FIGHTING AT VERDUN.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5445, 31 May 1916, Page 5

FIGHTING AT VERDUN.

GERMANY’S DESPERATE THROW

WIN THUS YEAR OR NEVER

London, Last .Night

There has ben no abatement in the lighting at Verdun but even if the Germans make a further advance there i* no reason to think that the French are likely to lose grip of the situation which it unanimously agreed is well in hand.

Further terrific fighting is, expected bocauee everything points to the fact that the (-Herman staff will leave nothing undone to smash France.

Military critics agree that the enemy knows that ho must succeed in the war this year or never. Mr .J. L. Garvin thinks that the Germans will attempt to attain peace with all or some off the A Mice in 191 ft in order to save tin- War Lord s prestige before the risk ot tie- final penalty becomes imminent.

It is re.ported that the Germans are more and more changing their tactics, sparing men and using their heaviest guns to hatter and flatten cait. the trenches. When they think they have, succeeded they send out parties v> oonrirutre. If the trenches are sCi 1 1 occupied they continue the bombardment. If abandoned the trenches are occupied.

Paris. Last Night. President Poincare visited Verdun on the hundredth day of the Iwitth

VIOLENT ENEMY ATTACKS

SA NG FINA RY REVERSES. Paris, East Night. A communique states: The enemy carried out an intense horn bailment with heavy guns from Avoorart Wood 1o Curnierew. flbe Germans violently attacked Hill 304 in tfie afternoon and suffered two .sanguinary reverses. The only sueces',-, the enemy gained wnthrei hundred metres of an ad van*to trench north-west of Cnmiore*.

Press Association. —Elec trie Telegraph.-—Copyright.

USELESS BUTCHERY.

ASSAULT ON MORTHOMME

London. Last N igh*.

The ‘‘Daily News” Paris correspondent states that the Crown Prince manifestly wanted to settle Morthomnie once and for all Hence the importance of the assault of Oumieres. Though the village in the valley is unimportant an advance therefrom would have threatened the eastern slopes of Morthomme, and perhaps turned the second French lint* av Chattancourt. Four divisions were employed on the west bank of the Meuse itrom Sunday to Tuesday, and simultaneously three divisions on the east bank. Columns were hurled east and west of Morthomme one after another, but all were cut up by curtain and matchine gun fire. There were sixteen attacks between Avocourw Wood and th river, fifty thousand assaulting Morthomme and Hill 304. It was useless butchery. The French never wavered, and the Germane lost 15,000.