Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-06
GERMANS REPULSED IN
BETHINCOURT ATTACKS
After Bloody Sacrifices Teutons Gain
Foothold in Harcourt
Village.
FAIL EAST OF THE MEUSE
Paris Reports Check for Enemy As
saults North of Caillette Wood,
and Success for Surprise Move
ment in Argonne.

! LONDON. April GA desper-
ate all-night struggle around Yer
dun resulted in substantial gains
for the French west of the River
Meuse. according to today's Paris
bulletin. while east of that stream
Terrnan attacks on French posi-
tions were spulsed. At one
point along the Accommodating
cour, line, however, it is admit
ted that the Germans succeeded
in penetrating French positions.
The French gain was scored
north of Avocourt, northwest of
Nerdun, where, in the course of
the engagement that began yes
terday afternoon and continued
throughout the night Gen. Pc
tains troops succeeded in cap
turing a large portion of the posi-
ton known as La Bois Care, or
Square woods"
| The German attacks northeast
of the city were directed against
the lines north of the Caillette
| woods, where Paris reported a
French gain yesterday. The ef-
forts of the Germans to regain the
lost ground are declared to have
been futile
French Communication.
The text Of the communication fol-
| lows:
"In the Argonne district surprise
attack delivered by US this morning on
| one of the enemy's trenches near the
highway of St Hubert resulted in our
inflicting perceptible losses on our ad
| versaries and in bringing back to our
| lines some twenty prisoners.
! During this attack our artillery, IN
| the next sector. violently bombarded
| that portion of the Avocourt woods oc-
| cupied by the Germans.
| I'm the region of Verdun the enemy.
after the relative calm of yesterday
afternoon. gave evidence of very great
activity during the evening hours. AS
| the night progressed there took place
| to the west of the Meuse a lombard
ment of extreme violence in the re-
! gion between Avocourt and Bethin-
| court This was followed by a series
! of attacks in which large numbers of
men took part against the two princi-
pal salients of this front All the ef
forts of the enemy against village of
Bethncourt were checked by our fire.
Gain Footing at Haucourt.
| During this same time the enemy
delivered furious attack on the CEN
ter. against the village of Haucourt.
In suite Of repeated checks and of
bloody sacrifices. they were successful
! in getting a footing during the night
in this village We now hold the viii
lage under the fire of our dominating
| positions.
tory artillery fire, delivered a
| spirited attack. our men coming out
from the redoubt of Avocourt, their
| purpose being to connect this redoubt
| with one of our works situated on the
| boundary line of the wood to the north
! of Avocourt. During this operation,
! which was in all respects successful.
|
ritory known as LIE Bots Carre and
| took fifty prisoners.
To the east of the River Meuse two
| attacks on the part of the enemy di-
rected against our position to the north
| of the Caillette wood resulted only in
| serious losses to the Germans.
| There is nothing to report from the
remainder Of the 'front.'
British Official Report.
The British official statement on the
campaign in the west, issued last night,
reads as follows:
| Last night we sprang mines success
fully near Hulluch and damaged hos
tile gallery and wrecked posts estab-
lished in the old craters. Today we
| bombarded hostile works nearby Bois
Grenier with good effect.
! About St. Eloi the artillery of both
| sides was very active. North of the
Ypres-St. Julien road our heavy artil-
lery carried out a successful lombard
trenches and causing numerous explo-
| sons.
German Statement.
| The text of the German official state
! ment follows:
! There was great activity west of
the Meuse during the day. chiefly on
| account Of the preparatory fire which
we directed against the district of
Haucourt. During the afternoon the
activity of our infantry became more
| pronounced. 1t stormed the village of
| Haucourt and the strongly fortified
French point of support east of the viii
| lage. In addition to very considera BILE
losses in killed and wounded, the enc
| my lost eleven officers and 531 un-
wounded prisoners, belonging to two
different divisions
| "On the right bank of the Meuse the
French renewed the attempt against
| positions we captured in Caillette for
/ est and northwest thereof on April 2.
! This attack was checked quickly"