The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-04-13
NEW DENT DRIVEN
IN FRENCH LINES
ON VERDUN FRONT
Grown Prince HurIs Two Army
Corps Against Fees on 13-
Mile Front - Town of
Bethincourt Cut Off.
TERRIFIC BATTLE RACES
Petain's Troops Repel Assaults.
at All But Two Points
Paris Says Germans Lost
Half Of Effectives.
TERRIFIC BATTLE RACES

London. April lin a desperate.
struggle for possession of Dead Mans
hill, the French lines were penetrated
last night for a distance of about 800
yards in the vicinity of the height.
Paris announced this today in report
ing a battle which ragged in the Verdun
region along a 13-mile front north of
the stronghold. Elsewhere the French
lines stood the test of the average at
tacks of the Germans.
Berlin, (via London), April l1.-The7
war office announced today that in the.
fighting near Bethincourt in the YER
dun region, the town and two fortified
points to the southwest of the fort
We're isolated. The French were cut
OH. losing TIA prisoners, two guns and
is machine guns. The losses of the
French in killed or wounded were con-
siderable.
Paris, April 11.-The failure Of the
latest great hammer stroke of the Ger
nan at Verdun has encouraged the
French press and public and confirms
still further h general confidence felt
in the ability of the high
- Se1lSb I llSINe HbSell one
OF the most determined of the great
blows delivered since the battle began
SO days g and yet it yielded the least
results of any of them, although the
crown prince started two Who army
corps against the French alons a 10
mile front.
AS ~Bethincourt formed a dangerous
salient, it's evacuation had been expect
ed for some time and many military
observers long ago criticised its reten-
ton. General Petain's unerring judg-
ment in letting it go at exactly the,
right moment is now highly praised.
While of little value to the French it
is of almost no value to the
as 1t is located in q hollow, commanded
by French guns on all sides. out of
which it is practically impossible for
them to debouch. b
Return to Mass Attack.
Abandoning the new open formation
|and the lately established practice of
night attack, the Germans yesterday
engaged two army corps in dense
masses against the French position
northwest Of Nerdun. between Avocourt
and Cumieres. Forces. numbering
at least & division and a half,
charged the line between !Avocourt
and E~ethincourt. They approached
within 100 yards of the French trenches
and seemed insensib!e TO the fact that
hundreds of their men We're falling by
the way: but. notwithstanding their
courage and the weight of their masses.
they were stopDed. There was a dead
line beyond which they could not pass.
When the attacking Columns were
%thinnea out by artillery and machine
gun fire. so that q reformation became
necessary. the order to retire was given.
twice they were Obliged to fill up the
gaps in their ranks, but none of their
three o~nslaughts shook the French line,
winch had been considerably strength
ened in the region of Eethincourt by
withdrawal of forces from dangerously
exposed salients to commanding posi-
lions behind the village.
Check Furious Attacks.
Two fresh divisions attacked Dead
Mans hill while the assault wa in
progress on the B~ethincourt line, other
FORCES at the same time trying to slip
throush he ravines neal Cumieres. To
check the maneuver, an attack was ST
multa1eously made on the east bank of
the Meuse in the region of Champneu-
Vile Vacherauville. The few hundred
men who had succeeded in pentrating
the ravine were left on the field after
the action proved unsuccessful
a third attack at the same time was
denVered on a position strongly organ
lied by the French. northeast of Avo-
court, the object seemingly being to
drive in the French line far enough to
turn Hill No. 304, which lies 800 yards
SCUM, ana constitutes what is charac-
terized as the Gibraltar in the French
lines in that district. This attack met
with move success than the others; but.
after the Germans had succeeded in
gettlng a footing at some points in the
first trenches, the French counter at
tackled, and the net result for the Ger
mans was an increase in their losses
from French %bayonets. 1t is stated
that at the close of the day the French
held exactly the same positions as at.
the beginning of the attack.
on these operations was given out to-
day:
Lieut.. Gen. Sir Percy Lake, COM
The German losses are again said to
have been on the basis of so per cent
OF the electives engaged. and these in
clud'sa considerable portion Of the Ger
man reserves.
The Germans continued their attacks
last night in the Verdun region east
and west of the Mouse over a front
u miles long. from Hill No. 3G4 to Fort
Douaumont. hi war Offices
ment today says that, in the fightinp
west OF the river for possession Of
Dead Mans hill, the Germans were re-
pulsed. except on a front of 500 wards
a Hill No. 295. East of the rivar
the German assaults gained no apnrn-
cable results.