THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 89, 16 May 1916, Page 6

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

HILL 304. VERDUN NO NEARER. DESPITE GREAT SACRIFICES. PARIS, .May 10. Semi-official: The German objective on the west bank of the Meuse is still Hill lio4. Three German attacks on Monday night in dense formation attempted both frontal and enveloping assaults, but all completely failed, with heavy losses. Renewed attempts on Tuesday met the same fate. It is believed that the Germans in these attacks employed three fresh divisions, all of which were decimated. Thus, after live days' furious assaults, costing enormous sacrifices, the recrudescence of their Verdun offensive with unprecedented violence leaves the enemy exactly where they started. INNER HISTORY OF VERDUN. FRENCH NOT RKADV. PARIS, May 10. Le Matin states that a revelation of the inner history of Verdun shows that the French were only aware on February 21 of the gravity of the situation, previous local German offensives having puzzled the French and hindered concentration. General F'etain was only sent thither after the battle had been several days in progress. When the storm broke there were only (10,000 French troops opposed to L'oo,t)l)it Germans. No railway had been constructed at. Verdun, and General Petain therefore thought it prudent to evacuate the right bank of the Meuse. Then General Castlenau arrived, and on his own initiative reversed this decision and ordered General Petain to hold the Douaumont Plateau at all costs. On February 24 he transported thence in 10 hours a whole army corps from Bar-le-Duc, employing 47,000 (! -1700) motors, the men going into action as they arrived. (An army corps comprises about .'{o,ooo. Bar-10-Duc is about :!0 miles from Verdun.J THEIR OWN MEDICINE. LIQUID FIRE TURNED ON GERMANS. PARIS, May 11. During the fighting round Verdun the French discovered outside a German trench a vat of liquid ready for use to spray liquid fire. They promptly turned the apparatus on the German trenches. Red and green flame shot up like a fiery serpent, spread fanlike and enveloped 30 Germans sheltering behind a barrier. An ollicer relates that he will never forget the piercing shrieks as the enemy were caught by this wave of their own Jlaine. Enable to lly, they fell back blinded and dying. AT THE BRITISH FRONT. GERMAN RAID REPULSED. LONDON, May 12. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy unsuccessfully attempted to raid our trenches near Ouvilliers on Wednesday night. A severe mutual bombardment developed at the tlohenzoUern redoubt on Thursday afternoon. CAILLETTE WOOD BOMBARDED. PARIS, May 12. A rommunii|iie states: The enemy are violently bombarding our positions at the Bois de Caillette second lines, on (lie right bank of Hie Meuse. GENERAL JOFFRE'S WARNING. PARIS, May I:'. Official: General doff re on February 24 warned officers that anyone ordering a retirement from 'Verdun would be i-ourt-martialled. FRENCH GRIP ON MORTHOMME. PARIS, May 12. A communique states: The Germans during the night twice vainly attempted to recapture their positions on the western slopes of Morthommo.