BOMBARDMENT ON THE VERDUN FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 5

BOMBARDMENT ON THE VERDUN FRONT.

FRENCH SHELL ENEMY'S TRENCHES AT PONT A MUSSON. The High Commissioner reports under date of London, March 1:— . In the region of Verdun and also on the Woevre nothing important happened in the course of the night. There was intermittent bombardment of different points on the French iront. • . Between Regnieville and Remenauville, west of Pont a Musson, near the German frontier, we bombarded the second and third lines where the enemy showed signs of movement. In Alsace our batteries fired on the enemy's communication lines in the region of Ccrnay. CLASH OF PICKED TROOPS AT DOUAUMONT. ENEMY SURPRISED BY FRENCH COUNTER-ATTACK. NEW OFFENSIVE FROM EAST NOT LIKELY TO SUCCEED. '{Received 5.20 ajn.) PARIS, March I. Further details of the battle of Verdun show that the- Germans were momentarily surprised at the unexpected ripost when the French counter- „ attack was'launched at Douaumont. The clash of these two bodies of picked ""troops, in spite of the bloody nature of the close fighting, was a grandiose and impressive spectacle. The Germans quickly recovered from their surprise and defended themselves vigorously, but the French dash partly enveloped the Brandenburgers. • The Germans made desperate but vain attempts to rescue them. The Paris "•Temps" says that the enemy's new attempt to reach Verdun -Via Moranvill and Branzee has less chance of success than that on the north, *s he is unable to deploy; his artillery without being dominated by the guns on >J_e Meuse heights.