FRENCH GAINS IN VERDUN REGION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 793, 25 August 1916, Page 7

FRENCH GAINS IN VERDUN REGION.

POSITIONS IN EASTERN SECTOR CAPTURED. GERMANS REPLY WITH VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT. 11igk Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON, August 24 (3 p.m.). A French official communique states: —On'the right bank of the Meuse the enemy violently bombarded the positions between Floury and the Thiaumont Work, which we captured yesterday, when we took 250 prisoners. HEAVY FIGHTING ON THE BRITISH FRONT. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED AFTER FIERCE STRUGGLE. GAINS IN GUILLEMONT REGION STOUTLY HELD. High Commissioner's Cable. LONDON, August 24 (6.30 p.m.). General Sir Douglas Haig reports:—During the night the enemy strenuously endeavoured to regain ground between Guillemont station and the quarry. After the artillery had bombarded our trenches the infantry reached our parapet in places. After a sharp struggle we repelled the enemy, with heavy losses. After his failure the enemy intensely bombarded our lines. At the llohenzollern redoubt, in the Loos region, in the northern sector, the enemy shelled us heavily, lie attempted a raid, but completely failed to reach our lines. STILL ANOTHER AIR RAID. ZEPPELIN BOMBS BRITISH EAST COAST. NO DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES CAUSED. High Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON, August 24 (11.15 a.m.), A hostile airship dropped bombs on the East Coast before midnight. No damage was done, and there were no casualties. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received August 25, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, August 24. The raiding airship dropped several incendiary and explosive bombs in fields. GREAT BRITAIN BUILDS SUPER-ZEPPELINS. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY MUNITIONS MINISTER. THREE OR FOUR AIRSHIPS NEARING COMPLETION. Bii ( able.—Press Association. — Copyright. (Received August 25, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 24. Mr K. .S. Montague (Minister of Munitions), in a speech at Bury-St. Edmunds, said that three or four new super-Zeppelins, 780 feet in length, would be ready in October. One bad already manoeuvred over the North Sea. "The Times" Service. Mr Montagu stated that lie bad been informed that the new Zeppelin's envelope has a gas capacity of 2,000,000 cubic feet, its length was 780 feet, and the beam 80 feet. Its maximum speed was 65 miles an hour, and the radius when half-loaded 3000 miles. The carrying capacity was five tons, and it was able to ascend 17.000 feet. The complement was 35 men. GERMANY’S LATEST HOSTAGE SCHEME. TO PREVENT ALLIED AIR RAIDS. BELGIANS TO BE PLACED IN HANGARS. Vnitcd Service. (Received August 25, 9.25 a.m.) PARIS, August 24. The “.Journal des Debats" states that the Germans have decided to place prominent Belgians in Zeppelin hangars as a protection against Allied air raids.