In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 69, 26 June 1916, Page 5

In the West.

THE VERDUH GAMBLE. DETERMINED ATTACKS CONTINUE. THE KAISER AND HIS ADMIRERS London. June 21. Verdun is still the German General Staff's great gamble. Yesterday's attack was followed today by a council of war between the Kaiser, Crown Prince, General Falkenliayn, and Hindenburg, and others.

The Daily Mail's correspondent describes the Kaiser as being depressed, and states that he. allowed himself to be persuaded by his technical advisers to make another great attack at any cost.

French newspapers are optimistic regarding the ultimate result. AN ENEMY REPORT. Amsterdam, June 21. A German communique says: The assault on the Thiaumont fortifications was headed by the Tenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment and a Guards Regiment. We capturod the greater part of Fleury wood, and progressed southward of Vaux fort. We captured sixty officers and 2673 men. FRENCH REGAIN LOST GROUND. Paris, June 24. A communique announces: We repulsed a hand grenade attack at Hill JO4. A desperate all night battle on .he Western section on the right bank if the Meuse, and a vigorous counter iffensive in the region of Hill 321 and Hill 320 restored to us a large part of lost ground, the enemy being driven :>aek to the approaches of Thiaumont, which he still occupies. The struggle s particularly violent in the neigh)ourhood of Fleury. We recovered, in lie vicinity of Fumin and Chenois Woods, the trenches and elements we lost on the night of the 21st. Latest information states that upwards of six divisions participated in Friday's offensive on the right bank.

OFFICIAL REPORTS

London, June 24. General Sir. Douglas Haig reports that for twenty minutes on Thursday light the Germans emitted gas on a small front, south-west of Messines, jut there was no infantry attack. We exploded a mine" at midnight at Haines, and occupied the lip of the crater. There were isolated unimportant artillery engagements throughout the day, mil we silenced a battery westward of Lena.

A German communique says: We frustrated an attempted British attack eastward of Ypres, and repulsed three assaults on our captured positions westward of Vans fort. Airmen bombarded Karlsruhe, Mullheim, and Treves there being a number of civilian victims, but inconsiderable military damage. Our air squadrons .-■.'attacked the military works at Pol, and the camps westward of Verdun. > The High Commissioner, reports:—"" London, Jufle'2s (3.30 p.nn>|

On the left of the*'Meuse, a German attack on the French trenches.'; and! slopes south of Mort Hommfe.waß, stopped.

On the right hank, the fighting continued, where our counter-attacks captured portions of the west work. At tho village of Fleury, the French progressed by grenades. The bombardment remained violent among other sectors. On the right bank, no infantry action took place. ALLIES MAKE PROGRESS IN THE TRENCHES.

CERMAN AERIAL BOMBARDMENT CHILDREN WOUNDED. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Paris, June 25. A communique states: Our fire stopped attacks on the trenches on the slopes southward of Mort Homme. A counter-attack restored us some portions of the trenches westward of Thiaumout. We progressed to Floury by means of grenades. German aeroplanes bomhed Lnneville. Baccarat, and St. Die, where some children were wounded. The bombardment has been noted in view of reprisals. ARTILLERY ACTIVITY ON BRITISH FRONT. _ The High Commissioner reports : i London, June 25 (5.25 p.m.) A German wireless message reports that from La Basse Uanai to the Somme artillery activity began last night and is being continued. HEAVY BOMBARDMENTS. Paris, June 24. A communique says: The bombardment on Hill 301 at Mort Homme, ami the second lines at Chattancourt line continues. A series of offensive actions to a great extent took place on a live kilometres front on Friday morning, from Hill 321 to east of Damloup. Battery attacks in great masses succeeded each other with extreme desperation.

Notwithstanding the enormous losses inflicted l>y our curtain of machinegun lire the enemy between Hills 321 and 320, after several fruitless assaults, succeeded in carrying our first line of trenches at Thaunipnt. A powerful German attack reached the village of Fleury, but the enemy was driven hack, and our sre shattered atW!im against Vaux, Chapitre Wood, Famin and Chenois Woods and the Damloup battery.