Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-28
TIDE Of CONFLICT
SHIFTS At VERDUN
First One Side and Then the
Other Gains the
Ascendency.
FRENCH DRIVEN OUT
OF CUMIERES, CLAIM
Fierce Fighting Goes on Around
Fort Douaumont, Teutons Reg
istering Small Gains.


fortress of verdun the tide of battle
and then with the other. Northeast
of verdun the territory about Fort
Douaumont Is hotly disputed ground.
The Germans are holding their own In
the terrain recently won there. but
their main efforts to advance further
have been frustrated by the strength
of the French defense. In the Thi-
aumont wood sector nearby. however.
the crown princes troops have scored
a gain southwark.
On the other bank of the Meuse. to
the northwest of verdun. engagements
of probably equal intensity are in
progress In a vicious midnight at
tack the French succeeded in forcing
their way into the village of Cumieres,
which the Germans captured last week,
but Berlin declares that the village
was soon cleared of the French forces
who had penetrated it, few score OF
them falling into the hands OF the
Germans in the process.
French Official Report.
The French official communication.
issued by the war Office tonight. reads:
South of the somme the concen-
trated fire of our batteries destroyed
several shelters of the enemy and
damage his trenches.
In Champagne both artillery forces
were very active in the sectors OF
About o'clock in the evening the
Germans directed an attack against
our positions to the west of the road
from Navarin and gained footing in
several small posts of our advanced
line from which our counter attacks
drove them out completely.
"On the left bank of the Meuse there
was fighting with artillery and trench
guns in the Avocourt wood and in the
sector of Hill 304. To the southwest
eral sections of trenches and made
about fifty prisoners.
The number of prisoners captured
in the course of our attack on
Cumieres has reached about 100: two
machine guns remained in our hands.
Progress Is Reported.
r"On the right bank the bombardment
has been maintained with intensity in
the region of Haudromont-Douau
In the underground passageways to
the northwest of the Thiaumont farm
we made appreciable progress in the
course of the day.
In the Woevre there was a recip-
rocal bombardment in the sectors at
the foot of the Meuse hills"
Belgian communication: Last night
was calm and today was marked only
along the whole of our front"
German Communication.
The text of today's statement by Ger
man army headquarters follows:
Western front-North of La Bassee
canal one of our patrols penetrated an
enemy position near Festhubert. where
some prisoners were taken, the patrol
returning without loss.
I'm the Argonne there have been live
ly mining operations, during which
enemy trenches were destroyed over a
numerous losses in dead and wounded
and also some prisoners were taken
"On the left bank of the Meuse (Ver-
dun front) the French succeeded tenn
of the village of Cumieres during stub
born midnight attacks. In clearing them
out we took sixty-three prisoners
'On the right bank of the Meuse we
SuCCocutu III duNdHClIlS as 1aT as the
heights in the region southwest of Thiau-
mont wood. A French attack against our
advance was stopped at the very outset
by our artillery.
Two enemy attacks against our newly
positions south of Fort Douau-
mont completely failed. In engagements
southwest of this fort since Nav % we
have taken prisoner As officers and 1913
men,"
Activity on British Front
Last night (May 26) a hostile patrol
was surprised and dispersed southeast
Of Laventie and a high explosive
charge for wire-cutting was captured.
During the night we bombarded the
enemy trenches southeast of Neuve
-happelle, and our artillery fire caused
the destruction of enemy stores at
The enemy directed
heavy bombardment lasting eighty
minutes against our trenches west of
Fricourt and also shelled our trenches
about Serre.
I'VE sprang five mines, three about
and two southeast of Cuinchy.
The enemy sprang one mine about the
redoubt. another west of
Ia Folie wood, the crater of which our
troops occupy.
To-day the enemy artillery has been
active against our positions about
suzanne, Ovillers, Hebuterne, Souchez.
Aoos, Bois Grenier, St. Eloi and Ypres.
I'VE bombarded enemy trenches west
IF Lens and southeast of Laventie.
Hostile parties working east of Mari
court were dispersed by artillery fire.
The Germans have shown rather
more activity than usual in the last
ew days, and their expenditure of am
nunition has been lavish"