THE WESTERN FRONT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15608, 5 June 1916, Page 8

THE WESTERN FRONT.

ON THE MEUSE.

BRITISH LINE HEAVILY ATTACKED. APPALLING STRUGGLE ON THE ME USE. (672 nd DAY OF THE WAR.)

THE WESTERN THEATRE. THE BRITISH FRONT. SHARP FIGHTING NEARYPRES GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. ■ FRONT LINE TRENCHES ENTERED The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, June 3 (2.5 a.m.). A British official report says:— \ "There was sharp fighting on Friday in the v salient between Hooge and the Ypres-Comines railway on a front of 3000 yards. "Following their artillery activity on Thursday,.the Germans besan an intense and sustained artillery fire, which was followed by infantry attacks, which penetrated our front at several points, but were repulsed elsewhere. "On Thursday night, after a combined 1 artillery bombardment our infantry penetrated the German trenches, but subsequently withdrew. "The German statement that strong English forces were repulsed in this vicinity is untrue."

SEVERE AND INCESSANT FIGHTING.

RENEWED GERMAN ATTACKS CAN AD TANS' GREAT GALLANTRY. MOST OP LOST GROUND RETAKEN. (Received' June 4th. 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, June 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "There has been severe and incessant fighting between Hooge and tho YpresMenin railway. Pursuing Friday's initial advantage in this neighbourhood, the Germans penetrated our defences to a depth of 700 yards towards Zillebeke. "The Canadians, who axe holding this sector, gradually recovered much of tho ground, and behaved with the utmost gallantry in counter attacking, successfully, after a heavy and continued Bombardment. <a The enemy's losses were severe, many dead being abandoned on the recaptured ground. "Generals Mercer Williams, of the Third Canadian Division, who were inspecting the front trenches during Friday's bombardment, are missing."

TERRIFIC FIGHTING PROCEEDING. NUMEROUS GERMAN ASSAULTS BROKEN. ENORMOUS LOSSES INFLICTED. The High Commissioner reports: — LONDON June 2 (4.30 a-m.) At Courtes Chanssees and'La Fillc Morte the French b.ew up several mines damaging the enemy's underground works. West of the Meuse, a counter-attack enabled us to progress 100 metres in, the enemy's communication trenches south of Caurettes Wood. Between the wood and the village aa enemy attack was stopped by our curtain of fire, and he was unable to deljouch. East of the Mouse, the battle continued yesterday and during the night, and proved to be extremely sanguinary on the whole front. Near the farm at Thiaumont the enemy assaults were rimpulsed by our" fire and counter-at-tacks. On the south front at Douaumont, the Germans wce enabled to penetrate a rvortion south of the wod at Caillctte bordering on Vaux pond. All attacks in the region of Vaux and Damlouo wero broken against the resistance of our troops who inflicted o.i the enemy severe losses. In the course of the actionsthe artillerv fiphtin'tr attain**'! exceptional violence tne whole front. LONDON, June 3 (2.20 a.m.). Wfft of the Meuse there was heavy artillery -fire in the sector of HilL'3o4, and between Mort Homme and the Mouse. f East of the Meuse there was a powerful German offensive all <s a y• The continuous attacks were led, with compact masses of the enemy following unceasingly. A magnificent resistance was offered by our troops, who retained the mastery. West of Fort Vaux our counter-attacks replied to each German attack All enemy progress was stopped in front of Fort Vaux, which the Germans sought to capture at all costs.

The struggle reached unprecedented violence. Storming columns -were mown •down by our guns and machine-guns and suffered enormous losses. ilasses of German reinforcements were caught by the firo of our heavy guns, and driven hack in confusion. In the Damloup sector (south of Vaux) on the Meuse foothills, tho enemy succeeded in penetrating the village, of which wc hold tho greater part. Juno 3 (4.25 In Champagne, -west of Mont Tetu, some enemy elements which, penetrated some of our small advanced posts after an intense bombardment, were dislodged by French counter-attacks with hand grenades. In tho Argonne yesterday evening a German attack on a 6alient in our line west of La Fillo Morte was repulsed after a lively ctSnbat. A second attack, launched at 8 o'clock in tho evening, equally failed. West of the Meuse our positions on Hill 304 and our second lines of trenches were submitted to a violent bombardment. East of the Meuse fighting continued at Fort Vaux -with the same violence. All attempte by the enemy on our trenches west and east of the fort were repulsed. Against the fort itself tho Germans multiplied their furious assaults, despite the ravages caused by curtain of artiiiery and machinegun fire. The enemy was completely defeated. However, in the course of the night fractions of the enemy's forces penetrated a trench in the north of the Fort-, in the interior of which we maintained ourselves.

THE ENEMY'S OBJECT

DECISION AT ANY COST. (Received June 4tTi, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, Juno Sk The semi-official review says:—"The enemy at Verdun has given the impression that he is obliged to finish! the struggle as quickly as possible in order to delay or prevent an offensive by the No other explanation can bo given of his stubbornness for several days in continuing the. battle, despite his terrific losses. "The continuity of the enemy's offensive during the last twenty-four hours indicates that tho battle has reached its culminating point. The result appears to be clearly in our favour."