GREAT VERDUN BATTLE RENEWED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 5

GREAT VERDUN BATTLE RENEWED

ATTACKS ON MORT HOMME SLOPES BROKEN FRENCH ADVANCED LINE RETIRED The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 30, 4.15„p.m, On the left bant of the Meuse the bombardment was redoubled in violence up to'tho end of yesterday, between Mort Homme,and Cuinieres. The enemy shortly afterwards directed on the whole of our positions in this sector a power- ' ful • attack, employin-g a newly-arrived fresh division. To the French left, all' the assaults which were launched by the enemy on the slopes of Mort Homme, whero our lines are established, were broken by our fire. "In the region of Caurettes Wood (ou the eastern slopes of Mort Homme), after several fruitless attompts by the enemy, who suffered important losses, we retired our advanced elements south of- the Bethincourt-G'umieres Road (which runs along the northern side of Mort Homme). Further to *the right, despite repeated efforts, the Germans were unable to dislodgo us from the southern outskirts of the village;of Cumieres. The bombardment was continued with intensity during the course of the night. "On the right bank, artillery fightin gis very active in the region west of Fort Douaumont." ' THE NEW OFFENSIVE AT CUMIERES INTENSE BOMBARDMENT'AND DESPERATE ASSAULTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright The "Petit Parisien"'says that a new' German offensive on and Cumieres began on Sunday evening. An unusual movement was noticed nt Crow's Wood. The enemy debouchod in columns, but the French artillery tire stopped them before they reached.the French tranches. The Germans redoubled the bombardment for several hours, and attacked again and again Jifter tnidnight.\ All the assaults failed. The bombardment wa3 resumed durin» tho entire morning with-unprecedented intensity. . ° A whole division emerged from Crow's Wood in the afternoon. Their first waves were forced to take refuge in shel 1 craters. Reinforcements crept up on hands and knees; some reached the trenches but were annihilated. The obstinacy of the struggle nearer Cumieres was even more marked. The Germans attacked tern times, and were repulsed with bayonets and grenades. The Germans' eleventh assault resulted in the occupation of three hundred yards of trenches. Their situation is precarious. ENEMY'S GUNS MASSED FOR THE NEXT BLOW M Marcel Hutin, writing in the "Echo de Paris," says that expenditure in projectiles prior to the next big German attack at Verdun may bo gathered from the fact that for the bombardment-of the seven and a half miles of front between Avocourt and Cumieres a hundred heavy batteries and nn nn. known number of liglit batteries are stationed. MOST POWERFUL ATTACK YET ATTEMPTED (Rec. May 31, 3.30 p.m.) Yesterday's attack by tho Germans on Mort Homme and most powerful yet attempted. The enomy is using fresh divisions, and suffering appalling losses. The French- withdrawal to the Bethincourt-Cumieres Road only traversed a Bpaco a hundred yards in depth. GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. Xay ill, 3.30 p.m.) « ' _ . , . . , Amsterdam, May Si. A hermnn official communique states:—"Wo have captured the entire French positions between the southern ridge of Mort Homme and the village of Cumieres, taking 1300 prisoners.