New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-02
French First Lin e
Trenches Penetrated
East Of M euSe.
AUSTRIANS JOIN
IN VERDUN FIGHT
Berlin Admits Losing
Foothold Southeast OF
Dead Man Hill.

London. June Once more the Ger
80, assault on Verdun has shifted
rorc.5 hack al Kill 3o4, on the ieit
~ of the Meuse, by the spirited
..n.+or tbrusts Of Jofre's troops the
C-or,r Princes masses have resumed
,bs onslaught around Fort DouaumOn''
on the right bank Of the river.
For this new attempt to crash
.h-ourb the French lines the Germans
have concentrated huge numbers 10
80 Kaiser's men. who for more ina"
,oo dsvs have been sacrificed IN huge
rn,bers. have been added several thou
Sand Austrian troops. In spite OF the
offensive against Italy, the Kaiser has
insisted that his ally divide his effect
ives 10 help crumple the Verdun de-
fences. That alone seems 10 argue the
German determination 70 carry TINS g.
eantic operation TO success.
All dav the Teutons attacked the
French ,ositions from the Thiaumoh'
farm. southwest Of Dousumont, as far
as vaux, representing a front OF ABOUT
two miles. After many furious efforts
had been beaten back by the defenders
the French trenches OF the hrst iine
between Fort Dousumont ana NsuN
were penetrated. Paris. admitting this
loss. says that everywhere else the as
saults were hurled back with heavy
loss.
Why the Attack Shifted.
The attacks on the left bank Of the
Neuse we're aimed at clearing the po-
sitions from which French entilading
FIRE nrevented the Germans from ad-
vancing on the right bank of the river
With the capture of Cumieres and the
positions around Hill 304 and Dead
Man Hill. the German commanders ap-
parently concluded that this had been
ACCOMPLISHED and that the time had
come for the resumption Of frontal as
ssults on Verdun. That seems to be
the significance Of the shifting Of the
attack TO the right bank.
Meanwhile the French, whose hold on
Dead Man Hill was imperilled' are
fighting valiantly to put themselves
back on the surrounding slopes Der
lin admits that southeast of the height
the enemy obtained foothold in Ger
man first line trenches over 4OO-metre
front. This counter drive may IN turn
imperil the new German effort TO force
a path through TO Vaux.
"On the left bank of the Meuse,' says
to-day's official bulletin, issued in Paris,
"the bombardment continued with great
violence last night in all the territory
around Dead Man Hill. A determined
German attack delivered yesterday
evening at O'Clock against our posi-
tions upon the eastern slopes of the hill
was completely repulsed by our fire.
Attack Near Naux.
After a very violent artillery prep
eration the enemy attacked our posi-
tons from the Thaumont Farm as
far as Vaux. After several fruitless
assaults the enemy succeeded in pene-
trating our trenches of the first line
between Fort Douaumont and Naux
Pond. Everywhere else the German at
tacks were broken by the fire of our
machine guns, which caused heavy
losses TO the enemy"
"The French brought forward con-
siderable forces on the left bank OF
the Meuse last evening" says the Ber-
lin official. "for an attack on Dead
Man Hill and Les Caurettes Southeast
Of Dead Man Hill the French obtained
a foothold in our first line trenches
over an extent of 400 metres. Otherwise
their repeated assaults were repulsed
with the heaviest losses
All day Wednesday and all night the
concentrated German artillery, esti-
mated at fifty batteries of all calbres,
slx-ineh guns predominsting, pounded
The French trenches. Anticipating the
attack, to which the bombardment was
an obvious prelude. the French com
mand massed reserves, well provided
with machine guns, at convenient
points in the rear, leaving only suifi-
Gent men in the shell-swept front
trenches 10 stave Oft the first on
slsught.
As soon as the infantry attack de-
yeloped the reserves rushed forward
and established themselves in the
wrecked trenches and the holes made
by the shells Wave on wave Of Ger
mans dashed forward, only TO melt
before the FIRE Of tie machine guns.
The tide OF battle ebbed and flowed,
but in the sfte- noon the Germans sue
eeeded in winning back part of the
ground captured by the French in the
gteat surprise attack on Douaumont