THE WAR

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1916, Page 3

THE WAR

iXLKUXBIti TKI.KUKAFU —COFXBIUHI- j [FIB FBEIS ASSOCIATION ! - GERMANS PIERCE BRITISH LINES. London, May 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—After a heavy bombardment all yesterday and more intense in the afternoon the naomy attacked our positions at the north end ot Vimy Ridge and succeeded in penetrating our front line trenches along 1500 yardis and to it depth varying up to 300 yards. To-ti'nv we subjected the German ; ositions to a heavy bombardment and sprang mines near Rolincourt. Hohonzollern and the quarries. Artillery on* tioth sides is active. Opposite Lens, east of lpres, we obtained direct hits on the enemy's oattor y east of Biairville. One of our aeroplanes was forced to descend in the enemy lines. THE FIGHTING AT VERDUN. Pans, May >3. ' Since Friday twelve score of German heavy guns liave been battering lho French positions west and north of Morthomme and Oumieres. The former is the centre of tihe heaviest fighting. The enemy streamed up the ravine in compact masses from Bethincoirt, and were swept awav again and agvin by the-Frendh hearvy artillery. The struggle was in progress for ei.cfht ! hours, the battle alternately favouring one side and then the other. When night fell on Saturday after exhausting fighting in a pitiless sun, the weary defenders of Mortihomme hoped for a rest. The Germane gave uo respite. A fresh division hurried from Betihincourt and rushed into the fray an hour, later. '

THE RUSSIANS' RIDE. - Londion, May 22. Tlie Russian cavalry which reached the Tigris- are probably General Barntoff's column which seized Kasrishbjiin (nwr the T'hrysh frontier) a fortnight ■ago. The Russians probably came voiri Kermansfiad and Chardower over the Pushbikus Hill to Bedria, then over tiie 'Desert, a total distance of 200 miles through country inhabited by hostile Kurdish hill men. The achievment was a remarkxbly dashing one. DRIVING BACK THE ENEMY. London, May -22. General! Lake ireports :—Th© south bank of the* Tigris was clear of'the enemy on Saturday as ifar as Shaft-eHlal, with the exception of a small rear- | guard covering a bridge 500 yards helow the junction of the Hai with the Tigris. Our main force has reac.ied tlie Magassis-Dujailah lino. Tlie en- ' omy still occupies Sanniyat • j THE EAST FRONT. , Petrograd, May 2-' l A communique states: —All enemy efforts at ,an offensive morth of l>ai:e Narocz were reipulsed. South of the lake «w large gathering of Germans was dispersed;. One of our submarines sarli three Herman steamers in the Baltic.