IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

HEAVY BOMBARDMENTS. GERMANS GAIN A LINE OP TRENCHES. Received June 25, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Juno 24. A communique savs: The bombardment on Hill 304. at Mort Homme, and the second lines at Chattancourt line continues. A series of offensive actions to ;: great extent took place on a five kilometres front on Friday morning, from Hill 321 to east of Damloup. Battery attacks in great manses succeeded each other with extreme desperation. Notwithstanding the enormous losses inflicted by our curtain of machine-gun fire the enemy between Hills 321 and 32(1, aiter several fruitless assaults, succeeded in carrying our first line of trenches at Thiaumont. A powerful German attfek reached the village of Floury, hut the enemy was driven back, and 'our fire -battered attacks against Vaux, ChiipHrc Wood, Fainin and Chenois Woods and the bamloup battery.

THE CREAT GAMBLE. ANOTHER ATTACK ON VERDUN PENDING. Receivi',l June 25. 5.5 p.m. London, June 24. Verdun is still the German General .Staff's gi'eat gamble. Yesterday's attack was foll(.w»d today by « council of war between the Kaiser, Crown Prince, Generals Falkeßhayn, afld Bindmlmrg, 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 ii|fike another great attack at any cost, great, attack at any cost. French newspapers are optimistic regarding the ultimate result. ANOTHER GERMAN REPORT. Received June 25, 11.5 p.m. Amsterdam, June 24. A German communique says: The assault on the Thiaumont fortifications was headed by the Tenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment and a Guards Regiment. We captured the greater part of Fleury wood, and progressed southward of Vauv fort. We captured sixty officers and 2G73 men. DESPERATE FIGHTING. FRENCH REGAIN LOST GROUND. Received June 25, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Juno 24. A communique announces: We repulsed a hand grenade attack at Hill 304, A desperate all night battle on the Western section on the right bank of the Mouse, and ,i vigorous counter offensive in the region of Hill 321 and Hill 320 restored to us a large part of lost ground, the enemy being driven back to the approaches of Thiaumont, which he still occupies The struggle is particularly violent in the neighbourhood of Fleury. We recovered,'in the vicinity of Fumin and Chenois Woods, the trenches and elements we lost on the night of the 21st. Latest .information states that upwards of sk divisions participated in Friday's offensive on the right bank. OFFICIAL 'REPORTS. Received June 25, 5.5 p.m. London, June 24. General Sir Douglas Haig reports that for twenty minutes on Thursday night the Germans emitted gas on a small front, south-west of Messines, but there «as 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, and we silenced a battery westward of Lens.

A German communique says: We frustrated an attempted British attack eastward of Ypres, and repulsed three assaults on our captured positions westward of Vaux fort. Airmen bombarded Karlsruhe, Mullheim, and Treves, there being a number of civilian victims, but inconsiderable military damage. Our a ; r squadrons attacked the military works at St. Pol, and the camps and dug-outs westward and southward of Verdun and T.insingens. Paris, June 23.

A communique states that our artillery wrecked enemy organisations ok the Belgian dunes. Three German attacks between Maison de Champagne and Mont Tetu. and several north-east c.f Butte de Mesnil and against the left bank of the Meuse, all failed. KAISER AT LIEGE. ' '■" Received June 24, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, June 23. The Kaiser, with a large suite, visited Liege, and carefully inspected the iPontiesse fort, which General Leman's de fence made famous. The population of Liege were unaware of his identity. A QUIET DAY. Received June 5, 11.5 p.m. 'Paris, June 25. A communique states:—There was a relatively quiet day on the west of the Meuse, except for a continuous enemy bombardment on Hill 304. There, is a» intense enemy bombardment on our lines on the east bank. The struggle on the outskirts of Fleury continues, and the enemy have occupied some houses.