thdrew in this
neighborhood from a line about one and three-quarters miles long.

The task of the Canadians was to capture German outposts southwest of
Reservoir Hill. The attack was evidently expected. The Germans scuttled,
abandoning ground upon which machine gun fire was immediately turned by
Germans located on the hill. This was speedily followed by heavy
artillery fire, which continued during the night in the vicinity of the
Lens electric station.

The enemy's dugouts were searched, found to be empty, and wrecked.

The German retirement ceased during the night. Patrols sent out opposite
Mericourt and to the south found the enemy's front line strongly held.
The Germans made huge craters at all cross roads in Avion and leading
towards Lens.

Patrols which were sent out reached the summit of Reservoir Hill without
opposition and pushed on down the eastern slope and the strong Lens
outpost was effectively occupied. Meanwhile, south of the Souchez River
the Canadians drove forward on the heels of the retiring Germans.
Railway embankments east of Lens electric station were occupied. The
advance was then continued toward La Coulotte. As night fell strong
parties were sent out to consolidate the positions occupied, while
patrols were sent forward to keep in touch with the Germans.

WANTON DESTRUCTION.

Several days previous the Germans were known to be destroying houses in
the western part of Lens, with the object of giving a wider area of fire
for their guns. It was their intention of clinging to the eastern side
of the city and prolonging the struggle by house-to-house fighting.

Under a protecting concentration of artillery fire, Canadian troops
successfully stormed and captured the German front line before Avion, a
suburb of Lens. By the advance the British line was carried forward to
within one mile of the centre of Lens.

The Canadians, heartened by successes gained in a few days at a
relatively small cost, decided to attack across the open ground sloping
upwards to Avion and the village of Leauvette, near the Souchez River.
They met with opposition of a serious character at only one point, where
a combination of machine gun fire and uncut wires delayed the advance.
The attack was not intended to be pressed home at this particular spot,
as the ground specially favored the Germans, so that the delay did no
harm. The assaulting troops comprised men from British Columbia,
Manitoba, Central Ontario and Nova Sc