The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-02
FOUR TEUTON DRIVES
ON THE MEUSE FAIL
Ccrmans suffer Enormous
Losses on West Bank, Says
Paris Report.
RAIDS BY FRENCH AEROS

Sp,c,di Cnbie Despatch 10 THr SrS.
r,eis, MAY -Four powerful attacks
4, close formation were launched by the
: Germans yesterday evening against the
~, nch positions on the west bank of the
Mouse. one directed against the positions
re;akcn by the French recently north OF
Dead Man Hill lie mort Hommc). the
t,on the Teutons two days ago north OF
cumieres. All four %onslaughts. accord
irc TO the War Office statement this
afternoon. broke down with enormous
Iosses' To the attackers.
Although twice beaten back by the
French curtain of fire and the terrific
fusi.ldo from the defenders machine
Guns, the German infantry was sent into
q th,i attack north Of Cumieres and
slcceeded in gaining a fOothold In tn.
coveted trench, but was promptly driven
Oh, again with heavy losses.
The Crown Princes heavy artillery
throughout yesterday battered the
French positions on Hill 304. west OF the
Nenso. and the lines around Naux. or
the east bank. No further infantry at.
lacks were undertaken to-day.
saturday night French aerial squad.
rous made a successful raid upo Ger
' man railway stations and munitior
bases south of Thiaucourt. on the line
- Etain, near Spincourt. and at .Apre-
mon, Grand Pre-. Challerange and
Volzicrs MANY projectiles were thrown
and numerous explosions were observed
followed by fires.
The French afternoon communiqu'
vas as follows:
After a violent bombardmcnt yes
,eriay west OF the Mouse the enemy
at IN, end Of the day delivered "A pow
ctnl attack in dense formation upo
TIE trenches captured by us north OF
L. Mort Homme. our curtain OF fire.
together with the fire of our machine
guns. caused enormous losses to the
enemy and all the assaults Of the Ger
mans were broken.
= North OF Cuinicres two German
counter attacks delivered AT about the
same hour of the day upon the trench
captured by US yesterday also were
REFUSED. In the course of the third
eudeavor at this point the enemy. who
had been successful In gaining a foot
Ing in our lines. found it impossible
, to maintain his positions and he was
., once driven back with heavy losses.
There has been a violent INC con
.i7urd bombardment Of HIN 30+ and
also i'm the region of Naux. The night
passed quietly in the Wocvre.
During the night of April 29-30
French ~aeroplane squadrons threw
down numerous proiectiles on the rail-
ioad station and the supply and NUM-
tons station AT Sebastopol. to the
south of Thiaucourt on the railroad
line al Etaln, on certain bivouacs
near Spincourt and on the railway
s-,-fp,g AZ &nr.mppf Grand Pre-.
Challerange and Nouziers. During the
. course of these operations il was no.
tctd that numerous fires broke out
and 4 number of explosions were ef-
'eJ,ed on the railroads.
Thirty-one German ~aeroplanes wer
sho. down by French aviators during tn
month Of April. according to Tonight
War Office report. Nine OF these fe
Into the French lines, while the re
naIrler were forced TO descend int
their own lines. The loss Of six Frenc
aeroplanes which were forced - descen
'7to their own lines also is admitted b
'hc War Office. The majority of III
Garrau a%eroplanes which We're put OF
|, O. acton were brought down in the Vel
dun region.
German Trenches Destroyed.
Tie text of the night commun!au
follow.
In Belgium our artillery destroyed
German trenches on the from between
l. sttcuStraate and B~oesinghes.
IN the Argonne there was mining
ACTIVITY. We occupied the southern
edge II a mine crater caused by an
explosion of one of our blasts concen-
TRACED dga4nst he enemy works al
Cuui,cs Chaussces and the Bols dc
C9eppy.
~ the Ncrduu egion a very lively
touhlrdmcut was directed against oui
POSITIONS on the left bank OF the
Mouse.
ca the right bank artillery &C
tNt} was concentrated against the
sectors OF the Cote du Po!vrc and
louaumout, Apart from the usua
! oauuouade 10 important events oc'
cured ou the remainder of the front
AVIATION During the month Of
ApId our aviators' corps. which die
ra''d much activity, particularly II
t0e Nerduu region. achieved appreci
ah." results N the course of numerous
AERIAL battles. IN which they main
tanned an incontestable advantage
over the enemy.
our pilots succeeded in bringing
d1NH thirtv-oue enemy aeroplanes
nr' of witch fell within our lines
VIII. tho twenty-five others were re
ported hy our observers to he descend
100 flames or completely DISABLED
N'hn he German lines. During TIN
NHs period six French aeroplane
"'ro Disabled in combat and fell int
tc oNc'1y lines.