TERRIFIC ARTILLERY ATTACKS ON VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2766, 9 May 1916, Page 5

TERRIFIC ARTILLERY ATTACKS ON VERDUN

• .BATTLE RESUMED WITH INCREDIBLE VIO LENCE j GERMAN INFANTRY REMAINS .IN THE TRENCHES . By Telegraph—Press Association—OopyrigSt 4 V Paris, May TA. Semi-official. —"The incredible.violence of the German attacks 011 Hill 1304 failed, to overwhelm the French. The battle has been resumed during the last forty-eight hours with a fury: unknown prior to the commencement of -tho Vordun offensive, , • ••V "After the repeated failure .of the Germans to capture Hill 304 from the rear, tliey attempted a flank movement, involving- a frontal attack r,n the : northern slopes. There was an intense bombardment, tho, enemy using guns of--the biggest calibres, to,which the French batteries replied vigorously. ,T!he Germans at some points reached the front French lines, but the ' iiortharn slope'is now a neutral zone—the French at the summit and the Germans <at the bottom. ' ; "The German bombardment continues with sustained intensity. The infantry is not mcving, probably due to, overwhelming losses." ■ ■ ' i - HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— ' ! • . Y . London, May 7, ,3.30 p.m. • ! / ' A French official message soys: "South of tlie Sorame on Saturday everting, the Germans, after intense artillery preparation, attacked our trenchos south of ;Lihons. The attack was arrested by a curtain of fire and dispersed before reaching our barbed wire. , "At Verdun there is a continued and violent bombardment of Hill 3C*l "and in the Haudremont-Thiaumont sector. . ' 1

"At St. Mihiel we repulsed a strong onemy reconnaissance n-liich wafc attempting to carry one of our small posts east of Dislee.' ' . "During a storm, the day, lieforc yesterday, twenty of our captive balloons broke away; some were carried into the French lines, and some inW the German lines. Most of the observers,; using parachutes, descended in ouK, lines." 1 London, May 7, 12.5 a.m. "In the Woevre there has been great artillery 'activity oii the .of the Meuse." ENEMY'S INFANTRY EMERGES TO THE ATTACK ' ~ ' ' ' i SLIGHT FOOTING GAINED IN TWO PLACES. By TelcsraDh—PreEa Association—Copyrisht (JJeo. -May 8, 0.10 p.m.) \ -Paris, May I. A French official communique states: "After a two days' bombardment, a strong German force attacked between Hill 304 and Moi't Homme, and after ' repeated efforts penetrated our comimui icalion trench east of Hill 304. Everywhere else they were repulsed with heavy loss. "The' enemy, after an intense bombardment, launched several attacks between Haudremont Wood and Fort Douaumont. The Germans gained a footi ing in the western part along a length of 500 metres of our first-line trench. (All the central and eastern attacks were shattered." ENEMY'S ACTIVITY ON BRITISH FRONT. •' ' (Rec. May 8, 10.50 p.m.) Paris, May 8. Tho "Temps's" military correspondent states that troop movements in Belgium, together with the enemy's aerial activitv over the British-lines arc probably connected with a German attempt to find s and pierce a less tenacious (point in tho line than at Verdun. . . DEFENDER OF VEROTN PROMOTED (llec. May 8, 11.30 p.m.) v Paris, May 8. General I'etain has been promoted Commander-in-Chief of the • French I central armies from Soissons to Ycrdu a inclusive. General Nivcll will com;mand the spccial army at Verdun.. [General I'ctain, recently described as one of the youngest,, if not tho "voungest, of the French Generals in tho high commands, was given command V.f the special army detailed to resist.tho recent big German offensive on Vcrtlun. lie is one of "Joffre's men."]/