The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-05
Fleury Also Center of Fierce Attacks and Counter At
 tacks Same Time
BAYONET IS USED IN STORMING TRENCHES
 WITH GREAT SUCCESS
Petrograd Reports Russian With drawal From Position 19 Miles of Kovel Due to Strong Pressure of
 Teuton Counterings in Section

Verdun has again become the storm center on the western battle front. The French forces have taken the offen- sive the right bank of the Mouse and now hold the Thfaumont work and the greater part of the village of Fleury, according to Paris. The Thiaumont work, already the scene of many desperate combats, were twice in French hands during IF hours on Friday. The forces of the German crown prince fought tenaciousIy, driv- ing the French from the work once, but losing it again.
 FIeury, which changed hands Thurs day after the French had succeeded In taking 1t, is again almost entirely Oc- .cupied by the French. Fierce fighting still continues in and around the vil- 1age German unwounded prisoners taken in the verdun fighting number 400.
 On the Somme front, in northern France, there has been little infantry activity, both the British and French official communications failing to re- port any moves the part of their enemies. London says the Germans bOmbarded. the section. southwest of Pozieres and also the southern portion of the Mametz wood.
 Desperate counter attacks by the |Germans in the region of the StokhOd river, east of KOveI, have resulted in the retirement of the Russian forces which had seized the village of Rudka- Nliryanskaia.
 The fact that the village is only 10 'tiye on s4this part of the yolhynian front. probably accounts for the i'm density of the fighting there.
 The Russian General Sakharoff's troops continue to advance south of |Brody and toward Lemberg. PetrOgrad reports the capture of 1900 Austro- Germans in "hot attacky on the line of the Sereth and Graberki rivers.
 A squadron of British naval aerO- planes has attacked with bombs Ger man military establishments in the vi. city of Ghent, Belgium. London says damage was done by the dropping of two tons of bombs. UnOf- .ficial reports received in Amsterdam apparently confirms this claim.
 Paris August 4-The French troops In the region of Verdun twice during IFriday captured the Thiaumont work 'from the Germans. holding it the last |time in the face of counter attacks. &C., 'cording to the French official state ment tonight. After having captured and then evacuating the village of Fleury under German counter attacks, the French troops Friday afternoon in bayonet attack recoccupied the greater part of the village.
 The official statement says:
 "On the front of the Somme our ar killery bombarded enemy organizations. We destroyed near Eunemain, to the south of Peronne, German captive balloon.
 "On the right bank of the Mouse lighting continued all day in the re- zion of Thiaumont and Fleury, and to khe northwest and southwest of the Thiaumont work. All attempts to dis lodge us from conquered positions Tailed. We not only broke the enemy's efforts. inflicting heavy losses upon him. in second offensive our troops Iucceeded in capturing for the second kime in 12 hours the Thiaumont work which remains in our possession not withstanding several enemy counter kttacks.
 "Fierce fighting is going on at Tleury. After having evacuated the whole of the village this morning as
 consequence of several German at
 acks our infantry this afternoon car
 tContinued on Page 1'weIve)