Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-17
GAINS CLAIMED BY PARIS
ARE DISPUTED BY BERLIN
German Statement Says French Suf-
fered Severe Losses Near
Fort Douaumont.
AIRMEN KEEP UP ACTIVITY
French Squadron Takes Advantage
of Intense Fog to Carry Out
Extensive Bombing
Operations.

IAKlS. April II.-After tchI-
porarily assuming the aggressive
in the Nerdun battle. launching
attacks in the Douaumont-\ auN
region which are declared to hay (
gained them some ground. the
French yesterday and last nigI:r
held their infantry in check.
Neither was there any move by
the German infantry arm. accord
ing to this afternoon official
statement.
Apparently new movement OF
some Importance is preparing
west of the Meuse Heavy bon;
bardment OF the French positions
in the Avocourt region and along
the line for some distance north
east, including the Dead Man 5
Hill sector, has been mentioned iii
several recent official statements
bv the French war Office and SINH
lar artillery activity is again re-
corded today.
French Official Report.
The official statement issued today says:
ION the left bank of the River Meuse
there has been an intense bombardment
CT the French positions in the Avocourt
wood and on the front from LIE Mort
Honme Dead Mans hilD to Cumieres
"On the right bank of the river the
night passed in relative calm, except in
the region to the south of Hadremont
Wood, where there was continued artil-
wood. where there was continued artil-
attacks during the day and night
There is nothing to report from the
remainder of the front, with the eXcep-
ton Of the customary cannonading
During the night of April 1911
French air squadron, composed of nine
machines, during an intense fog exc
cuted certain important bombing opera
tions in the region OF Confians Pagny,
Arnaviile and Romdach. Projectiles were
dropped as follows: Twelve shells on the
the factory at Rombach. eight on the
railroad station at Arnaville, eleven on
the railroad line at Pagny and Ars.
During the night OF April 1o-l6 "a
French armed aeroplane. flying over the
North at altitude of 800 feet
threw sixteen shells at vessel Of the
enemy. Eleven of these missiles found
their mark.
Capture of Trenches Claimed.
French infantry attack in the Yer
dun region south of Douaumont Satur-
day resulted in the capture of portions
Of some German trenches. the war
Office announced yesterday. Two hun
dred Germans We're taken prisoners.
THE hombardment continued last
night on the left bank of the Meuse,
in the sector between Avocourt and
Caurettes wood. the statement says
''On the right bank we delivered a
spirited attack toward the end of yes
terday against German positions south
Of Douaumont. This effort. which was
completely successful. made it possible
for US to occupy certain elements of
the enemy's trenches and capture 200
men. of whom two were officers
In the Woevre our first line posi-
tions We're bombarded intermittentIy
There was no important event on the
usual cannonauing''
French Repulsed, Says Berlin.
BERLIN, April II. via London.-Aft-
er extensive bombardment large
French forces on the Verdun front at
tackled German positions near Fort
Douaaumont Saturday. The German
war office. says the French were re-
pulsed with heavy losses.
Today the war Office gave out the
following statement:
There are no incidents to report
from the western front In the region
of Pervyse, Flanders. an enemy aero
plane was brought down by our anti
aircraft guns close behind the Belgian
lines. and was destroyed by our artil-
lerv. First Lieut.. Barthold brought
down northwest of Peronne his fifth
enemy areoplane, British biplane
The pilot was dead and the observer
seriously injured"
Fighting on British Front.
LONDON. April II. The British Of
hcial statement on the campaign in
France and Belgium issued last night
reads:
Last night. after the explosion of
two mines, our troops carried out a
small raid against the enemy trenches
south of the Bethune-Labassee road
with satisfactory results.
To-day there has been artillery activ-
ity about Arras, Neuville, st. Vaast,
Grenay and Loos."
Order Issued by Gen. Petain
Says Kaiser Expects Battle
at Verdun to End the War
PARIS. April IA semi official note
issued here reviews the recent opera
CONTINUED on Second Page.l