LULL IN THE STORM AT VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2784, 31 May 1916, Page 5

LULL IN THE STORM AT VERDUN

CALM BEFORE THE NEXT TEMPEST WHY THE GERMANS ATTACKED CUMIERES * By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright Semi-official.—There is a lull at Verdun, doubtless it will be^olloVwl 3 as ore. viously, by a resumption of tho great offensive.. * HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— ''South of Hoye the French artillery destroyed the first hue in tho region of Eeuvraigues. > "On the left bank of the Mense_there- was artillery activity on both sides during the course of the night. Yesterday evening at 7 o'clock a German attack dobouch ingirom Corbeaux Wood, was completely repulsed by a curtain of shells and infancy fire. A second attack at midnight similarly, failed. "On the right Jjanlc it has been relatively calm, cxcept in the region of Fort Vau.v, where the artillery fire was very lively. F " t' 1 ■ Lorrai "° Ive dis P a strong German reconnaissance in the Parroy

'Yesterday evening there were fifteen air combats between the .French and Gorman machines. Two of the latter woro brought down in flames, one on the borders of the Argonne, near Monthois, the other in the region of 4.mifontaine north of Berry-au-Bac. In the course of a triaL flight one of our pilots was attacked by a Fokker machinc, which fired over a thousand cartridges. Under this shower of projectiles, though his machine was riddled with bullets, our pilot returned to his lines, pursued by his adversary. Attacked in turn by a French machine, the enemy fled, but crashed to earth in the neighbourhood of Bour"o"ne west of Iteims. ° ° ' "West of the Meuse, our anti-aircraft guns brought down two German innchines." FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Eec. Hay 30, '7.35 p.m.) Paris, May 30. A French official communique states; The enemy throughout the <lay directed an intense bombardment with his heavy guns from Avocourt Wood to Cumieres. "The Germans violently attacked Ilill 304 in the afternoon, and suffered two sanguinary reverses. The only success the enemy gained was a length of threo hundred metres of advanced trenches north-west of Cumieres."' TO MORT HOMME VIA CUMIERES KEY TO, THE ENEMY'S ACTIVITY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Slay 29. The correspondent of the "Daily News" at Paris states that tho Crown Prince manifestly wanted to settle Mort Homme once and for all,;henco the importance of the assault on Cumieres. Though the village in tho valley is unimportant, an advance from it would have threatened the eastern slopes of Mort Homme, and would perhaps have turned the second Fronck lino at Chattancourt. Four divisions were employed on the west bank of tho Meuse from Sunday to Tuesday, simultaneously with threo divisions on tho right bank. Columns were hurled east and west of Mort Homme one after another, but all were cut up by the French curtain and machinc-gun fires. There were sixteen attacks on Monday betweon Avoconrt Wood and the river, fifty thousand assaulting Mort Hommo and Hill 30J-." It a was useless butchery, the French did not waver, and tho Germans lost fifteen thousand men. PRESIDENT POINCARE AT VERDUN. Paris, May 29. The President (M. Poineare) visited the Verdun front on the hundredth day of '■ the battle

HEAVY ARTILLERY FIGHTING ON BRITISH FRONT ENEMY ACTIVE FROM ARRAS NORTHWARDS. (Kec. May 30, 7.35 p.m.) London, May 29. Sir Douglas- Hnig" reports that the oneiny's artillery is most active, particularly between the La Basseo Canal and Arras, while a bombardment of the front and supporting lines m the ncignbourhood of Loos has continued throughout tho day. ihe town and neighbourhood of Arras, and to the north as far as Neuville St. Vaast, was the scene of an intermittent, heavy, and concentrated bombard' tnent. "Our guns in somo cases silenced the hostile batteries/'. ENEMY STRENGTHENING THE LIEGE FORTS ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) ■ (Eec. May 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, May 29. Ihe Amsterdam Telegraaf reports that the Germans have repaired the Liege torts m concrete anil iron, and have built many earthworks. They are constructing defence works north of Herve, along tho new Aix-la-Chapelle railway. Tho new Krupp works at Munich ocoupy nearly two square miles of ground. ' THE GERMAN YEAR OF FATE SUPREME EFFORT TO SAVE THE KAISER'S PRESTIGE. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. May 30, 5.5 p.m.), . London, May 29. Iliere is no abatement of the fighting at Verdun, but even if the Germans make a further advance, there is no reason to think that the French will be likely to lose their grip of the situation, "which it is "unanimously agreed is well in ii? t' Further terrific fighting is expected because everything points to the fact that the German General Staff Trill leave nothing undone to smash France. Military critics agree that the enemy knows that he must succeed with the war either this year or never. Mr. P. L. Garvin, editor of the "Observer," thinks that the Germans will attempt to attain peace with all, or 6ome, of the Allies during 1916, in order to savo the prestige of the War Lord before the risk of the final penalty .becomes imminent. It is reported that the Germans are more and more changing their tactics—sparing their men and using their heaviest guns to batter and flatten out the trenches. When they think they have succeeded they send out parties to re< connoitre. If the trenches are still occupied, they continue the bombardment. If they are abandoned tliey occupy them. GERMAN WOUNDED PATCHED UP FOR FIGHTING. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, May 29. A German wireless message states that fully 85 per cent, of the German wounded are fit to resume tho most arduous duties within nine months. Presently there will bo one and a-half million wounded returning- to the front. A million, are now ready, and the remainder are rapidly convalescing. . THE CALL FOR MUNITIONS LABOUR TO FOREGO WHITSUNTIDE HOLIDAYS. London, May 29. Labour representatives conferred with Mr. Lloyd George and agreed to postpone the Whitsuntide holidays till tho end of July. POSTPONED HOLIDAY AT FULL RATES. (Eec May 30, 10 p.m.) London, May 30. The Conference has agreed that the workers shall be paid time and . a-half during Whitsuntide, with the postponed holiday at full rates after July.