The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-04-12
GERMANS Win AT .
DEAD MANS HILL.
Cut French Line, But Unable to
Advance Further.
USE LIQUID FIRE IN FIGHT
Teutons Were Moved Down by Ar
tilery and Machine Guns When
They Attempted to Storm Hill.

London, April 12.-The great Ger
man assault on the deiences Of Yer
dun is still conferred on the all-import
ant key position of Dead Mans Hill
west OF the Mouse.
Advancing from Corbeaux wood, and
using liquid fire, the Germans sue
ceeded In gaining few elements Of
French trenches.
Otherwise, the Paris war office an
nounces, they were beaten back with
heavy losses.
In the sector between Douaumont
and Vaux which has relatively the
same strategic importance east OF the
Meuse the Germans also renewed the
attack. There the French report says
they gained no success.
The official German statement tells
Of vigorous fighting on both sides OF
the Meuse and of the repulse OF
French counter attacks between Har
court and Bethincourt, but makes nc
claim to a further advance in the re
gion of Dead Mans Hill.
According to official French advices
the defenders of Verdun have held
firm except at one point in the region
of Dead Mans Hill. where the Ger
mans gained 500 yards of French
trenches. 1t is now reported from
Paris that the main onslaught has
diminished in extent, being limited
to a front of about two miles between
Cumieres and Hill No. 304, west OF
the MeuSe.
Berlin views the Verdun operations
confidently, pointing to the ground
gained in a difficult region and the
losses inflicted on the French.
The object of the present opera
tons, the now historical Mort HON
me, or Dead Mans Hill, bars the way
of the Germans west of the river.
The operations there began on Mon
day when two German divisions GA,
900 mem were hurled from Bethin
court and Haucourt against Hill 304
on the left of Dead Mans Hill, while
two divisions attacked at the same
time in the direction of Hell 295, be
tween Dead Mans Hill and Cumieres
The Germans advanced in serried
ranks as on Sunday, and their pro
portionate losses. are reported to have
been quite as great. Paris estimates
the enemy's losses in Mondays fight
ing at 10000 to $4,000 men. The
fighting lasted all afternoon with al
tentative advances and recoil. the
little gains on both sides being Offset
by equivalent losses, and at the en-
of the day the positions were on the
whole the same as before the attack
The Germans are at the foot Of Hill
295 Dead Man's), while the French
hold the slope and the summit, which
are solidly fortified. From these pc
sitions the French poured singing
fire into the dense ranks of the Ger
mans advancing over ground where in
spots they were fully exposed to both
machine gun fire and the fire of three
inch guns.
The repeated attacks there were
thrown back before they succeeded in
reaching the barbed wire defences and
there was the same result generally
In the attacks against Hill 304.
The German regiment $4,000 mem
that succeeded in penetrating SOC
yards of French trenches on the
northeastern slope of Dead Mans Hill.
several times was driven back tc
cover when attempting to debouch tc
attack the positions higher up.
The ravines and gulleys about the
hills west of the Meuse are fillei with
German dead and wounded. the Red
Cross units being unable to reach the
wounded because of the terrific artil
lery and machine gun duel.