The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-01
VICTORY TURNED
Defenders Gain Ground Lost on
8 VerduR Front.
During Night Germans Routed
- From Dead Man Hill.

Paris. June 1.-The Germans were
completely repulsed in an attack de-
Ifvered on the French positions at
Deadnan Hill last night according to
an official statement issued by the
French war office today. A violent
Commandment continued in this region
54hroughout the night, an intense ar
1tillery duel is in progress on the east
and west fronts at Douaumont-
Germany's Greatest Effort.
Paris. June More complete ac-
counts reaching here from Nerdun
show that the battle which ragged from
NAV 27 to May 80 and which ended,
according to a statement OF tne
French war office in costly check
for the Germans, was the greatest eff
fort made by the Teutonic forces IN
the whole Verdun operations. More
and heavier guns and denser masses
! of troops were assembled along the
three miles of the French front from
Hill 3O4 to the Mouse than in any
previous attack. The French stood
firm under an avalanche of shot and
shell and drove back wave after wave
! of Teutonic infantry. They surren-
dered only about 100 yards of ground
at Little Caurettes Wood, where
trench had been oblfterated by the
terrific fire of the German guns.
Prisoners Tell of Coup.
According to information given by
prisoners, the German forces consisted
of two fresh brigades with three com
panies of veterans. The mission of the
latter troops was to work around
Cumieres and reach the Chattancourt
village by the road running parallel
to the railroad. Meantime two other
regiments were ordered to creep along
the bank of the river and seize the
Chattancourt railroad station to the
yacf l1f he vii q
( was instructed to storm the woods and
hedge rows which border Chattan-
court to the west while other detach
nents, acting still farther to the west
were to support the attack. In the
opinion of French military critics the
result was not only costly failure for
the Germans but success for the
French such as they have rarely at
tanned.
Forced TO Abandon Plan.
The Germans suffered so heavily
that they ceased further attacks, while
the French by prompt counter at
tack re-eStablished themselves again
south of Cumieres and won an impor-
tant point of vantage on the south
western slope of Dead Man Hill. 1t
develops that during yesterdays battle
west of the Mouse, the Germans bent
back the French line between Dead
Man Hi and Cumierss for distance
of three-quarters of mile The
French battalicns, however, which had
retired before the artillery, reformed
ard made a desperate counter attack
supported by reinforcements. After
nearly two hours of violent fighting
they recovered all the lost ground.
The infantry fighting in tins struggle
isEdescribed as the fiercest of the war.
Concede French Advance
Berlin, June LIN an attack on
German positions southeast of Dead
Man Hill on the Verdun front the
French obtained foothoId in the
German first line trenches over an ex-
tent of 400 meters. the war office an
nounced today. The French made re-
peated assaults on the German lines
but other than at the point mentioned
weren beaten off with heavy losses.