WESTERN FRONT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17200, 21 June 1916, Page 7

WESTERN FRONT.

THE BRITISH LINES.

GREAT ENEMY ACTIVITY.

EXTENSIVE WORKS IN HAND.

AN AMSTERDAM REPORT.

" Tiroes " and Sydney " Sun " Services,

LONDON, June 19. The Amsterdam correspondent of "The Times" says that the arrival, of numbers of-wounded and the frequent burials indicate that the Germans' recent attack on Hooge cost them dear, prisoners stating that the British artillery mado great gaps in the lines. The Germans massed moi'e than 120,000 men at Zonnebeke, Gheluvelt and Comines and along the canal, mainly derived from the Belgian occupation force. Companies of Russian and civilian prisoners have been working for months past carting sand and gravel to the front between Menin, Comines, Roulcrs and Bruges, and Belgian factories have been incessantly producing bags and barbed wire. Trains have been continuously carrying timber to tho Ypres front army, and military labourers have been digging, building and sawing and boring water wells. Largo numbers of new young troops have been trained at various points in the south of Belgium. Lille, Roubaix and Turcoing are strictly isolated, and frequent arrests have been mado as the result of a recent tremendous explosion in a munitions depot at Lille, which the Germans assert was the result of a British plot. The terrific report shook houses and smashed windows for miles, opened the ground in various places, and demolished buildings. AERIAL COMBATS. By Telegrapb-PieM Association— Copyright (Received June 20. 7.25 p.m.) LONDON. June 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—There were twenty-seven aerial combats on Sunday, and five enemy machines were brought down, also two of our machines.

ROUND VERDUN.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY.

The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, June 19. On the left of the Meuse the enemy actively bombarded the slopes of the Mort Homme and the region of Ctoattancourt: The French artillery everywhere replied effectively. On the riebt bank a German attack north, of Hill 321 was completely repulsed'.

ENEMY REPORTS. By Telegraph- - Press Association.—CopyrieM(Receivcd June 20, 7 p.m.) . AMSTERDAM, June 20, A German communique says:—The enomy's attacks in Thiaumont \\ oca were "repulsed, also repeated night attacks in Fumin Wood.'

VERDUN LOSSES.

AN ENORMOUS TOTAL.

LONDON, June 19

A semi-official estimate based on prisoners' statements and documentary evidence gives tho German losses at Verdun to the end of May at 415,000.

VIOLENT BOMBARDMENTS.

(Received June 120, 7 p.m.) LONDON, June 20. A communique states:— A violent bombardment occurred north of Thiaumont Jind in the sectors Vaux, Chapitre and Souville. An enemy air squadron bombarded a village south of Verdun, killing or wounding several German prisoners camped there.

THE GERMAN FAILURE.

ALLIES' PLANS NOT AFFECTED,

CORRESPONDENT'S REVIEW. "Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. (Received Juno 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 19. Mr H. Warner Allen, official British correspondent at the French Headquarters reviewing the Verdun position, says that after the failure of thegreat assault by which the enemy hopfd to havo produced' a decisive effect, in bringing about demoralisation .and revolution in France, tho Germans have settled to a slow, methodical wearing away of the French defences. Their heavy artillcrv work at Verdun represents the highest conceivable effort ■ of tho great manufacturing country, but tho Gorman Press has now changed its tune, and' is declaring that though Verdun is not taken France has been bled white, whereas tho French have continuously relieved and restod their Ver.dun troops, the Germans have not attempted to economise. They have drawn

every man available from the depots, heavily draining the new contingent, aged twenty years. Altogether, thirtynine and a half divisions, about 880,000 men, have been hurled at Verdun, representinor half the German forces available in France. The Germans have failed to capture the fortress, .or demoralise France, or interfere with thu Allies' plans.

SOUTH OF THE SOMME.

COUP-DE-MAIN REPULSED,

Tho High Commissioner reports t LONDON, Juno 19.

South of the Somme an enemy coup*-de-main in tile region of Lihons (west of Chaulnes) was completely repulsed.

ENEMY REPULSED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received Juno 20, 7 p.m.) PARIS, June 20. A communique states:—After a sharp bombardment an enemy detachment atr tempted to approach our lines between the Avre and the Oise, but was repulsed.

AVIATORS 1 WORK.

A FRENCH RAID. PARIS, June 19. A communique states: — Our air squadrons dropped sixty-one heavy projectiles on the barracks and railway station at Vouziers, where movements of trains were reported. < Two aviators collided at Piautin, 6000 ft up. The machines crashed to the ground, but both aviators miraculously escaped uninjured.

GERMAN CLAIMS. (Received June 20, 7 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, June 20. A German communique says:—-Two English biplanes were destroyed and the aviators killed. Our air _ squadron attacked the railway station, military works and factories at Baccarat, Raon l'Etapo.

A SWEDISH LOAN.

ADVANCE TO FRENCH BANKS. ' ' LONDON, .June 19. A number of Swedish banks are the French banks a loan of 70,000,000 kroner (under £4,000,000). The money will remain in Sweden and be issued for the purchase of exports.