VERDUN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 17

VERDUN.

FIERCE GERMAN ATTACKS. PARIS, June 22. A communique states : There has been desperate fighting west and south of Vaux Fort. A powerful German attack penetrated a small wood south-east of Fumin Wood, Lut our counter-attack immediately expelled the enemy. The Germans at midnight again attacked from Fumin Wood to Chenois Wood. They -were repulsed with terrible losses in both woods, but penetrated our advanced positions between the woods. An enemy attack north of Hill 321 failed. The Germans are using on the western front high-velocity shells which are silent until they explode. June 23. A communique states : There was a bombardment of extreme violence all day on both banks of the Meuso, especially against Hill 304, Mort Homme, and the second lines in the region of Esnes and Chattancourt. At six o'clock in the evening an attack was made between Hill 304 and tho Bethincourt brook, but was completely repulsed. After a grenade action a counter-attack enabled us to reoccupy the greatest part of the ground in which the enemy obtained a footing the previous night between Fumin and the Chenois Woods. The bombardment after six o'clock assumed unheard-of violence on the front north of Thiaumont, Vaux, and the Chapitro woods and the sector at La Laifee. As reprisals we made air raids or Bar-le-Duc and Luneville.

We dropped bombs on Treves, where we observed a great fire to-day. A squadron of nine aeroplanes dropped 40 bombs on Karlsruhe, and another squadron of 10 dropped 50 bombs at Mulheim, on the right bank of the Rhine, on military establishments. Their effectiveness was evident. In other aerial operations a Fokker and three other enemy machines were brought down.