STEADY PROGRESS BY THE FRENCH AT VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2771, 15 May 1916, Page 5

STEADY PROGRESS BY THE FRENCH AT VERDUN

GERMAN ATTACKS CONSISTENTLY REPULSED BRITISH LINE ATTACKED NEAR VERMELLES The High Commissioner reports:— , . London, May 12, 3 p.m. "On the left bank of the Meuse there is intense artillery activity in the Avocourt Wood sector of the line. "In the Mort Homme region the Geimans vainly attempted in the course of the night to dislodge us from the positions conquered by us on the western slopes on Wednesday. Two successive attacks were repulsed by fire. "On the right bank there was a bombardment in the , Douaumout-Yauj; region." London, May 13, 0.10 a.m. "On the left bank of the Meuse local combats during the day enabled, us to sensibly enlarge our positions south-east of Haucourt. "There was a lively bombardment in the region of Mort Homme and Cumieres. ' "On the right bank of the Meuse the enemy is violently bombarding our first and second lines between Haudromont Wood and Yaux. "A German-attack directed against our trenches south-east of Fort DouauDiont was completely repulsed. "On the rest of tho front there hane been artillery actions, these being par. tioularly lively in the Champagne and Vosges regions." London, May 13, 3.5 p.m. "On the left bank of the Meuse the" artillery fighting is uninterrupted along the Avocourt Wood and Hil! 304 sectors. During the course of the night we con° ' tinued to make progress on the borders of Hill 287. » "On tho right bank of the Meuse last night the Germans renewed their attacks south-east of Fort Douaumont. Dospito the violent bombardment which preceded the assaults on our line, the enemy was unsuccessful at any point. All his attacks were repulsed with serious losses to him. All other attempts dur- . ing tho course night on our positions north of Thiaumont Farm were equally stopped by our curtain of shell fire and machine-gun, fire. - "At Les Eparges a strong reconnaissance was attempted against our lines, after a bombardment. "Near Ban de Sapt, in tho Vosges, tho cannonade is rather livelv." FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. May H, 11.30 p.m.) Paris, May 14. A French official communique states: "We have impulsed a German attack west of Hill 304, and frustrated a German coup-do-main on the north-east slopes of Mort Homme. "One of our aeroplanes dropped eleven sliells over the airship sheds at Metz and Frescaty. ATTACK ON THE BRITISH LINES TRENCHES TAKEN NORTH-EAST OF VERMELLES. The High Commissioner reports:— •' . ~. . .<v t- i • ' ■«.'',.'' ~' . ' London, May 12, 11.30 p.m. .-. Yesterday evening; after a heavy preliminary bombardment, the enemy succeeded in capturing about five hundred yards oi the British front trenches northIn* the niTt m WM r<!gai - ed by a counterattack dnr-"To-day there has been no further infantry action, but considerable artillerv activity in this neighbourhood. • - '"""J "Further north, opposite Guinchy, we bombarded the enemy's position." ■• \ , ' REPORT FROM SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. (Roc. May 14, 11.30 p.m.) ' Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The Germans heavily bombarded our be tween the Somme and Maricourt, and delivered three attucks. QupSm trench 6 "' bu * tho enemy was immediately expelled, leaving many dead in X "There have been mortar actions on tho remainder of tho front esneciallv it Hebuterac, Soucliez, Careiicy.. Hohenzollcrn Redoubt, and St. Ebi" P J THE GERMAN REPORT. By Telegraph-Press Association—Copyright (Rec. May , 14, 5.5 p.m.) -1 n ■ i • , , „ m , Amsterdam, May 12. 'A German official communique state R:-"The Palatinate troops stormed sevBral of the British lines south-east of the Hohenzollem Redoubt, taking 127 wisoners. The enemy s losses were sanguinary, especially in the counter-attack?' AUSTRALIANS IN HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. London, May 12. (Special from the New Zealand Official War' Correspondent.) A small. section of tho Australian force has had its first brush with the GerAfter a heavy bombardment lasting an. hour, and a quarter tho enemy at night rushed the trenches in a small salient. They obtained a temporary footing, but after some hand-to-hand fighting retreated to their own trenches, not havin- eainsd any grouna. B Regarding the Neiv Zealanders there is nothing new to report.