ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS TURNED BACK

Nelson Evening Mail, 22 May 1917, Page 5

ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS TURNED BACK

BY FRENCH ARTILLERY FIRE. *nd N.Z. Cable .iissociauou. and Renter.) (Rec. iMav 22, 12.5 p.m.) 'xLOM3"O'N, May 21. A French communique states : The artillery duel was continued at night south of the Chemhi-des-D'ames region, northwest of ißraye-erir'Laoiinois and on the Cerny-Hurtebise front. A 'German attack on Froidmont Farm was broken before reaching our lines. We carried out last evening in two sectors in the MoronviJJcrs massif a fairly important operation which brilliantly succeeded. We carried several lines of trenches on the northern slopes of Mount Cornillet on one side and a casque and tenon on .the otlier. We hold all the important observation posts in this region. Our fire turned bach German counterattacks with huge losses. We took prisoner 800. We found/ the.enemy dugouts piled up with dead. .GERMANS FLOOD OISE VALLEY. {Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 20The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent says the 32 miles of the French front between St. Quentin and Laffaux has been a mystery since the early days of the German retreat. i The explanation is that the 'Germans played a similar trick to that- which we played upon them by flooding the Yser "Valley. The .Germans flooded the Oise Valley between Berthencourt and Tergnier. To the south is. the hilly St. Gobian forest. r But for the marshes arid the forests the Allies would have reached. Laon J plain. The heat lately HSs reduced the floods, but the largo canal running between the several'branches of the river makes the crossing of the valley most difficult. _, . If the western end of the Chemm-des-Dames is taken the Germans defence system from the Oise to. St. Gobian can be taken in the "rear. "This .fear largely accounted for- the desperate German counter-attacks on the Aishe.