The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-25
Suffer Heavy Losses in Final
" Successful Attack on
French Lines.
OCCUPY CUMIERES ALSO
Win Ground on Both Banks Of
Meuse, but Are Checked
in Champagne.
Special Cdbie Despatch to THE suS


practically continuous attack on both
sides OF the Meuse last night and to-
day the Germans have won two notable
successes at the expenditure Of q great
number Of men.
In the fighting east Of lie Mort
Homme. on the left bank Of the river.
they occupied the village of Cumieres
and took a trench between the village
and lie Mort Homme. This afternoon
For0 Douaumont. on the east bank
which the French recartured on Mon
day. was retaken by the Germans.
The retaking Of the fort was the re-
suit of the concentration OF repeated
attacks OF the most desperate character
against this one point Two Bavarian
divisions which had been brought 10
the Verdun front only recently were
employed against the fort
The bombardment OF this sector had
continued without interruption since
the French took the position and had In
creased In violence. particularly this
afternoon. when the already tremendous
expenditure OF ammunition was doubled.
Even then the first attacks. made with
oA counting the cost in men. broke
down under the French FIRE, but the ef-
fort was repeated until at last the Ger
mans again occupied the fort, long since
only a mass OF ruins but valuable be-
cause OF the high position on which II
/ stands,
French Retain Outskirts.
While the bulk OF the German attack
/ ing troops were conducting these at
/ tacks on the fort other forces were
/ attempting to flank the French positions
! In the Ca,llette wood. Immediately SOUTH
east Of the fort. These attempts broke
down under the French fire and the
! end OF the day found the French still
holding the terrain adjoining the ruins
OF the fort and all Of their positions
| In the wood.
While this terrific ashting was In
progress on the east bank of the river
both Germans and French simultaneously
took the offensive on the west bank In
the sector ~ Cumiares and lie Mort
Homme. the Germans attempting to con-
tinue their advance from the village OF
| Cumieres and the French attempting to
regain the village. The Germans failed
to carry their lines beyond the positions
occupied last night. and the French coun-
ter attacks were successful to the ex-
tent OF recovering a trench on the very
edge Of the village.
The official communique issued by the
French War Once tonight follows
On the left bank of the Meuse in
fantry actions continued. East OF lie
Mort Homme our artillery fire on
several occa sions checked the enemy.
who was attempting to debouch from
the village OF Cumieres. In the course
OF the afternoon lively counter at
tack by our troops enabled us to re-
cover trenches on the southern edge OF
the village.
On the right bank the bomba rdment
redoubled in violence in the region OF
Fort Douaumont. against which the
enemy delivered his principal assault.
Furious attacks, in which were en-
gagged two Bavarian divisions newly
arrived at the front. succeeded each
other throughout the day. After sew
eral fruitless attempts and enormous
losses the enemy succeeded in reoc-
cupying the ruins OF the fort. our
troops holding the ground Immediately
adjoining the fort. At the same
moment an attempted outfian mixing
movement OF our positions in the Bois
de la Caillette failed completely under
our barrage fire and our infantry fire.
There is no important event to re-
port on the rest OF the front.
Capture Of Cumieres.
The capture OF Cumieres last nigh
was accomplished through an attacl
which eliminated in hand to hand fght
ing with the bayonet and at the cos
Ct important losses. On the east bani
OF the river last night the attacks whicl
resulted this afternoon in the recap
. ture OF Fort Douaumont we're continued
throughout the night the only gall
achieved up to this afternoon. In spit
oe the repeated efforts, having been tn
, taking OF a small part Of trench cas-
OF the fort
: An attack was made by the Ger
! mans last night in Champa gne. west o.
the Navarin farm, under cover OF ga
fumes. The attack failed under th'
French fire curtain.
. The afternoon communicate was a
follows:
> In Champagne with the help Of an
outburst OF gas. the Germans at
tempted to reach our lines In the re-
gion west Of Navarin farm. Our cur
tain OF fire threw the enemy back
into his own trenches.
On the left bank Of the Meuse the
n Germans launched a powerful offen-
sive action during the night east Of
> lie Mort Homme. After a hand to
hand battle the enemy penetrated. at
: the cost OF heavy losses. the viii
. lage Of Cumieres and one OF our
trenches Immediately to the west
i New reenfOrcements having ar
!, rived II Is apparent that the effective
9 forces employed by the enemy In the
o region Of lie Mort Homme since May
g 81 number more than three divisions
go, 900 men).
On the right bank Of the Meuse
artillery preparation and infantry at
y tacks followed each other with equal
violence IN the region OF Haudromont
10 and Douaumont. Despite the fury
of his attack the enemy. who had no
regard for human life. succeeded in
gaining a foothold only In some trench
- elements east OF the fort (Douaumont)
N All his efforts against our positions
u to the west and against tho fort itself
T. were shattered by our fire.
a In the Woevre there was a bonn
Is bardment In the sectors of Elk and
81 Moulainville.
The cost OF the tremendous fghtin
before Verdun In the last few days
indicated by the remark Of a French of
1, Ger, quoted in an interview. that PILOT
OF land come high here"
l. The German determination to recOve
Fort DOuaumont was carried out wit
all the desperate hurting of masses
men into the struggle which might
:. expected from command which sa
- n position which il regarded as vital I
a ultimate success In this region lost a IT.
a. II had been closely organized into III
- German lines. Military writer's believ
C,Attnued on FNth Pags.