New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-05
Germans Drive Against the
Line Between Caillete
Wood and Damloup.
500 MEN CAPTURED,
BERLIN REPORTS
Attacks Repulsed, French Assert
s Teuton Planes Brought
Down in Air Fight.

London. June 4.-Desperate fighting
between the Caillette Wood and Dam
loup marked the German drive on the
Verdun front today. A violent bonn
bsrdmont of Fort NauX, the advanced
central position held by the French, is
described in the French official report.
Apparently no gains of Importance
were made by either side.
. The German official report declares
the attack is progressing favorably, and
that more than 500 prisoners and four
machine guns have been captured by
the Germans. Both sides report the
repulse of fierce attacks at various
points.
Another air battle was a feature OF
the days fighting. German aeroplsnes
cropped bombs on Toul, killing six per
sons and injuring ten. A French air
squadron attacked the Germans, bring
ing down one air machine in the French
lines at Sanzey. Two others were hit
by the fire from the French machines
and dropped within the German lines.
The official report Of the French War
Office tonight says; 'eS;&
ain the Argouue an enemy attempt
against our small posts at Les Courtes
ChauSses was repulsed.
"On the left bank Of the Meuse the
artillery activity became intense during
the course Of the day in the region Of
Hill 304. Preparations for an attack
reported in the German trenches were
stopped by our barrier fire.
Fort Vaux Bombarded.
"On the right bank the enemy con
tinued 10 lombard our position IN the
region Of Vaux and Damloup. and, with
particular violence, Fort Naux.
"A German attack launched at 8
o'clock in the afternoon against the
slopes. of the Bots FUmin. northwest OF
the fort, was arrested by our machine
gun fire. Our heavy artillery greatly
damaged three German batteries in the
Caurieres Wood. We took, under the
fire of our guns, and dispersed enemy
concentrations in the Caillette Wood.
To-day at noon e. group of German
aeroplanes dropped several bombs on
Toul Six persons were killed and
damage was of slight importance. NO
military establishment was struck.
"a pursuit squadron from Toul took
the air Immediately and vigorously pur-
sued the enemy aeroplanes, one or
which was brought down in our lines at
Sanzey, twelve kilometres north OF
Toul. Two other enemy aeroplanes,
struck by the mitrailleuse fire OF our
machines, descended abruptly in the
German lines"
The afternoon French official report
SAYS that several attempts made by
the Germans last night and this morn
ing 10 turn the French positions at
Fort Vaux, on the Verdun front, from
the southeast were unsuccessful. The
night attacks resulted in the Germans
gaining a foothold in the French
trenches in the ravine between Dam
loup and Fort Vaux, but they were i'm
mediately driven out by counter
attack. The assault this morning was
checked by the French curtain Of fire.
The text of the afternoon statement
follows:
ION the right bank of the Mouse
there was hand grenade fighting dur
ing the night west Of Thiaumont Farm.
"At the close Of the day yesterday
after violent bombardment, the enemy
made several attempts to turn Fort
NauX from the southeast. At O'Clock
they launched a powerful attack into
the ravine between Damloup and the
fort which won for them a foothold IN
our trenches Our counter attack i'm
mediately elected the enemy complete
~. A second German attack this morn
ing directed against the same point was
checked by our artillery fire.
"On the left bank Of the Meuse and
or the rest Of the front there was the
usual artillery activity on both sides"
Drive Favorable, Germans Say.
The Berlin official report says that
the German drive on the Verdun front
between the Caillette Wood and Dam
loup. northeast OF the fortress, IS
progressing favOrably for the attack
ing forces. The capture of more than
500 prisoners and four machine guns is
reported. The text Of the statement
follows:
western front-The British direct
ed several attacks against the positions
won by US east of Ypres. They were
everywhere repulsed.
"The artillery battle north Of Arras
and in the region of Albert continued
yesterday British recommending de-
tachments were repulsed.
Several explosions caused by the
enemy southeast Of Melville st. Vast
were without result.
"On the left bank of the Meuse q
minor enemy attack west Of Hill 304
was repulsed. During the attack we
captured one machine gun.
"On the eastern bank Of the river
heavy fighting between Caillette and