The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-09
A FRENCH VICTORY
. Terrific Assault by Germans
Completely Repulsed.
BOmbardment FierceSt of Long
Verdun Carnage.
GERMAN SACRIFICE TERRiBl F
TeutOns Attempted Infantry
Charge at 3 A. NJ. Today.
Machine Gun Fire MOWS Down
s. Half of Division.

Paris Nav g-After a violent bonn
bardmeut of the French positions on
Hill 304. on the Verdun front. the
Germans attempted an advance at 5
{ o'clock this morning. The war office
announced this afternoon the attack
was repulsed completely. French
Counter attacks east of the Me11se
drove the Germans from certain po-
sitions they had captured.
y The positions recaptured by the
ssF'rench consisted of some parts of
-strenches northwest of Thiaumont-
An intense bombardment was con-
Quoted by the Germans in the sectors
of Elk and ChatHIon and between Dou-
aamont and Vaux-
s There was grenade fighting at Apre-
mont and in the valley of the Fecht.
South of Autreches. near scissors, the
Germans attempted an attack but
were repulsed. At Bolante, in the
Argonne. the French captured two
small German posts. killing all the oc-
cupants. Elsewhere on the front there
were no important developments
Depend on Machine Guns.
\ Paris. May 9.-The latest assault of
the Germans on the defenses of Yer
dun have served to demonstrate the
high pitch of efficiency to which the
French have brought the use of the
machine gun. The French front line
trenches are being defended by ma
chine guns with comparatively few
men to serve them, and with the add1-
ton of new automatic rifles, two of
which are equivalent to one machine
gun.
The As hour preliminary lombard
ment of the Germans is described by
eye witnesses as more severe thar any,
thing which hitherto has been eXper-
denced and it is remarked that the
Germans We're justified in believing
no human being could have lived in
the zone subjected to this lombard
ment. Nevertheless. the French are
such adopts at constructing under
ground shelters that when the Ger
man infantry stepped from the
trenches. scores OF we'll placed ma
chine guns opened concentrated fire,
thinning the ranks of the attackers
before the advance was fairly begun.
Prussian Division in Van.
French officers state that the losses
of the Germans in proportion to the
number engaged were as great as in
any other action of the war. 1t is said
that a Prussian division which was
engaged on Sunday on the Haudre-
mont wOOd-Thiamont farm-Doua-
mont fort line, lost more than so per
cent of its effectives. The battle shows
every sign of continuing.
Artillery preparations now proceed
ing foreshadow fresh attacks on both
banks of the Meuse. The fighting may
4. be extended to the Woevre plateau as
the German artillery was redoubIing
dts fire there last night.
1t is generally believed here that
the Germans have transferred consid-
cradle forces to Verdun, both from
other sections of the western front
and from the Russian front it is noted
5sinee the present offensive began on
Thursday the Germans have not re-
neWed attacks such as were made in
the preceding week on other parts of
the western line, especially those held
by the British.
BOmbard Port Said.
as- London, May "a Reuter- dispatch
from Cairo says that two hostile
aeroplanes dropped eight bombs on
Port Said Monday morning. Three
civilians were wounded and the at
hackers were driven off by fire from
a9nti-aircraft guns. There was no
property damage.
Berlin Made Captures, Too.
Berlin, May 9.-Via London-The
capture of several French trenches on
. he-Verdun front south of Haucourt
was announced by the war office to-
day.