FORTIFICATIONS OF VERDUN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 4

FORTIFICATIONS OF VERDUN.

The position round Verdun continues to provide ono of the most interesting military studies of the war, for it is _, tc-."-oF'tbc Value of field fortifications md mobile artillery with supporting forts,' which have, since the "fall of : Namur, taken the place of the fixed Jims and permanent fortifications of , alder' warfare. Liege,, and Maubeuge were considered impregnable before the present war, and yet Liege fell in a few days, Xamur in, a few hours, Maubeuge in a little over a week. Przeihysl, on the other hand, held out \ for months against the Russians, though ' it was completely isolated from the rest of the Austrian forces, because in this case the permanent fortifications were supported by trenches and mobile juns. '-.'.._.

,_A permanent work Buffers from the great disadvantage that it is restricted in area, and the .exact .position of the guns is known to the enemy. This enables distant, ivQwjtzer iiro to be directed against ;th«h with mathemataeah accuracy, and-tihe. long range of these hffwitzerß; and consequent large circumference of action, make" it extremely difficult for the guns of the forts, with their, flat .trajectory,, to search them out or .dominate, them. Sut at Verdun; as" at Metz, the permanent fortifications have been.strengthened by,-'.a series of trenches traced upon a perimeter larger than and exterior to the perimeter of the old forts, and heavy gung Lavo been phwred on light rails behind those works. The configuration of the- country, round Verdun offers ideal cover for these guns, and. thus the- defenders hav<> a quasimobile *ihg of defensive fire to oppose to the attacks of the enemy. The Germans have thus been' under the necessity of searching for unknown gun positions, and even , when they have iound these positions they can never be sure that the positions will for long remain the lamc V U will, be exceedingly interesting to. see whether the-Inge German and Austrian gone will be equal to coping ■with -this new of or whether field trenches -and mobile guns will restore to the fortress some of its former value,"so sadly discredited by the-rapid fall of'fortified positions in Belgium and Russia.. ■~.... In- 1870 the "Times" correspondent wrote rthat - Verdun as a. fortress was simply an anachronism, since' it lay in a hole' and could be commanded from l*e " neighbouring heights by modem siege artillery. This, was a fairly accurate description of the position, since, except for the, part occupied by the valley of the Mouse, hills almost encircle the town. There is a fairly, level road from Malancourt, where four roads. meet, to. Brabarrt-'sur-Mcu6C, .and the French'army'was originally posted in front of this road. Then betweenthis road and-.thc main railway line from Verdun to Paris "there is 'broken inoiin-' tainous country, crossed by two good roads running:ridxth...and_s.outh, but with' no road running cast and west till you get to the road running. from Cbampncuville to junction with the main road' that crosses the Meusc at Charny. This i£ one'of" the main reasons why the French 5 had to, fall back in.this 'region for a distanceof four miles wnen, they, had lost cortimand of the road from Maiancourt to 3rabant ; Just 6outh of Brabant and ii plateau "some three miles wide and-' fpur,, miles, Jong., stretches, to Oiattan-: court,... running..... parallel. .to and com-, mandihg the valley of the ileuse where it .bends to, the east and, then turns sharply ; tc- the west in. front of ChanrpneuvillG. ■At • right angles to this plateau there is another plateau-stretch-ing Charny .on the Misuse;, and =this is.'strongly fortified so as "to command any army coming down the valley.;. /Yeiflun; is /protected, from attack on the south by a similar plateau/Ufld by-fortified heights running parallel with the river. The system of fortification and nature . of the< lountry renders it almost impossible for the Gerannns -Ho- attack aflong tt»i valley, so they-have been compelled to attack from the eastern ban ; of t the river. All ..along this bank tnere -js a plateSu some four miles in width,, and in" the' neqgHbouxnood of Verdti;o. very heavily wbodedl The- ■ iatti'Mzstionti rtretch-in ttoflblß taci'rjgs'Miplateau, and then In' wrjfe'ie lit\4] {ilrajlei'. to"Hhe river.; the'

plain- of, ihp-Wrjesro,. which: lies .beyond., rhe- French }__dys" str^t—iefl;_aj_ig the Eresnes, with, a.good : railway; ru/ming. ijo the line, juad." TVith.";Tl(ae*.nE_j_t< 3_e* —-era: , \ r erdnn.'to Metzr:' Two goctrjroa_*;meet, the vallway at "Wa-nheulles, and this-acc-junts for. the fierce struggle which PAs rtaken place for?.the. possession-of- • this village. Verdun is; dan__y._.__nportant to the Germans since it imposes a dangerous re-entrant angle? upon the German line, and it effectually bars the i road to Paris from, the east, but rgeo- i graphical, conditions make it 'Impe'rattf.' for them to make their main attack , along the plateau of the-'heights •of the , H-pusle, and--this . necessarily.: C HnvoSves- : considerable difficulty in the/suppLying- < of"their for__i' /•••"■•' "iK-ir. .- -.• -•