THE ATTACKS ON VERDUN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1916, Page 3

THE ATTACKS ON VERDUN.

London, May '22 A communique states:—Tlic uattle continued all djy desperately "hotiwoen Avocourt wood and tho Meuse. We captured two trenches in tho vicinity of tlie road. Our artillery entirely wrecked a small work occupied by the enemy on May 18. The enemy immediately east of Hill 301 launched an attack, momentarily penetrating our nrst lino. He was quickly driven oft. A violent offensive by an enemy brigade on the west slopes ot Morthomme iwas stopped. Our 'batteries caught enemy columns folowing the assaulting waves and compelled them to fall back. Tho enemy violently bombarded' the Doiittumont sector. "We sharply attacked and captured tho Haudromoiit quarries, which were strongly organized by tile enemy. The bombardment reached .ts height at one o'clock on Saturday afternoon*" when muoh of the first Flench line became a smoking rutoie heap. At two o'clock "they faced' a thick curtain of lire. Wave after neve of the enetn.y ibroke before it jjc(juired the impetus to carry it through to the French trenches. The Germans in tho western section sweeping over advanced positions, streamed straight up to the French second line. There the effect of the French artillery and machine guns whs deadly and showed that the Germans had outrun their strength. Towards the end of the day the enemy was scurrying in disorder back to tho trenches. The flight was marked with heaps of dead.