RAGING INFERNO AT VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2777, 23 May 1916, Page 6

RAGING INFERNO AT VERDUN

THE FIGHT FOE MORT HOMME , BOTH SIDES SCOIE AUSTMANS HURLED ' V BACK HEAVY LOSSES I TOfflNO RUSSIANS JOIN BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA Two desperate battles are raging in France and Italy. On the slopes of ;Mort Hommo aoid between tho Avocourt Wood and the Meuse, the Ger- ; mails, in the most reckless fashion, •a re hurling waves of infantry at the French line, while the artillery of the defenders is inflicting appalling losses. In the ebb and flow of battle both sides have scored a point here .and a point there, but tho salient fact of tho situation to-day is that the French defensive has been proof against the maximum effort of the enemy so far. Military critics consider that the Germans have shot .their bolt at VerdxiD, and:that their, reckless persistence is.due to the unwillingness of the general staff to admit tho failure and face the consequences at home. On the Italian side, the Austrian®, apparently following the tactics 1 of the Germans at Verdun, havo launched furious attacks in an effort to .break through/but the Italian defensive has checked the impetns of the first onslaught, and every fresh assault is costing'him terrible losses. The Italians are confident that the situation is in their hands. In Mesopotamia, the tide of.battle has turned, and the British, under Gorringe, have ' scored a point against the Turks. More, Russian cavalrymen, after a bold and. adventurous ride, have appeared on tho scene, and linked up with th« British. An attempted offensive the Germans on the Russian North- , era European flank has been checked, with heavy losses to t'he enemy.'