Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-05
BATTLE IN ARRAS
arena IS RAGING
With new FURY
British Maintain Hold On Fres.
noy and Other Points Near
There Captured on
Thursday.
TWO OTHER POINTS LOST
Further South German Counter
Attacks Push Back Brit
ish Advance.
GUNS BOOM ALL NIGHT
TWO OTHER POINTS LOST
GUNS BOOM ALL NIGHT
BULLETIN.

the first German line on front
Of about two and half miles,
capturing 800 prisoners.
On the eastern end \of the
Vauclerc plateau, the war Office
statement adds, the village of
Craonne has been captured by the
French. More than $50 prisoners,
as we'll as several points of sup
port east and north Of Craonne,
also fell into the hands of Gen.
eral Nivelle's forces.
London, May 4.-The British last
night made progress northwest of St.
Quentin and northeast of Hargicourt,
capturing Malakoff farm, the war Of
fee announces. On the Arras front
the British have maintained their
hold on Fresnoy and all the positions
captured in that neighborhood in yes
etrday's drive.
The British were compelled to fall
back from the advanced positions cap
tured yesterday in the neighborhood
ofCherisy and astride the Arras-Cam-
brai road, the statement adds.
Guns Boom All Night.
Throughout the night the guns con-
tinued to boom without intermission
on the Arras battlefield and frequent
bursts of machine gun and rife fire
told of attacks and counter attacks
along various parts OF the front OF the
British offensive,
Reuters correspondent at British
headquarters telegraphs this morning
that apparently there has been little
change since the official communica-
tion OF last evening was issued.
The British made small but impor-
tant progress at several points.
On the south bank OF the Scarpe
the British pushed forward, overcom-
ing the resistance of machine gun
posts, which abound all along this
ground. They have established them
selves in the sunken road near Pelves
mill, which has a dip Of nine feet and
offers possibilities for offense and de-
fense.
At Roeux, which Is directly oppo-
site this new position, the Germans
still remain in the hercely contested
chemical works, but the British have
a series Of posts astride the ground
east of this place.
German Attacks Repulsed.
British Headquarters in France
(Via London), May 4.--The Germans
made desperate counter attacks
throughout the entire night against
the positions won by the British yes
terday, but were everywhere repulsed.
The latest reports from the battle
front show that the Hindenburg line
was pierced both northwest and
southeast of Bullecourt for long dis
tances. The Germans bitterly de-
Tended these strong points and at
tempted several times TO retake them.
but once the British we're in the deep
trenches they held on.
The men fought that steadily that
there was neither time nor thought
of food. The battlehelds were dry
and dusty, however, and water bot
ties had to be replenished time and
again, whenever it was possible to
do so.
Two Weeks Ahead Of Schedule.
Washington, May 4.-The British
forces on the western front are two
weeks ahead of their attacking sched-
ule, according to cablegram received
here today by Secretary Balfour from
the foreign office. The advance, it is
said, has been much faster than ex-
pected and the losses smaller.
The losses were said to be only
as large proportionately as
those on the Somme offensive last
year. This is attributed by members
Of the mission to all incomparably
better artillery preparation and the
fact that the men are not allowed to
outrun the guns.