Evening star., 1916-04-15
FRENCH CHECKED
ATDEAD MANS HILL
Germans InfIiCt Heavy Losses
on Foe, According to Ber-
lin Statement.
TEUTONS' BIG GUNS
POUNDING AT ENEMY
Recent Casualty Lists Indicate
Sharp Engagements Along the
British Front.

LONDON, April 15.-The French have
assumed the offensive in the region of
Dead Mans hill and have not only been
checked. but have suffered great losses,
according to today's German statement
French positions between Malan-
court wood and hill 304 west of
the Meuse were subjected to heavy
bombardment and there were lively ar
tillery exchanges near the western edge
of CorbeauX wood. East of the river
an intermittent bombardment was car
ried on.
Evidence that heavy fighting has been
going on along the British front in
France recently is given in the casualty
lists of the last two or three days.
Thursdays list contains the names of
wounded. Included in the list of
wounded are number of Canadians.
There is a good deal of comment on
the brevity of the official reports of
the recent fighting. The actions. says
a newspaper. "one is continually learn
ing from talks with men on leave have
been OF great Importance. but have been
described in curt. two-line reports
French Communication.
The most recent operations around
Verdun are described in the following
statemen: from the French war Office
this afternoon:
ITO the north of Rove reconnas
sance on the part of the enemy who
were endeavorng to occupy our
trenches in the region of Parvlllers
was dispersed by our fire.
There was no infantry fighting last
night anywhere in the Nerdun region.
ITO the west of the river Meuse there
has been fairly spirited lombard
ment of our positions between the
wood of Malancourt and Hill No 3o4
Our batteries evidenced great activity
along this part of the front, particu
larly to the west of Corbeaux wood.
and at various points along the Forges
brook
ITO the east of the river Meuse and in
the Woevre district there have been
bombardments. In the
Vosges there have been encounters be-
tween patrols.
"A reconnaissance on the part of the
enemy was checked by our fire at a
point south of Sainte Marie Mines
British Official Report.
just issued, says:
by exploding mines Wednesday east
Of Vermelles We considera bly, damaged
the enemy's positions, drawing a heavy
though ineffective artillery reply. Ear
Iy Thursday we successfully bombarded
the neighborhood of Souchez.
During Thursday night small par
ty raided German front trenches north
west of Lens, killing some of the occu-
pants and withdrawing on the compile
ton of it's mission.
German Statement
The German official report of today
says:
"A strong English advance against
our crater positions south of st. Eloi
BeIgium) was completely repulsed
after a hand-grenade engagement
IN the Argonne and to the east OF
hat region there were lively local ar
tillery and mine duels.
On the left bank of the Meuse en-
amy attacks against our positions on
Dead Mans hill. south of the Bois
des Corbeaux. and in the Bois des
rumieres. preparations for which were
made by great increase in the vio-
lence of the enemy's artillery fire.
could only be carried through by few
against Dead Mans hill.
thanks to the destructive concentrated
fire of the troops which we had put
in readiness on both sides Of the Meuse.
The attacking enemy waves broke
down with the heaviest losses before
our lines. The few men who pene
trated our trenches were killed in the
hand -to-hand fighting.
"On the right bank of the Meuse and
on the Woevre plain the fighting activ-
ity chiefly was limited to violent artil
lery duels. Two weak enemy hand
grenade attacks southwest of Fort
Douaumont were without results" "