19 MAY 1917, Page 1

On Friday week the Germans attacked three times in a

few hours between Lens and Vimy. We were compelled to yield a portion of ground as the result of- the third attack. Sir Douglas Haig diverted some German attention from this part of the line by attacking again on that night on a ten-mile front further south between Bullecourt and Emus. The fighting continued stubbornly every following day, and we captured not only the greater part of Bullecourt, but the most formidable bastion of Rceux formed by the cemetery and chemical works, and finally the whole village of Rceux. We took over seven hundred prisoners, and held the ground against the inevitable counter-attacks, in this case conducted largely by Prussian Guards. Rceux is an excellent starting-point for operations against the important Greenland Hill which domi- nates the plain of Douai. Thursday's papers announced that Prince Rupprecht launched an exceptionally heavy attack on Wednesday near Reeux, which at first obtained some success. But we regained the ground lost, and inflicted losses on the enemy in full proportion to the character of his desperate effort.