Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-03
Germans Drive Way Into
French Stronghold on
Verdun Front
PARIS ADMITS LOSS
Statement Confesses Victory
of Teutons-Still Hold
the Interior?

Paris, June 5. $3.50 p. MIN the
course Of repeated and violent attacks
last night on Fort Vaux, on the Yer
dun front east of the Meuse. the Ger
mans penetrated deep ditch north of
the main French position. The in
terror of the works, the war office an
nouncement of today says, is still held
by the French.
Except for this gain. the statement
says, the Germans were repulsed with
heavy losses.
Spirited fighting continued in the
Argonne. west of the Verdun sector.
Two German attacks west of La File
Morte were beaten back.
French War Report
The text of the communication fol-
lows
In the Champagne district to the
west of Mont Petu, certain detach-
ments of the enemy who, following an
intense bOmbardment had penetrated
some OF our minor defense posts were
dislodged by counter attacks in which
hand grenades we're used.
In the Argonne district yesterday
evening a German attack on a salient
of our line to the west of La File
Morte was repulsed after fairly spir-
tied encounter. A second attack at
about s p. n. also was completely
checked.
'On the left bank Of the river Mouse
our positions from Hill No. 304 to our
second line have been subjected to a
violent bombardment.
"On the right bank of the river. the
fighting is going on in the sector Of
Fort Faux with the same feTOCity as
before. All the Onslaughts of the en-
envy upon our trenches to the west
and to the east of the fort have been
repulsed.
Again the fort itself the Germans
multiplied their furious assaults and
this in spite of the heavy losses
caused in their ranks by the fire Of
our artillery and of our machine guns
which each time forced our adversar-
les back Nevertheless during the
night certain detachments of the en-
envy were successful in penetrating a
deep ditch north of the fort. In the
interior of the position we are main
tanning ourselves with energy.
Battle at Its Highest Pitch.
The battle of Verdun reached a
point of unprecedented violence in the
last 4S hours. The Germans made
formidable effort to mass reinforce
ments on the right bank of the Mouse,
supported by great number OF heavy
pieces drawn from other fronts.
The concentration Of the German
forces is taken here TO indicate su-
preme attempt TO bring the long drawn
out attack on the fortress to sue
cessful issue and to prevent general
offensive by the allies. Despite the in
tensity Of the attack involving enorm-
Gus losses, the French official accounts
say that the main lines are not essen
TALLY changed. The furtherest point
reached By the Germans was houses
on the outskirts of Damloup. the
main portion of the town is strongly
held by the French.
German War Report
Berlin, June 8, ivia London, 5:55 p.
m.l-The ridges of the heights south
east Of Zillebeke, southeast OF Hpres'
Belgium and the British position be
yond have been captured by storm by
German troops, the war ofhce an
nounCed today. During the early hours
this morning a strong attack against
the recently won position of the Ger
mans southwest of Caillette wood was
repulsed. says the statement French
attempts to storm trenches southwest
Of VauX failed with sanguinary losses
for the French. The statement also
said that in the Champagne south OF
Rfpont, d German reconnoiterlng De
tachment brought in more than Z00
French prisoners as the result OF
small hostile incursiOn.
West of the Mouse the enemy's pat
teries and fortified positions were
shelled with visible success and east
Of the Mouse the French suffered a