The sun., 1917-05-09
Fresh Divisions Recapture
Town After Series of
Assaults.
POSITION OF VANTAGE
Forms Formidable Point
Protecting Lens and
Coal Regions.
FRENCH HOLDING LINES
Trenches Are BOmbarded Fol-
lowing Repulsc Of Teu-
ton Attacks.

LONDON, May s.--The town Of Fres-
noy. In the Arras section Of France.
which Canadian troops captured after
terrific conbats last Thursday. was re-
gained by the Germans this morning
The Katser's troops after repeated at
tacks for four days launched heavy
drives in the sector early to-day and
British trenches northeast Of the village.
The British. with the Canadians again
conspicuous In the fighting. regained
the los. ground, but the Germans soon
returned to the attack. reinforced by
two fresh divisions. The British again
offered stubborn resistance, but finally
sere compelled TO withdraw from both
The town and the wood adjoining.
The Germans are believed to have
paid terrible price. Their first at
tack had been preceded by a heavy ar
uHery fire In which also asphyxiating
smells were used in large quantities and
the machine gun and rife fire Of the de-
lenders met the Germans as they threw
themselves forward.
In their official report tonight the
Germans make much OF the recovery of
this point. which lies seven and half
miles northeast OF Arras. Their elation
IS comparable TO that evidenced by the
British In announcing Its capture. The
statements agree in emphasizing the i'm
lortnncc Of the position. Previous to
the transfer of control last week Fres-
uoy and Arleux, looped about. as they
were, with intricate trench fortifications
had formed one ri the most forrnidab lie
points In the Mer!court-O -Oppy -Gavrells
line. running southwest from Lens to
the Scarpe. They were among the las;
~ the older fixed positions protecting
the Drocourt -Queant switch to the Hin.
dsnburg line.
Walt BuIlecOurt's Fail.
The Drocourt -Queant switch is III.
hastily improvised barrier thrown u,
by Field Marshal Won Hindenburg e
protect Cambrai and Douai after tn,
main line. which bore his name, has
heen smashed by the British. 1t form
5 nroad salient in the British front
eighteen miles at its top and parallelin.
the pouai-Cambrai line. Drocourt
seven miles from Douai and Quean
about ten miles from Cambria. Tn
crushing In of this salient would mea,
the breaking of the German grip o'
the grea. Lens coal region and the i'm
perilhng OF the entire line in northern
France.
The defence OF Bullecourt, nine mile
southeast Of I>rras and two and a hal
miles west of Queant continues to b
the princinal centre OF the ,Germans
bitter resistance to the British advanc.
To the south the British have forge
we'll beyond this point. but they hav
been forced TO mark time while avail,
ing Bullecourt's fall. The capture G
the village has been entrusted to III
Australians.
The French announce the repulsc {
violent counter attacks of the German
near Vauxaillon and along the Cheml
dos Danes last night German artiller,
roently counter shelled bombarded II
Cerny-Hurtebise sector and the neigi
borhood Of Craonne to-day. Prisoner
taken to-day brings the total since Apr
1e 70 10000.
Forced to withdraw.
The official statements are as follow,
British fNight)-The enemy mad,
heavy counter attacks this morning
upon our positions in the neighbor
.o"d Of Fresnoy. In the first of thes,
they succeeded In gaining n footholt
r. our trenches northeast of the vii
lage, but the ground lost was shortl,
Afterward regained by. our counter
attacks.
Later in the morning a second at
tack In force was delivered by tw,
fresh German divisions east of Fres
nov On the right Of the front at
tackled the enemy's troops were re
pulsed with heavy casualties and ou
positions successfully maintained. o.
IN" left. after fierce resistance. on
troops were compelled To Withdraw
fom Frcsnoy village and wood.
Bombing operations by our airplane
,,,1
previous night, large quantities O
explosives being dropped with goo
results. During the day seven Of ou
s'rplanes carried out highly sue
eessful attack upon the enemy's obser
t,,ion balloons, seven OF which weI
brought down In flames. Six Germa
arl!anes were brought down In tn
air aghting; two others We're she
down By fire from the ground. SIEVE
German machines were driven dow
out Of control Eight of our airplant
srA missing.
British Tay)--The enemy's arti
'ery Was active nt intervals througho
tie night at several places along o,
front. particularly in the sector b
'roen Fresnoy and Loos, our art
!f-- rcnlied.
We made successful raids during I,
r,2h' IN the neishborhood Of Neuv
'V'Ipclt ana raupulsAart our y
S''ipns northwest OF .trmenteres We
r,ided yesterday evening by a sns
s'rty of the enemy. After hand
l'ud lighting the enemy were driv
oIt. leaving few dead in our trench'
few OF our men are nlssii
mother enemy raid south Of Arine
l"ros was rcpulsed.
French Lines ShelleJ.
French iNighD Northeast of So
sons and the Chenin -des-Dames the
was no enemy infantry reaction duri
he course OF the day. The Germ
artillery, violently counter SHELF
hornbarded the Cerny- -HurteDise seci
and the neighborhood Of Craonl
There were grenade skirmishes ei
OF Vauxaillon. On the rest OF
Continued on Third Pa0s