The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-05-10
GAINS MADE BY
ALLIED TROOPS
ON WEST FRONT
British and French Make In
roads on Germans,
FIGHT HARD AT FRESN0y
Fury Of Battle Recalls Days at
Verdun,


While today's official report, throw
little additional light on the situation
around fre,noy Where the heaviest
fighting in the Arras battle occurred
thl, week, they reveal important gains
for the British and French at other
points ON the front IN northern France
London's announcement OF British
progress south OF the Souchel river
means further pushing back OF the
German lines immediately south oi
Lens, tightening the holds OF the MP
pcrs which the British are applying to
this important industrial town and
coal district.
Further irroadS also have been made
upon the German positions near Bullc-
oour, on the Hindcnburg line, Just
west Of It's point OF junction with the
Queant- -Dtocour, switch, where the
Germans, although reported nearly sur
rounded, are siubbornly clinging TO
the town
Far 10 the south on the British front.
two miles north OF St Queantn Cen
cral Halg's troops have pushed east
ward from Gricour' They are right
atop the ST. Quentin Cambria road al
this point
The French. like the British. have
made no general attack, but they like
wise are delivering a thrust here and
there and making valuable headway IN
preparing the ground Tor the next push
OF these effective local operation, was
carried on, last night after a German
counter attack in force had been re
pulsed northeast ot Craonne. A ioru.
iied pon, ot support near Chcvrcux
was captured IN this advance
In another operation, just to the
west, on the Nauclcrc platcau's north
ern slopes, the recen, French gains
were enlarged and prisoners taken
from fresh German division
The battle for fresnoy continues 10
rage with a fury which recalls the
bloody struggles for Forts Douau-
mont and Naux in the days OF the bat
| tie OF Nerdun. Thousands OF lives are
being poured out for the mastery OF the
little heap OF ruins that was once 4
village and the hlackened, blasted
StumpS that were once wood unit
FreSnoy threatens to rank with Nimy
IN the price paid for It's possession
The great importance OF the position
b! is due to tho fact that 1t forms IN,
last important defense to the northern
end OF the Drocour,-Q Quclnt line, anC
also covers the only remaining rail
road to Lens, connecting the coal cit
with the main German line to III,
south. The Drocourt Qucant line ira
verses one side OF railroad triangl
which has Lens ArraS and Ni,ry a
It's respective angles All OF one sid
oi this roughly cQuila,eral angle is il
the hands oi the British and one hal
OF It's base treSnoy must be held !
the whole triangle i, not To be cyaCu
ated and the fall of Lens rendercu
certain
The enormous concentration Of Ger
man divisions on the British front an
the marked increase IN gun power CIV
added significance so the reports this
Field Marshal Won llndcnburg is with
, drawing both men and artillery iroi
the eastern area The dSotgan,Iat,o
Of the Russian army has apparent
had a very serious effect on the Who'll
allied situation and has materially IN
creased the burdens imposed on III
British and French
The news from Russia is far from r,
assuring in any respect and APPARENT
the provisional government is still IN
ptecatiuuS positiun