The sun., 1916-10-27
Counter Attack on sommc.

On the Somme front to-day the Ger
mans also counter attacked vainly. They
tried to r%ecapture the Stuff trench this
morning. but that strong position north
OF the Stun doubt. on the Thiepval
ridge. was held firmly by the British.
The British Guns from their new nd
v~antaReOus positions on tho ridge worked
havoc IN the German ranks.
II nny one thinks the Germans have
taken troops In any great lumber from
the Sonme front to reinforce those In
Transylvania. the Dobrudja. at Ncrdun
or anywhere else. he IL mistaken. said
Major Gen. r. Il. Maurice. Chief Dircc-
tor OF Military Operations at the British
Wal Office. according to dispatches.
"rhere'are more German divisions on
the western front than ever" he de-
clared.
To-day's German account Of the Yer
dun defeat says hat Douaumont fort
had be~%- evacuated by the garrison.
which French counts deny. The state
! mert also says the Cerman troops with
drew in a majority Of cases only upon
strict command. and then reluctantly"
French attacks on Vaux fort were re-
pulsed. the statement says.
TEXT of French Statement.
The French statement to-day says:
on the Nerdun front the situation 10
unchanged. Tho enemy made no coun-
Ter attack during the night, con,cnting
himself with bombarding violently the
tec;ors Of Naux and Douaumont.
the nigh, was calm.
Tho French night statement, says:
North Of The Somns an attempt At
, attack by the enemy gains the Bois
! fAhhaye farm. south of ~Rouchavesrcs.
was easily repuised TIE artillery
struggle continues very lively In the
region of Saiily-Saii'isel and also south
OF the Sommc in the yermandovillers-
| Chaulnes sector.
4! On the verdun front the day was
\ marked by violent enemy counter at-
lacks. Fou successive times the Ger
1 mans attacked positions which we re-
! gained from them in the Douaumont re-
| gion. At \ 40 O'Clock In tho morning
| and a. ! so =. VI. Two attacks directed
| on the fort and m our front 30 the"
east were shattered 10y our art.ilorv
and infantry five. despite the in;cus,
! hUmtardm"n. with which they were
preceded aid accompanied
~ $50 o'clock IN tho afternoon ,
1 third and very powerful attack which
debouch"d from the li~audromoU' wood
was taken under tho nre of our bat
. y l'N sAsl'i lllsA'AAAll' bN.E y va N's'
uf assault were thrown back m di'.
order. and the enemy suffered cons'i
! cradle losses. Isolated elements which
succeeded IN approaching our first Inc
w"r, taken prisoners. TN" fourth at
tempt against our trenches. to the
south Of Chauffeur wood. was ais"
completely defeated our front has
been entirely maintained.
The total prisoners counted up TO
tho present exceed 5000. To these
I must ne added several hundred wound
cl picked mp by our amhuMDCcs.
The British night statement says:
This morning after "A homharinlcnt
ne enemy delivered an attack against
SUN trench. which run nOrthward ~:
S'uf redouht. Tie was driven of with
considerable" Losses. artillery PROV
Ing very tfcci I've. F~orty-onc PRISON.
'rs remained ~ our hands.
During tho day tho cueny ARTILLERY
WAS active against u front south q.
the Amer" and In the nclghbprhood II
I.o0s and h'ouqueville's.
The British statement says
During the night the enemy shc'lrd
heavily our front between Iaucour'
rAbhayc and Lc.booufs ard III the
nc~ighborhood OF the stun aud Zollern
redoubts.
We successfully raided enemy
trenches near Monchy and also north
east OF Arras. Considerable damagc
was done and prisoners were taken.