New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-15
Germans Exhausted by
Efforts to Win Thiau-
mont Line.
BRITISH PREPARE
FOR NEW ASSAULTS
Artillery Supplies Increasing
French Troops on Skis
Win in Vosges.

Paris, June 1.-THE fighting around
Nerdun has once more died down from
sheer exhaustion OF the cOmbatants.
An entire division. half Of whom were
Bavarians and half Pomeranians, was
used up by the Germans in twelve sep
arate attempts on Monday to storm the
French position north Of Thiaumont.
From this position the French thanking
fire prevents the enemy from advancing
on NauN plateau. No result having
been attained by nightfall, fresh troops
were brought up. and an attempt was
made TO turn the position from the
southwest. After q desperate struggle
footing was obtained in some Of the
trenches on Hill 32l, half mile west
OF Thiaumont and mile east of Bras.
No effort was made to increase this
advantage yesterday or to-day, owing,
probably, 10 the losses on Monday,
which. according to prisoners, were eN-
ceptionally heavy. A man belonging TO
the 18th Bavarian Infantry stated that
his regiment had been held in reserve
for big offensive against the last
forts Of Nerdun, but that It had been
thrown in TO support the troops attack
ing Thiaumont, and had lost nearly a
third of its electives.
At other points on the west front the
French won minor successes to-day.
East of scissors a small German post
was captured. Berlin admits the loss
of new positions on the heights south
east of ZilleDeKe. in the Nosges a sur
prise attack by French troops on skis
rounded up some prisoners.
The operations in the vicinity Of
Npres have passed into a new and, for
the British, a most satisfactory stage.
The Canadians yesterday retook the
greater part of the ground lost on June
,, including the Armagh Wood and OBJ
servatory Ridge. and the British front
line has returned TO its original posi-
ton. The German losses were large,
and the latest reports show about 100
prisoners, including four officers, in
British hands.
The Germans apparently did not an
ticipate so speedy and determined
counter attack. and abundant evidence
was found of the destructive effects Of
the British artillery fire. which had
quite prevented them from properly
consolidating the position during their
occupation of the disputed ground.
10 was after two weeks of cold.
rainy weather making the low ground
around the Ypres salient morass,
that the Canadians charged in the
midst of a dOwnpOur at 80 o'clock
in the morning and recovered Obser-
vatory Ridge and Mount Sorrel. impor-
tant high ground which was still held
by the Germans after the first stage
of ;he third battle of Ypres on June
and 8.
SO heavy and continuous had been
the British artillery fire on the Ger
mans vainly trying TO fortify Mount
Sorrel during their ten days occupa-
tion that they had been unable 10 re-
move the munitions and food stores
left there.
I've were delighted with the way
the guns supported U.S. Canadian SOL
diers report. "They gave the Germans
a taste Of their own Nerdun tactics.
We are getting Lloyd Georges mum
tons now. all right"
A German officer who was taken pris-
oner paid tribute 20 the increased
power of the British artilley.
This afternoons French Official
statement. 10 which the night com
munication adds nothing, was as FOL
lows:
Between the River Disc and the
River Aisne a strong patrol Of the en-
envy has been driven back with IN
fantry fire at a point TO the southeast
Of Moulin-sous-T ouvent. To the east
Of scissors we have occupied a small
German post near Nenizel.
There has been intermittent artll-
lerv fighting in the sectors on the left
hank of the River Meuse. On the
right bank of the river the enemy last
night bombarded violently our posi-
lions north Of the Thiaumont works
in the woods Of VauX and Chapitre
and TO the south of Fort NauX. There
have been no infantry attacks here,
"In the Nosges a surprise ATTACK oy
Eroncb troops on skis upon a German
detachment 10 the south Of Songern
north OF Thanh resulted IN our
bringing back some prisoners -
The German official communication
ION the heights southeast Of lille