Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-29
GERMANS STRIKE
BACK At VERDUN
Berlin Claims to Have Pene-
trated French Positions at
Dead Man Hill.
PARIS REPORTS REPULSE

Striking back at the French in the
Verdun region. but on the bank of the
Mouse opposite the scene of the recent
French successes. the Germans made a
strong effort last night to penetrate the
French lines between Hill 304 and Dead
Man Hill, the two dominating emil
nences northwest of the fortress. Ber-
lin reports success. According to Paris.
the attack was broken up, the German
succeeding in gaining footing in only
one trench, south of Dead Man Hill.
The activities around Verdun have
been virtually the only breaks in the
rlonotony of winter trench warfare
along the Franco-Belgian front. The
battle of the Somme admittedly is in a
state of suspense, because of the bad
state of the ground and unfavorable at
mospheric conditions, according to
British authority.
Attack Broken, Says Paris.
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, december 30. noon.-German
troops last night delivered an attack
in strong force on a hree-kilometer
front between Hill 304 and Dead Man
flee announced today The French in
fantry and machine gun fire broke the
attack. but one of the French trenches,
south of Dead Man Hill, being pene-
trated and this only by few hostile
troops. The attack was delivered after
long and violent artillery preparation.
North of Nerdun on the right bank
of the Meuse. a strong German recon-
naissance was dispersed east of
Hardaumont. The communication fol-
lows:
"On the left bank of the river Meuse,
after the intense bombardment report
ed in the announcement of yesterday,
and which later grew even more vio-
lent. the Germans late yesterday after
noon delivered a strong attack along
a front of more than three kilometers
against our position, located between
a point to the west of hill 304 and
point east of Dead Man hill.
Curtains of Fire Effective.
The attack was broken by our cur
tAins of fire and the fire of our in
fantry and machine guns Certain small
detachments of the enemy penetrated
one of our trenches south of Dead Man
hill
ION the right bank of the river we
have dispersed a strong German recon-
Nuisance east of Hardaumont work.
The night passed quietly on the rest
of the front
Flight Lieut.. Herteaux brought
down. on the 9th of December his
sixteenth enemy airplane. This oc-
CURED at II 90 am. over Manages wood.
southeast of Misery 1t has been con-
hrmed also that on December - French
air pilots brought down four other
enemy machines. One of these air
planes fell before the attack of Lieut..
Loste, thus making his sixth air VIC
tory. and another was felled by Pri-
time has been responsible for the de-
struction of five German airplanes."
Berlin Version of Fighting.
BERLIN. December 30. by wireless to
Sayville.-On the verdun front yes
terday German troops transferred from
the Somme front entered French posi-
tions on hill 3o4. and on the southern
slope of Dead Man hill, the war Office
announces. The Germans advanced to
the second and third French positions.
capturing seven machine guns. Sew
eral French counter attacks were re-
pulsed. the statement says. The Ger
mans brought back 220 prisoners. The
atcment reads.
Western front: Army group of the
German crown prince-On the west
bank of the Meuse Yesterday, on hill
800 and on the south slope of Dead Man
hill portions of infantry regiments
Nos. 10 and 1855 and of fusilier regiment
No. 37-all gloriously known from their
operations on the Somme made ad-
vances into French positions. The de-
tailed preparation by the artillery and
by the frequently tested mine throwers
which, through thei. efficiency. have
become indispensable weapons for the
infantry. opened the road to the ad-
vancing detachments into the second
and third lines of the hostile position,
from which 222 prisoners. among whom
were four officers, together with seven
machine guns, were brought back.
Several French counter attacks upon
the captured trenches, which also were
repeated during the night, were re-