Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-12

French position in the neighborhood OF
Dead Man Hill on the Verdun front. ine
that both these assaults failed, breaking
down under French fire. East OF the
Mouse the French retook part OF the
ground won yesterday by the Germans.
In the operations east OF the Meuse
the French took eighty prisoners. Oh
whom one is an officer. -.
There were no developments last
night on the Somme front.
The French conducted successful
Official French Report.
The statement follows;
ON both banks of the River soihnie
last night passed quietly.
In the Champagne district we cap.
tured some prisoners in the course VI
q small operation near Cerha!- so
We delivered several successful sur
prise attacks upon trenches OF the
enemy between Maisons de ChamPas
and LIE Calvai-e, on the north OF Viiie-
Sur-Tourbe.
"On the left bank of the River Meuse
two attacks upon one of our trencheS
at Dead Man Hill failed completely
under our fire
On the right bank of the river
night counter attack delivered by our
1t possible for us to reoccuy por'iol
OF the territory taken yesterday pH
the enemy. We took eighty prisoners
including one officer.
In the Lorraine district. sector OF
Reillon. we drove the Germans back
from certain trenches where yesterday
they secured a footing
Attack on Left Flank.
Having maintained their grip on
the Thiaumont work at Nerdun. but
failing to debouch therefrom. the Ger
mans now are trying to push forward
their left flank. Their artillery was
busy all day Monday and all night, ana
yesterday morning they worked up the
bombardment to a pitch equal to any
that has gone before. Then the bonn
bardment ceased. making way for the
infantry
One column sought to work its way
along the railroad which runs around
Hill 800 toward the Fleury station.
situated in the eastern extremity OF
the village. but it melted away before
the French fire, as did another column
attacking Chapitre wood.
Columns debouching from Naux fort.
however. succeeded in getting bare
footing after intense fighting in the
Furlin wood and in the ruined Dam
outer defenses of Verdun. which lies
three-quarterS of mile southwest
of the village on the edge of the Lau-
fee plateau.
The advantage which the Germans OBJ
tanned was not great. since the battery
Is swept by guns from Douville, Tavannes
and Bourvaux
Map Shows British Gains.
PRESS CAMP. BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE. July IL. via London. July Il
At headquarters this afternoon the As
ISOLATED Press correspondent was shown
map with vari-colored spaces repre-
Senting the ground taken each day since
the offensive began and the effect of
steady. systematic advance working for
ward against redoubtable Notifications
The evening reports show the British
line established beyond Contamination and
connected up with the north edge of
MametZ wood.
The Germans continued Smelling Con-
talmason today and all their old com
municating trenches gridironing the
hillsides which might give the British
cover. Prisoners taken at Contalmai-
son speak of being under artillery fire
so thick and persistently maintained
that it shut off all food and water sup
plies, and say that when the fire lifted
the survivors We're too daZed for any
thing but to yield.
The curtains of artillery fire cut off
any hope of escape. and the German
gunners were driven away or killed
Dy rine nre IN the Mametz wood. The
advance through this wood was in the
nature of hide-and-seek fighting. the
men taking cover behind trunks of
trees, chopping out or digging shelter
in the meshes of roots. then sniping or
dashing forward. 1t has been a con-
test of Individual cunning. initiative
and industry.
The continued dry weather increases
the dust clouds raised by the bursting
shells, adding to the obscurity as to
the exact positions of the combatants
from hour to hour. Another bit of
farmland has been won by
the tireless guns. which help the in
fantry to hold II.
Berlin Claims German Gains.
BERLIN. July IL. via London, sos
.. m.-German troops on the right bank
of the River Mouse yesterday pushed
forward their positions to a point
nearer Souville and the Laufee works,
taking 80 officers and 2.106 men. says
the official statement issued today by
the German army headquarters staff.
Tn CIInlaf hrlAIN lAnvnro