The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-08
Furious Attacks Along IS
Mile Front Drive Allies Back
Along the Meuse
FRENCH COMMUNICATING
TRENCHES ARE TAKEN
Germans Open Great Drive
After Heavy Bombardment
French In Official Reports
Admit Their Reverses

London, May THE Germans
have seized the offensive from the
hands of the French and today de-
livered furious attacks on the fifteen
mile front north of Verdun, winning
successes on both sides of the Meuse
On the entire fifty-mile fan-shap ped
front around the seat fortress, the
Crown Prince has opened the most
terrific battle of the campaign. The
omhardment has attained a climax
violence from the Argonne TO far
IN the Woevre. A. the ST. Mihel sail
ent the Germans are showing signs OF
great activity.
The gains registered today are the
greatest won by the Germans in the
last month, and the largest registered
in twenty-four hours since the first
few days OF the battle
East of Hill So4 the dominating
height west of the Meuse against the
Crown Prince Is concentrating his en-
tire energy IN this region the Ger
mans today took by storm sections OF
the French communicating trenches
Follows Heavy Bombariment
The attack was launched after an
artillery bom bardment continuing
two days with such violence that 1t
chang the contour of the whole sec
tons Of land The German troops
swept forward on wide front.
stretching from Hill No, 304 as far
- neat4fffan Hill Hi.
The French brought 70 bear ire
mendous artillery aud machine gun
fire against the advancing ranks, in
fhcting heavy losses and stemming the
, attack on a great section of the front.
/ Only In the sector east OF Hill No. 304
were the Germans able to gain fo,:-
/ ing. The crest OF this hill. which In
still held by the French, is tonight
reported under terrific fire and
fresh attacks are expected momen-
: tafTfy- The CREST commands a wide
stretch of territory TO the southwark.
reaching down 10 the vital supply line
Of Nerdun---the Nerdun- Paris rail-
way.
Simultaneous with the great drive
west of the Meuse the Crown Prince
threw forward strong forces in a series
OF rapid attacks on the opposite bank
, OF the river on the front between Hau-
dromont Farm and Fort Douaumont.
Where Germans Gained.
Here again the French brought 10
bear their curtain of fire" On the
western fank Of the front of attack
the Germans we're able to penetrate
first line trenches 500 metres wide.
but lin the center were halted.
With the opening OF storming ac-
tious on the front due north of Yer
dun. the Crown Prince, apparently n
! prepa ration for "A general closing in
/ OF the iron ring he is attempting to
! draw around the fortress, has loosed
! -ft,+ite-4-- artillery ERE alnps the en-
| tire eastern and southeastern fronts
/ in the Woevre
! Indications that he also Is prepar-
| ing To attenaBt to drive forward from
i 81, Mihel are seen in the great ac-
! tivity of the Germans in that section
! strong accommodating parties sent out
/ during the night were repulsed, &C
! cording 10 the afternoon official com
munication from Paris.
] French Officiai Report
/ Official admission of the German
gains north OF Nerdun is contained IN
| the following statement:
| Paris. MAY midnight Officiah--
| To the left Of the Mouse. the ex-
| tremely violent homhardment which
has continued necessarily for the past
two days in the region of Hin 3o4.
! reached its climax today in strong
( German attack against our front be-
tween Hill S04 and Dead Man Hill.
After repeated efforts the Germans
finally penetrated our communication
trenches to the east of Hill 304. Ev-
! eryAyhere else they have been re-
| pulsed with heavy losses. inflicted BY
| our machine guns and batteries which
theoretically BON barded the German
I