THE RAGING CONFLICT AT VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2786, 2 June 1916, Page 5

THE RAGING CONFLICT AT VERDUN

- - ATTAWS DIVERSION IN UPPER ALSACE The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 31, 4.5 p.m. "To the left of the Manse .there was a sanguinary combat yesterday, and in (the course of the night, between Mort Homme and the Meuse. Following up a violent bombardment lasting for two days, tho enemy launched repented concentric attacks pn tho trenches east of Mort Homme and Cumieres, but everywhere was repulsed with important Josses.' : "In this region south of Caurettes Wood tho French front lino trenches, completely levelled by the enemy's bombardment, wore evacuated. ..''."South' of Cumieres the German attacks, made on two sides of tho village, suocceded at first in throwing us back in the direction-of the station at Cha'ttan- [ court, but. lively counter-attacks allowed us to oust the enemy up to the borders of tho village. Some parties of Germans »'ho glided along the Meuse under cover of fog until they reached the upper end of Chattancourt station- were completely annihilated by our fire. ' ' .. "On the Tight bank the artillery combat is intermittent. I "In Saute (Upper Alsace), the enemy, after intense artillery preparation, attacked our positions on a front of about 2200 metres east of Seppois, taking foot in some j portions of our trenches, but they were immediately thrown out by , our counter-attack." , ' London, May"3l, 10.20 p.m. "On the left bank of the Mouse there has been a violent bombardment with shells of large calibre in the Avocourt-Hill 304 region. "On Wednesday afternoon, during 'the course 01 a lively attack by our troops, a strongly organised German work on tho south-west slopes of Mort Homme was carried. 'We captured 200 prisoners and seven machine-guns. "On the right bank there has been very great artillery activity on both sides between! the Meuse and Fort Vaux. Our batteries caught under their fire and dispersed assemblies of file enemy north of the Fosses wood." ■ \ ENEMY'S RESERVES EXHAUSTED . . - By Telegraph—Press Aseociation-^Copyright „ . _ . , , <T , „, . ' Paris, May 31. Semi-official —Towerful general operations by the enemy against tho whole of the Mort Homme-Cumieres front followed Monday afternoon's double bloody defeat. At Mort Homme and Hill 301 the Germans succeeded in taking, doubtless only temporarily, some portions of our first-line trenches, by throwing- a whole division upon a two-mile front. The participation in this action of fresh troops, drawn from another part of Western front, proves the exhaustion of reserves, which compels the enemy to deplete quiet sectors. The Frcuch look to the final result of these costly blows with absolute confidence." TWO WEEKS OF FIGHTING ON THE BRITISH FRONT THE BOMBARDMENT OF YIMY RIDGE. (Bee. June 1, 7.10 p.m.) 1 n'„ ■ , • London, .Tune 1. Lite following is a record of tho happenings on the entire British front during the past fortnight, in which the overseas section has taken a full and activo share. The most active centres of the fighting were the village of Souchez and at Virny Ridge. 'The fury of the artiltory attack at Vimy has not been equalled since September., During the bombardm en't on May .21 tho smoke and dust were seen for miles, and all the subsequent fighting occurred in a cloud. The'enemv had concentrated a hundred batteries on a small front, wiping out the trench and tho German infantry had little to face except our barrage of fire Durimr May 22 and 23 our patrols at Vimy were epgagecl in gallant bayonet fi R htimr and accounted for a considcrablo number. Sever© fighting south-east of Souchez village lasted from May 15 to °r, The position 13 now comparatively static. The 'enemy's artillery fii-o in Flanders reached its greatest intensity at Hooge and the Ypres-Roulers railway We re plied, punishing the enemy's artillery and bursting five gas cylinders in tho German -trenches on May 23, tho enemy's troops suffering from their own poison : Though tho general situation from Arras to the Somme is unchanged there has teen considerable local activity. The results of our trench raids liavo encour. aged our men in tho -belief that the.v are moro than r match for tho onemv It is typical of the German raiding parties, that although they, attacked at three points wo invariably flung them bunk. Patrol has also led to encounters in which the enemy has suffered considerably. These incidents are valuable as kecpiii" un the spirit of adventure and initiative among tho men. Our artillery on ° the southern part of the line has organised heavy bombardments. The enomv's barrier on the Pcronno Road has been practically demolished.