_Sir John French's report of June 16--the first since that of June
8--said:_
Last week there was no change in the situation. The enemy exploded
five mines on different parts of our front, but none of these caused
any damage to our trenches, and only one caused any casualties.
Yesterday evening we captured the German front-line trenches east of
Festubert on a mile front, but failed to hold them during the night
against strong counter-attacks.
Early this morning in the neighborhood of Ypres we successfully
attacked the enemy's positions north of Hooge, (to the east of Ypres.)
We occupied the whole of his first line of trenches on a front of
1,000 yards, and also parts of his second line.
By noon today 157 prisoners had passed to our rear. The German
counter-attack has been repulsed with heavy losses.