WESTERN FRONT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17164, 10 May 1916, Page 7

WESTERN FRONT.

VERDUN REGION.

FIGHTS FOR HILL 304,

FRENCH REGAIN TRENCHES

The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, May 8.

On the left bank of the Meuse fighting continued in the course of the night with stubbornness. Ih the region of Hill 304 furious enemy attempts were broken before our stubborn resistance with extremely severe German losses. A lively counter-attack enabled us to drive out the enemy from a dug-out cast of Hill 304, where he had secured a footing yesterday. About fifty were made prisoners. , On the right bank of the Meuse, in the region of Haudromont Farm, a series of combats during the night drove out the enemy from the greater part of the trenches in the first lino penetrated yesterday. About thirty prisoners were taken. It is confirmed that yesterdaj s German offensive on a front of kilometres between the Haudromont Farm and Douaumont Fort cost important sacrifices.

A TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT

CROWN PRINCE’S SLEDGEHAMMER BLOWS.

FRENCH OOUNTEII-ATTAOK RECOVERS LOST GROUND.

By Telegraph—Pres* Association— I Copyright. (Received May 9, 11.45 p.m.)

PARIS, May 9. Since Wednesday the German batteries concentrated a. deluge of metal on Hill 301, Mort Homme and the slopes of a little valley between. Vo French front line trenches were toin and battered out of shape, and communication saps were filled up. Hither food nor munitions could bo sent to the men holding the advanced pest. The late bombardment exceeds m ferocity anything yet seen. After fortyeight hours the French advanced trenches no longer exist. All that is left are isolated shell craters, in which the remnants of the front line troops sheltered. Carrying with them machine euns and ammunition, tliev dug themselves in. Finally the had of .missiles ceased and the Germans, believing that nothing living existed, advanced. No sooner had they emerged into the open than from a dozen directions French machine guns opened and the assault soon spent itself. All the Germans could claim was that a footing had been gained in a couple of shell-swept saCrown Prince on Sunday delivered two sledgehammer blows, one on the west, the other on the east bank of the Meuse. Forty thousand men were sent against the eastern declivities of Hill 304. which is separated from Mort Homme by scrub-covered ravines The French subjected the slopes of Hill 304 to such a fierce fire that the Mermans deemed it prudent not to attempt on attack. On the east bank three violent German assaults resulted vn the oapturo of five hundred yards of French front line between Haudromont harm and Douaumont Fort. There was most desperate fighting throughout Sunday eight. Fresh German regiments were brought up and launched one after the r-ther. hut we’’" ooworless to beat down the stubborn defence. At daylight the French by a fierce counter-attack, cleared the from the ravines between Hill 304 aud Mort Homme, .also from the Haudromont area.

VIOLENT BOMBARDMENTS.

FRENCH STOP AN ATTACK

PARIS. May 9

A communique states: The bombardment of Avocourt TVood ami ti-n-hole region of Hill 304 has continued with undiminished violence. Our curtain fire stopped an attack on Hi,l 287, west of Hill 304.

GERMAN CLAIMS.

SUCCESSES AT HILL 304

AMSTERDAM, May .9

\ German communique claims the capture of the whole network of French trenches on the northern slopes of Hill 304 and states that the Oer. man' lines have been pushed up to the hill itself.

THE WOEVRE SALIENT

ARTILLERY ACTIVE

Tho High Commissioner reports:— LONDON. May 8. Artillery is very active in the region

of Remieres and Jury Woods, west of Pont a Mousson. Two German aeroplanes were brought down in aerial fighting in the region of Verdun, one in the neighbourhood of Ornes and the other, seriously damaged, south of Azannes.

WITH THE BRITISH.

SOME MINOR ENCOUNTERS. (Received May 9, 10 p.ui.) LONDON, May 9. General Haig reports East of Thiepval Wood the enemy after a heavy bombardment entered onr trenches and caused some casualties before they were driven out,. North of Thiepviv] wo raided the enemy's trenches, driving the occupants into dugouts, which were effectively bomb„d. Near Fromelles we entered enemy trenches and inflicted considerable casualties.