12 MAY 1917, Page 1

The Germans on Friday and Saturday of last week and

on Monday and Tuesday of this week steadily counter-attacked all the positions we had won. On Tuesday they managed to retake Fresnoy. The positions of our men there had been exceptionally difficult, as fresh defensive works had had to be improvised under tremendous artillery-fire. The Germans brought up two more divisions to effect their purpose. While this was happening at Fresnoy the British position at Bulleeourt, where some of the hardest fighting of the battle has occurred, was being noticeably improved. On Wednesday the enemy was forced to yield part of the ground he had won west of the village of Fresnoy, and his hold on the village itself was rendered still more precarious.