OFFICIAL WAR (night) COMMUNIQUÉ.
FRENCH
Paris,
Thursday, June 17, 10 p. m.
Great activity along the entire front during the last two days is reported in to-day’s despatches. The fighting to the north of Arras has assumed an extremely violent character since yesterday. Infantry actions have been numerous and vigorous, while the artillery duel has been exceptionally violent and uninterrupted. We have achieved important gains which were almost all maintained despite furious counter attacks, which were repeated to-day with renewed vigor.
Yesterday and to-day we advanced steadily toward Souchez from the northwest, the south-west and the west. Further to the south we have gained a footing in the park of the Carleul Château, where the enemy had been making use of the moat around the Château as a defensive base. We captured the Souchez cemetery and gained some ground on the slopes to the southeast of Souchez (Hill No. 119) following several brilliant charges. The results achieved yesterday were extended to-day.
After our infantry had delivered some extremely vigorous attacks, which were most efficaciously supported by the firing of almost three hundred thousand shells by our artillery, it was compelled to face, during the night of Wednesday, several violent counter attacks made by important hostile forces. These attacks were repulsed along the entire front, the only point evacuated by us being a small wood which we captured yesterday morning south of Hill No. 119 and which the enemy’s artillery made it impossible for us to hold.
In these engagements the Germans used eleven divisions, which all suffered extremely heavy losses. On our side the losses were also serious.
The morale of our troops continues to be perfect. The number of prisoners captured by us exceeds six hundred, including more than twenty officers.
GERMAN