New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-26
Advance on Great Coal
Centre in All.Night
Assault
Powerful Raids
Herald New Drive
German Trenches Pene-
trated from Cambria to
Ypres Region
DAYS DEVELOPMENTS


Canadian. advance on mile and half
front .outhwes, Of Lens. British carry ou'
raids over 45-milc front. Artillery due
growing cas-, of Ypres.
Heavy bombardment on front held by
French. but little infantry activity.
Comparative quie, on Italian front,
Berlin reports extension Of Russian hight
ing field.
Minor encounters on Balkan front
London, June 25.-Heavy fighting
suddenly developed on the British
front in France and Belgium last night
and to-day. The operations embraced
series Of powerful raids, extending
over the battle line from southwest
of Cambria TO the Ypres region, while
southwest of Lens the Canadians
working up both banks of the Souchez
River, took a considerable slice Of ter
ritory from the Germans over a mile
and half front.
The indications Of activity are
those which usually occur on the eve
o: major stroke. The multiplied
raids, the energetic air fighting, the
increased volume Of artillery fire, the
cessation of operations on the front
held by Petain, suggesting a concen-
tration Of German reserves elsewhere,
all point 10 such an eventuality. How
ever, the big guns are not yet at the
height Of their power and are pouring
out no such quantity of she'll as the
British batteries rained on the Wyt-
schaete- Messincs ridge before General
Plumer's troops seized that position.
There is no hint in the British re
ports as 70 where Haig's next blow
is to fall. but the carrying out of q
HODGE suggests a coming offensive
there This flemish village straddles
the great military road leading from
Ypres TO the important railroad centre
of Menin, where another military road
converges up the valley of the Lys
from Armentieres. HODGE also is di-
rectly under the British guns on Hill
60, the northern extremity Of the
Wytschaete-M essines Ridge, which
stretches crescentwise between the
two great highways into Belgium.
Drive in HODGE Sector
1t IS evidently in the HODGE sector
that tho Germans expect the British
effort to come. The Belgian report de-
clares that the Germans are Smelling
villages behind the lines, especially
along the southern portion of the line"
Presumably this would be TO prevent
troop concentrations back of the
trenches. The Belgian front forms d
junction with the British front east of
Ypres and It's support comes largely
from British troops.
The Berlin bulletins speak OF grow
ing bombardments between the User
and Lys rivers, which could only come
from the British batteries now firmly
established on the Wytschaete Ridge.
The Germans likewise mention heavy
cannonades north and south of the val
ley Of the Scarpe, on the Arras front,
but though Haig's men are also carry
ing out raids in that sector, II Is not
considered probable that they will un.
dertake general advance on Douai
until they nave cieoreu OUT tht enemy
from Greenland Hill, between Gavrelle
and Rouex and the chief height Of this
/ region, and from the remaining high
lands which he holds east Of Monchy'
/ The British batteries are roaring on
the Belgian coast, also, and II is posi-
Bile operations are contemplated among
the sand dunes northeast Of Newport.
Canadians Nearing Lens
The Canadian attack below Lens was
begun yesterday morning and pressed
throughout last night and to-day. Judg-
ing from the German account OF the
engagement. which fatty announces q
British repulse, the Canadian troops
are considerably less than a mile from
the centre Of Frances great coal-min-
ing town and are moving upon It from
the direction in which it is most vul-
nerable.
The field of attack lies over CON
fused area Of wrecked mines, ruined
cottages. railway entertainments and the
partially flooded banks Of the Souchez.
The task Of the Canadians was to take
German outposts southwest Of Reser-
voir Hill. According 10 the Berlin
statement, tho morning assault failed.
In the evening, however, the Canadians
seized 400 yards of trench east Of the