New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-13
Garry German Positions on
Both Banks of the
Scarpe River
Grip Bullecourt and
Take 700 Prisoners
Thrust Mile and a Half
Wedge North Of
RoeuX
DAYS DEVELOPMENTS

British attacks on a hfieen-mic front
gam important works on both banks OF the
Scarpe and in Bullccouri. More than 700
prisoners taken.
French WIN minor success near Berry
au-bac. Heavy bombsrdment in Verdun
region.
Cams made in Balkans continue by Ser
bans, French and Venizelsis
Heavy cannonade on lsonzo front may
indicate coming Italian offensive.
Russians resume offensive in MesoPo-
iamia and check Turks in Armenian eau
casus. British pursue Turks north of Bag
dad and are active before GAIA, in Psles-
tine.
London. May 12.-British troops to-
day attacked OH front of more than
fifteen miles. on the Arras battlefield.
established themselves in the village of
Bullocourt. carried q mile and half of
strong positions between RoeuX and
Gavrelle, secured 1900 yards of Ger
man trench astrde the Arras-Cambrai
road and brought in more than 700
prisoners. including eleven officers.
Trench mortars and machine guns were
also captured.
To-day's success is the more pro-
nounced. coming just as the German
concentration Of men and guns on this
front seemed at the maximum. and
after a period of fluctuations and mu-
tual loss of position in which it ap-
peared that Hindenburg might regain
the initiative.
Roeux cemetery and the chemical
works were taken last night. These
were German strongholds up to which
the British had repeatedly charged
only to be forced back again. The
chemical works lies half way between
Roeux and Gavrelle. at the junction Of
the high road between the two places
and the railroad from Arras to Douai.
The cemetery is half way between the
chemical works and RoeuX.
British Beyond Oppy Line
In this region the British were al
ready we'll beyond the southern end
Of the so-called Oppy line, on which
the Germans recently reinstated them
selves at Fresnoy to the north The
German trenches between RoeuX and
Gavrelle can be nothing more than a
switch line leading back into their main
defences between Queant and Drocourt.
As the night British report states
that Haig's men have forced their way
on beyond the chemical works and the
cemetery on a mile and half front, II
is improbable that the Germans can
have any well developed field fortifica-
tions between the line Of the British
advance and their DouiCambrai sys-
TEN.
This Drocourt- -Queant or Wotan line
is further menaced by the progress Of
the Australians through Bullecourt.
This village is curiously located right
in the midst Of the old Hindenburg
line trenches. just above the point
where the original line hinges on
Queant. One trench system. which the
British already held, flowed through
the western outskirts of the village.
The other cut straight through Bulle-
court along the main street.
Evidently the Australians now hold
the western half of the town and are
battling vigorously for the rest of il.
Their success to-day appreciably eX-
tends the breach in the Hindenburg
line, which they have been holding for
several days against concentrated gun
fire, liquid fire, jets of boiling oil and
clouds of gas. Their assault was de-
livered only little while after Ger
man concentration of several thousand
men. organized for a counter attack
on the trenches they already occupied,
had beer dispersed by British massed
artillery fire.
Eight Machine Guns Taken
The capture of German trenches
astride the Arras- Cambria road. OH the
southern slope of the Scarpe Valley be-
low Monchy, included the Calvary farm.
a powerful German position, which had
changed hands several times and had
proved particularly troublesome TO the
British because of its numerous ma
chine gun emplacements. Eight ma
chine guns are reported TO have been
taken in this one spot Last night there
was fighting even further south, where
the Germans threw flying wedge
against Gillemont Farm. northeast Of
Hargicourt. They succeeded in taking
il. but lost it in n British counter at
tack this morning.
The British operations to-day were
aimed straight down the valley Of the
Scarpe. on both banks of the little
river. which winds northeastward
through Douai, the main British OBJ
iective. and the northern pivot OF the
Hindenburg defence system swinging
down TO the stronghold Of Laon.
Berlin refers 10 the British thrust
as having failed everywhere, except at
Roeux, "wherc the fighting still con-
tinues."
The only infantry action reported
from the French front was spirited
French surprise attack near Berry-au-
Bac. where a number of prisoners were
taken. This point is included in the
sector between Craonne and Brimont,
where Nivelle is little by little forcing
nm wedge with the eventual object OF
turning the Crown Princes forces out
Of Laon and away from Rheims.
The Germans seem 70 have given up
hone of retaking their lost positions on
me Chemin -des- Danes. as the artillery
fre there has died down. But heavy
cs1nonade is renortsd in the Nerdun
recion. especially around the Ayocourt