CIVILIANS ORDERED TO LEAVE VERDUN.

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

CIVILIANS ORDERED TO LEAVE VERDUN.

SHELLS RAINING ON THE TOWN. DREARY CAVALCADE MARCHES THROUGH THE SNOW. ..','• v LONDON, March 1. The-Paris correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" states that Verdun has been'completcly evacuated by civilians. It is a quaint little town of about 20,000 inhabitant-, lying on both aides of the Meuse. Its ancient walls, moats, and gateways have now only historic interest. The population has latterly been reduced. • Sheila began to fall in the streets of Verdun and among the old-fashioned houses on Monday. The cannonade on Wednesday was more serious. The Governor ordered civilians to leave. Hundreds of the poorer class had taken refuge in the deep underground galleries of the citadel. A dreary cavalcade of civilians has since passed along the snow-covered road to the trains bound for Paris. Many of the suburbs of Verdun have been severely hammered during the bombardment, and there have been numerous civilian victims. The new church and the old cathedral were targets on. Thursday, and Friday night. Heavy shells fell at the rate of almost one per minute, till parts of the town were in ruins. «