ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11582, 24 May 1916, Page 5

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

ATTACK OH MOOT HOMME. EIGHT HOURS SWAYING BATTLE. GERMANS REACH THE GOAL. ONLY TO DIE. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph-—Copyright. Paris, May 23. .Since Friday twelve score of Berman ■ heavy gnus had been battering the French positions west and north of Mort Homme and Cumiere. The former was the centre of the heaviest fighting. The enemy streamed up the ravine in compact masses from Bethincourt and were swept away again and again by the French heavy artillery. The struggle was in progress for eight hours, the battle alternately favouring one side and then the other. When night fell on Saturday, after exhausting lighting in the pitiless sun, the weary defenders of Mort Homme hoped for rest, but the Germans gave no respite. A fresh division was hurried from Bethincourt and rushed into the melee. An hour later greyclad waves of Germans swept up the shell tortured slopes of Hill 195 from the west and north, reaching tiie corpse strewn crest. The Germans, elated by hopes of victory, pressed auto the French second lino, but were caught in the iron jaws of a counterattack, None survived to celebrate the victory.

There was similar nousuccess in a desperate attack on Hill 304 — Cumieres position.

FRENCH NOTABLE SUCCESSES. GERMAN POSITIONS CARRIED. CONFLICT FOR OOUAUMONT FORT Paris, May 23, A communique says: We progressed southward of Hii! 287 and forced t'io enemy to evacuate a small work be had been bolding since the 18th. t-ouuterattacks drove out the enemy from some trenches at Mort Homme. We carried by assault Herman positions on a two kilometres front west of Thiaumont farm to the east of Douaumont fort, and penetrated into Fort Douaumont, the northern part of which is

still held by the enemy. We cleared j enemy trenches on a length of 300 , metres at Bouchot Wood on the I heights of tho Meuse. ; A GERMAN REPORT. .Amsterdam, May 23. ! A German communique says; We ; stormed French positions on the ; eastern spurs of Hill 304 and held 1 them against repeated aftacks by the j enemy. We inflicted great losses. ! and also prisouered nine officers ; and 518 men. j The booty captured on the south- | ern slopes of Mort Homme has in- \ creased to 13 gnus, and 21 machine j guns, i The French, in a thiid attack, ! gained a footing in the quarry at | Yauxbridge. Our air squadrons repeatedly i attacked Dunkirk harbour. An j enemy biplane fell into the sea. ■ Four aeroplanes were placed bore j de comba . GERMAN PURCHASES OF GROUND. I COSTS HOLOCAUSTS OF MEN. ' ! THE PRICE OF THREE 1 HUNDRED YARDS, ; Paris, May 23. ; Sunday's attack, wherein the j Germans failed to win fresh ground, j must have cost them over 5000 men, j while they paid an awful price for 1 three hundred yards advance near i Verdun. ;

ATTACK ON BRITISH TRENCHES. ENEMY MAKE AN ENTRANCE. ; BOMBARDMENT ACTIVE. | London, May -3-3, Sir Douglas Haig reports:— i After a heavy bombardment all ! yesterday, which was more intense i in the afternoon, the enemy attach- j ed our positions on the north end i of Yimy ridge, and succeeded in | penetrating our front line trenches ; along I£oo yards to a depth varying : up to 000 yards. ' To-day wo subjected the German i positions to heavy bombardment and i sprang mines near Rolinconrt, j HohenzolJern and the quarries. 1 The artillery on both sides was i active opposite Lens and east c I i Ypres. We chained direct hits on : an enemy battery east of Dlairvilie. | One of onr aeroplanes was forced [ to land in the enemy lines. ;