Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-01
FRENCH CAPTURE
TRENCH LINE NEAR
DEAD MANS HILL
Berlin Admits Enemy's Sue
cess Along Front of
400 Yards
TEUToNS GAIN IN vosGEs
Paris Reports Repulse of Verdun
Attacks-Guns Busy in
Lens Sector
TEUToNS GAIN IN vosGEs


French troops have captured 400 yards
Of the German flrst-line trenches south
east Of Dead Mans HILL on the Verdun
front, says the official statement Of the
War Office today
East Of Obersa, in the vosges, the Ger
mans have penetrated French positions
over front of $50 yards.
The French positions entered by the Ger
mans covered a depth Of 800 yards In
stead of attempting to surround the cap
tured ground, the German detachment re-
turned to the German lines with some pris-
oners and booty.
Vicious counter-attaclSs were made by
the French last night In the triangle formed
by Dead Mans Hill, Cumieres and Chat
tancourt It was there that the French
were able to advance
Heavy artillery fire is reported from the
Lens front, where the Germans are en-
gagged with the British. Following Is the
text of the official report;
North and south of Lens there was
violent artillery firing yesterday.
To the left of the Meuse the French
sent forward considerable forces last
night against our positions on Dead
Mans Hill and Caurettes wood. South
east of Dead Mans Hill they succeeded
in getting foothold In our first-line
trenches over width of 400 yards.
otherwise the reported assaults were
repulsed with heavy losses.
To the right of the Meuse artillery
activity has continued on a heavy scale.
East of Obersapt a German recon-
noitering detachment penetrated French
positions over a width of $50 yards
and to q depth of 800 yards returning
with booty and prisoners.
PARIS, June 1.-Another attempt by the
Germans to carry by storm the French posi-
tions at Dead Mans Hill was made last
night.
Although preceded by furious lombard
ment, which battered the French trenches
into shapeless mass and carried out with
the utmost stubbornness, the assault was
repulsed.
Announcement Of the failure of the Ger
man effort last night was made In the
official communique of the French War
Office today.
While the German infantry was engaged
west Of the Meuse the French lines on the
Douaumont front, to the east of the river,
were under hot artillery fire. Virtually all
the German guns northeast OF Verdun
were concentrated upon short target, ap-
proximately two miles broad. The shells
fell at intervals of less than a second. The
entire French line, comprising both first
and second line trenches, was snothered be-
meath the tempest of steel.
The text of the official communique
follows:
On the left bank of the Meuse the
bombardment continued with great
violence in the course Of the night in
the region of Dead Mans Hill. An
attack by the Germans yesterday eve
ming about o'clock against our posi-
tions on the slopes east of the hill was
completely repulsed by our fire.
On the right bank the artillery duel
has assumed character Of intensive
ness west of Fort Douaumont
The night was relatively calm on
the rest of the front
Last night one Of our aviation
squadrons threw 20 bombs on the sta
tions at Thionville and Audunleroman
and so shells on the supply depot at
Azannes.
The Germans have thrown moro than
$4,000 fresh troops into action at Verdun
since a week ago today, according to re-
ports received by the War ofice At least
five new German divisions have been en-
gagged on both banks of the Meuse.
Since February 100000 Germans have
been in action at verdun, according to War
Office figures OF this number 1t is esti-
mated that about 100000 have been killed
or put out of action.