GERMAN 'ATTEMPT AT A GENERAL OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2744, 12 April 1916, Page 5

GERMAN 'ATTEMPT AT A GENERAL OFFENSIVE

NO APPRECIABLE RESULTS FRENCH ADVANCE TRENCHES PENETRATED AT MORT HOMME By Telegraph—Press Aesociatlon-Oopyrlßlit Paris, April 10. A communique states: "The operations on April 9 marked the first great attempt at a general offensive on a front exceeding twenty kilometres (12J miles). The Germans obtained no appreciable results, considering their losse6, to which bodies of the fallen, heaped in front of our lines, bear witness. "There wa3 a violent bombardment west of the Meuse throughout the eight, especially at Hill 304. . ' "The enemy's attack at Mort Homme yesterday was repulsed with important losses, but it enabled the Germans to penetrate our advanced trenches at Hill 295 for a length of five hundred and' fifty yards. "Thoro was the sharpest struggle east of. the Mouso during the night in a. little wood at Fontaine Saint Martin. "Wo progressed in tho enemy's communication trenches south' of Douttumont." HI#H COMMISSIONERS REPORT. i'he High Commissioner reports :iLondon, April 11, 12.20 a.m. "In the region of Roye'a strong enemy reconnaissance was dispersed. "In tho Argonne there has been a heavy artillery bombardment. "The French are shelling the Avocort wood (held by the Germans). "West-of the Meuse the bombardment continues with growing intensity. At mid-day the Germans launched an attack against the HaucoUrt-Bflthiil-'court lino to the couth of the Forges brook j do/mite the. ferocity of % enemy's attack our line was unaltered throughout.

"On theMort Homme-Cumieres front, consecutive attacks, after thorough preparation, were stopped by the French curtain o£ firo. " "East of the Meuse, the enemy several times attacked our position in the Bois do la Caillette, and was repulsed.". THE FIGHT AT AVOCOURT CROSSROADS. i Paris, April 10. The "Petit Parisien" states that the Germans hurled at least'a division into the fray between the Avocourt crossroads, south of Bethincourt. Theirobjective was Hill 304. They advanced, in company column, not heeding their enormous losses, till within a hundred yards of our linos, where they were completely mowed down. They returned and attacked thrice, and then retreated beaten. GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. London, ApriUl. A Berlin wireless message states: "We repulsed attempts by bombing parties to recapture the craters at St. Eloi. We isolated two fortified points of support called 'Alsace' and 'Lorraine.'-"South-west of Bethincourt the enemy sought to avoid danger by a hasty retreat, but the Silesians out them oft and inflicted sanguinary losses. We captured seven hundred unwounded men, two guns, and thirteen machine, guns. We also cleared the front due north of the village of Avocourt, south of Crow's Wood, and a ravine south-we st of Poivre Hill." GERMANS REFUSE TO FACE DOUAUMONT AGAIN i (Rec. April 11, 9.20 p.m.) ™, „ , , ,t' ' . x r . London, April 10. The Central News Agency reports from Amsterdam that a remnant of a German battalion, which was recently in action at Douaumont, was ordered to return to the firing-line. Many refused to go again into'"that hell" and forty of the mutineers were shot as an example to the others. AIR FIGHTS ALONG THE LINE. (Reo. April 11, 9,20 p,m.) Paris, April 10. A French official communique states:—"An airman brought down a Fokker inside our lines in the Verdun district on Saturday. Our special guns on Sunday brought another down in the German lines in the AYoevre. A third Fokker landed undamaged in ; the Champagne district. The pilot was captured." PARIS OPINION ON THE VERDUN OFFENSIVE By Telegraph—Press Iflsociation-Copyrisrht i ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) , \ (Rec. April 11, 6.5 p.m.) London, April 10. The Paris Press agrees that the Verdun offensive is not finished. General Cheffils, writing to the "Gaulois," says:_ "There is every im/icatjon that the Germans will continue their offensive until they are demoralised, which will mean the commencement of a French offensive elsewhere." M. Marcel Hutin thinks that the poor results west and east of the Meuse will cause the Germans to make big efforts to reach Verdun through St. Mihief. BRITISH ATTACK AT. ST. ELOI LINE OF GERMAN TRENCHES CAPTURED. The High Commissioner reports:— „ London, April IT, 12.55 a.m. "At St. Eloi last night the British attacked, capturing a mine crater vemainiug in Gprman hands. ■ _ - "By a, further attack they established a position in the German trenches running south-west from the same crater." SEQUEL TO THE BRITISH RAID ON SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN. London, April 10. ' Copenhagen reports that, consequent on the British_ attacks on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein, neutrals have been prohibited entry to Sylt Island, off the west coast of Schleswig. - HOLLAND'S WARLIKE PREPARATIONS AUSTRO-GERMAN PRESS SYCOPHANTS ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, April 10. Despite official Dutch denials, the Austrian and .German Press are discussing at length Holland's preparations against threatened Allied attacks. The "Neue Freie Presso" (Vienna) flatters the Dutch Premier for his diplomatic silonce, which. enables the British Government to retreat from its intended a-ssault on Dutch independence. The paper adds: "The Paris Conference was desperate, because of the military situation, and devised plans for disturbing Holland. The Dutch Premier answered by strengthening Holland's military preparations." HOLLAND "SUFFERING FOR GERMANY'S SAKE."' ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

. _ _ Amsterdam, April 10. In the Reichstag, during the Budget debate, Herr Payer (Progressive) said the Chancellor's speech showed that no Power in the world was able to'take Germany's military gains, nevertheless neutrals were in an uncomfortable position, Holland particularly,'where the pressure had reached a point which had obliged her to protect her coasts against the Allies. Germans felt keenly that she was sulfering for Germany's sake, because the Allied attitude against her was aimed at Germany,