THE FIGHT FOR VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2758, 29 April 1916, Page 5

THE FIGHT FOR VERDUN

HUNS DETERMINED "WE WILL CAPTURE THE FORTRESS WHATEVER ' IT COSTS" By Telegraph-Press A6sociaticm-Copvrlglit ("Times" and Sydney "Suii" Services.) ffiec. April 28, 5.15 p.m.) London, April 27. According to a reliable French source, a German communique regarding VenJun states: "We will capture the fortress whatever it costs." It is known that heavy enemy reinforcements have heeii brought up with that object apparently in view. It is confidently believed the end my's losses in the Verdun fighting nowtotal s 280,000. , ~,',,, Inappreciable nrojjrese has been made durlup the last three weeks.

SUCCESSFUL BOMBARDMENTS BY FRENCH, BATTLEPLANES. London, April 27, 2.50 p.m. The High Commissioner reports: French official.—North qf the Alsno there is a, reciprocal bombardment in the region of linttcs Wood. In the course of yesterday's attack we captured 158 men, two machine-guns, and a bomb-tlirowcr. In the Argonno we heavily bombarded the German organisations. Iu Lorraine, a German attempt to debouch on our positions north of Senonos was stopped by our curtain fi re. Later information estimates the Gorman losses sustained in attacking our salient at Chapelotto yesterday at about 1000. t . An Aviatik biplane was brought do \vn in our lines near Rosiores. An enemy aeroplane was shot down by om special guns at Bagatelle Pavilion. On the night of the 25th our hattleplane s -wore particularly active in the Verdun region; 14 shells were .dropped on encampments at Etain, four on encampments near Damvillers. six on Brieulles Station, fifteen on Conflans Station, six on Pierrepont Station, six on steel-works at Joeur and Homeoourt, ten on Meziercs Station, and two on Bethel. Numerous bombardments were carried out in the region of Royo, eighteen shells dropped on a munitions depot south of Villercarbonel resulting in heavy explosions. Twelve bombs were dropped on the Biaches bridge, and thirty-eight shells on the\Gremery and,- Grumy depots. RECONNAISSANCES AND ATTACKS ON FRENCH, .FRONT. London, April 27, 4.10 p.m. The High Commissioner reports: North of the'Aisne an attack yesterday permitted us to take a small wood and seventy-two unwounded prisoners. Several enemy reconnaissances attempting to attack our trenches in the Paissy and Troyon sectors during the course of the night were dispersed by our fire. ... West of the Meuse there is an in tense bombardment of our positions in the Avocourt Wood and our first lines north of Hill 304. East of tiie Meuse the artillery is active. In the Woeuvro, the enemy executed bombardment with guns on Haudromont and Ronvaux. Our artillery energetically replied. ' In Lorraine, the enemy attempted a coup-de-main on our small posts north of Embernienil, but was repulsed with loss. In the Vosges, German reconnaissances were dispersed in the region south of Celles sur Plaine. According to admissions of German prisoners, the unsuccessful attack launched yesterday on our position at Chapelotte cost the enemy important losses. At three o'clock this morning one of our aeroplanes attacked a Zeppelin near Zeebrugge at a height of 4000 metres, dropping incendiary bombs; the Zeppelin was apparently hit. At the same time, near Ostend, another machine dropped bombs on a German torpedo boat, which was also apparently hit. A French aeronaut attacked a Fokker machine, which fell in our lines near Hoeville, north of Lunevillo. The enemy aviator was not wounded, and was made prisoner. HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING NEAR, THE LA BASSEE CANAL. London, 'April 27, 0.45 a.m. The High Commissioner reports: British Headquarters reports.—April 26: Hostile aircraft leas active yesterday. This morning a hostile aeroplane was brought down in our lines, after a fight in -which the pilot and observer were killed. At midnight an airship dropped bombs near the coast behind our lines. .No damage was done. Last night we twice raided the trenches south of the La Bassee Canal, and tliero was hand-to-hand fighting. Early this morning a mine was exploded south-east of Souchez. The enemy obtained a footing in our trenches, but was driven out by a counter-attack. TWO FEINT ATTACKS BY THE ENEMY CHECKED BY CURTAIN FIRE. (Rec. April 88, 9.55 p.m.)' Paris, April 27. A French• communique says: "There has been intense artillery activity at Avocourt, Esnes, and Cumieres. The enemy made two feint attacks, one at Haudromont farm and the other be fcween Douaumont and Vaux, which were tihecked by our curtain of fire. . ( "Three of our airships heavily bom bed different stations in the valley of the Aire, the valley of the Orne, and other points." CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITY ON BRITISH FRONT. (Rec. April 28, 10.20 p.m.) London, April 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The Bedfordshires on Wednesday night made a successful raid near Carency. They rushed the enemy trenches, and after hand-to-hand fighting drove the Germans into their dugouts, and bombed them there with considerable enemy loss. "The enemy heavily bombarded our trenches east of Armentieres. "The Germans south of Frelinghei ti entered our trenches in the evening under coyer of a bombardment; our counter-attack drove them out. "We"repulsed an enemy attack on Hill 60. The enemy gained a footing on our saphoads, but our bombers drove them oxit. • "On Thursday morning the enemy discharged gas south of Hulluch, and at the same time artillery barrage on our lines north of Loos. After a second gas attack, the enemy gained a footing in our front and support lines cast and north-east of Loos. The Irish counter-attacked and drove out the enemy in half an hour. Many dead Ge rmaus were left in our trenches. 1 The enemy also advanced south of Hulluch, but our machine-guns enfiladed them, and many enemy corpses were left. "There were nineteen aerial combats. Two of our machines were damaged, but all returned safely." /' i ■ \ ; ■'