IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

NEAR VERDUN,

ANOTHER OFFENSIVE. Paris, June 18. A communique says: We captured positions in the trenches northward of Hill 321, making some prisoner*. A l'rench longe-range gun bombarded the stations at Vigneuiles and Uatton- | chatel, in the St. Millie] salient, causing a lire. < A violent Uerman offensive was made from Hill'Ml to near Hill 320. Tiie latter is half a mile northward of Fleury and is strongly held. ll is slightly nearer to Verdun than any point hitherto within the zone of infantry encounters. A strenuous artillery duel has begun in the sector •'.orthward of Fleury. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. AIRMEN VERY ACTIVE. Paris, June IS. A communique says: After an extremely violent 'bombardment the Germans made several attacks on our new Mort Homme positions, using liquid (ire. Tliey were repulsed with serious losses and our gains were entirely maintained. A series of German attacks on the trenches north of Thiauinont were bloouTiy repulsed. Our aviators in the Verdun region engaged enemy airmen who were attempting' a raid on 'Bar-le-Duc and brought down two machines, and our machineguns brought down three or four.

French machines engaged four FobIs ers over the enemy's lilies in Lorraine and brought down two. One of ours was forced to descend.

Our squadrons dropped 24 shells on the Semide mil way station near Vouziers, 20 on the Thionvillc factories, causing explosions, and -20 on the aerial establishments at Etain and Tergnier.

ARTILLERY DEVELOPMENT. A NEW FACTOR IN THE STRUGGLE. Received June 19, 8.15 p.m. London, June 19. K. governing factor in the trench fighting on the British front has been the development of artillery power on both sides, not only by field howitzers and batteries, but it has been multiplied by various nihv typos of French guns that have been introduced, and are immeasurably increasing. The belligerents' "pounding" capacity lias already reached a phase when either 'xle can make the front lines untenable. AERIAL COMBATS. THIRTY IN ONE DAY. Received June 19, 8.15 p.m. London, June 19. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that there were thirty aerial combats on Saturday. We downed one machine behind the enemy lines. Otherwise, the whole front is quiet. GENERAL HAIG'S REPORT. Lon-lwi. June IS. General Sir Douglas Hiijg reports: There was a vigorous bombardment of our trenches between tho river Dome and Wieltje at midnight, it being accompanied by two ineffective discharges of gas westward of the Messir.esWytsehaate Ridge. There was no infantry attack. We carried out successful raids near the river Lys am' near I'iiver.chy, and successfully exploded mines near llulluch and northward of Arras. We also seriously damaged undevgrouno . workings in the vicinity of Loos. PRISONERS STARVED TO DEATH. Amsterdam, .June, JS. The Telegraff states that the Ger- ■ mans have ordered the whole population of Roulers to remain indoors from 2 o'cloc,k in the afternoon until 8 o'clock in the morning for the next three weeks, because a citizen fed Russian prisoners who were employed in agriculture.. A number of Russian prisoners in Belgium have died ff-om starvation, the Germans, in a spirit of revenge, depriving them of the modicum of food generally allotted. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. London, June 18. A German communique states: Our infantry took part in night fighting on the left bank of the Meuse for an advanced trench on the southern slope of Mort Homme. A strong French attack on Thiauinont wood, after several hours of artillery fire, failed. The French repeated their air attacks on military works at Bar-le J Duc. Our anti-aircraft ] guns brought down a biplane,