
heavy bombardment Of our trenches
on both banks OF tho Scarpe the en-
emy launched powerful counter at
tack this morning on the north bank
between Gavrelle and the river. HIS
troops pressed forward under a de-
structive fire from our artillery and
machine guns. For a short period by
weight OF numbers the enemy forced
back our advanced troops from their
forward positions. Our counter at
tack, however. Immediately launched,
regained all the ground temporarily
lost. driving back the enemy and in
fiicting exceptionally heavy losses. A
number of prisoners remained In our
hands.
Our troops made progress during
the day In the Hindenburg line north
east Of Bullecourt. A hostile raidlng
, party was successfully repulsed this
morning southeast Of Ypres.
Ono German airplane was driven
down out Of control yesterday. One
Of our machines is missing.
Fighting In BulIecourt.
British Day Statement - Fighting
continued yesterday to our advantage
In the western portion OF Builecourt.
We captured few prisoners in the
course OF q small encounter last night
on the right Of our position in the
Hindenburg line east Of the village.
Severe fighting 10 In progress north
OF the Scarpe.
French Night statement-The- Ger
mans continued to-day their attacks
; In the regions to the north and north
west of the Laffaux Mill as far as the
railroad between Soissons and Laon
Despite the importance OF the enemy
d electives and the violence OF the as :
saults our troops inflicted san
At several points, where our line tenn
porarily gave way, We carried out
brilliant oountsr attacks. which on
abied us to regain the lost ground.
Tho Germans suffered heavy losses
in endeav0ring to arrest our progress
by new attempts, which were broken
. by our barrages and the fire of our
machine guns. About 100 unwounded
, prisoners remained in our hands, as
. we'll as a number OF wounded Ger
- mans who are carried by our ambu-
70 lancos.
J. ARTILLERY IL Active.
!. The artillery lighting continued yio-
Ia ientiy along the whole front OF attack
~ In the sector Of Craonne lively artii-
D lery actions also occurred.
"a On May 10 our pilots brought down
= three German airplanes.
A Belgian statement-In tho region Of
UssstassS ~ TAtvS 1ssA
II