New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-04
British Win Near
Lens, Then Lose
In Counter Blow
Early Gains on Souchez
Wiped Out; French Re-
pulse Five Attacks

London, June 3. Heavy fighting de-
yeloped before dawn this morning south
of Lens and continued throughout the
day, after q comparative lull of three
weeks on the British front. General
Haig's blow was en- too isolated front.
including only the suburbs Of the coal
city south of the Souchez River, to be
considered the opening operation of the
expected British offensive. Apparently
it achieved little success, the early ad-
vance among the Stag heaps being
wrested away again in vigorous Ger
man counter thrusts. Ninety-two
prisoners were taken.
Meanwhile the French were called
upon TO withstand five severe German
assaults on their recently won posi-
tions on the Vauclerc and California
plateaus, at the eastern end of the
Chemn- des-Dames. At points the
forces of the Crown Prince, including
units from two divisions, advanced in
the old mass formation. shoulder touch
ing shoulder, and furnished dense
target for the French 3-inch guns.
Flame -throwers were freely employed.
The only place the Germans aucceed-
ed in maintaining footing was north
east of Craonnc, where they were eX-
PEELED from first line trenches by a
French counter attack this morning.
IIaig Testing Out Enemy
The British made no attempt to fol-
low up with infantry movements the
intense bombardment they have been
carrying on in the Ypres sector. The
attack south of Lens, comparable 10 the
stiff encounters during the two weeks
in which the village of Bulecourt was
debatable territory. seems to have been
of preliminary nature to test out the
forces with which the Germans still
hold Lens. Evidently Iindenburg has
DC intention Of giving up the city until
he has to.
Haig's early reports were cncourag-
ing. Before the sun was well up Brit
i,h and Canadian contingents had won
all their detectives. including the elec-
trio power station fortified By the en-
cmy near Ayion. They also forced their
way across the Souchez and established
post on the northern bank. How
ever, the War Office tonight admits it
was impossible to hold these gains in
the face OF massed German attacks.
Raids by British
The violent cannon@ie in the
Wytschaete bend. in Belgium. and from
Lens to Queant, kept up during the
day. and Haig's men carried out raids
south of Ypres, near Wytschaete.
north Of Loos. at Laventie and north
east Of Monchy. During the night the
Germans gained a little ground near
Cherisy. south Of the Scarpe, but the
lines were reestablished to-day.
The determined German attacks on
the east OF the Chemin-des-Dames are
explained by Hlndenburg's fear Of the
slowly growing wedge which the
French are thrusting midway between
Laon and Rheims. Craonne and the
region around it represent the north
western post of gateway up the val
ley of the Miettc. of which Brimont
and its surrounding forts comprise the
southeastern post Between ana
around these two points the French
have been edging in consistently. until
they have developed a potential threat
which, if it can be carried out, should
force the evacuation Of Laon and the
controlling heights north of Rheims.
The northward thrust of the French
lines in the Champagne is for the pur-
nose of driving the Germans away
from Rheims on the opposite side.
Rqmania fighting again, and
other nc5cs from The battle fronts
ON Pane