THE SECOND ACT BEGUN.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2886, 4 March 1916, Page 2

THE SECOND ACT BEGUN.

SERIOUS RECRUDESCENCE OF FIGHTING.

UY r.I.I'.OTiUO XKLKOR-ril. COP-KI-H-. run riiKBS abboci_tion. (Roeciwd Match 1. H.-50 a.m.) Pari*-, March 3. lSViiii-o(ii.eial.- The battle ol Verdun 'Was renewed on Thursday. 'Tho enemy's opeiations were marked by a serious recrudescence A.s we loresaw, (his is the second phase ol the most violenl efforts the Gemiattb havo ever attempted against us. All tho evidence .shows that Verdun was chosen lor the attack because tho wooded region hampered aerial reconnaisancc. We have been await? of their tremendous preparations lor tho past three months, but possibly did not realise its lull im port mice. Ycstciday'H attack was extremely violent, anil the enemy's losses over the broken ground which was already covered _with corpse,-, ncic enormous. Tlu-v 'now hen; {rained a footing in our ii entiles. We took the fullest advaiitago ol the llireo (lavs' io'<pile, and tho issue may be awaited with the fullest confidence. The fiisf act in the battle I ailed, and the second will not meet with better success. WEPT WITH RAGE. A TALE UP THE TAKING OE DOUAUMOXT. J'aris, March 8. The Eig.uo publishes a thrilling •dojy ol the Verdun battle. Tho Germans were rcjjoi led to the eastward at 3 o'clock in the morning. Flares and lockets lit up the battlelield like bum ddayliglif, and the enemy were clearly seen advancing in serried masses, singing guttural war hymns. We lay motionless and silent in the piescnce ol this stirring spectacle. When the machine :zuns opened firo tbo Goi mans 101 lin lows, but continued to advance through a hurricane of shot and shell. We were stupefied on learning that the enemy had penetrated one lort. Our sergeant wept with rage and demanded to know "what we were waiting fory" Soon the order came. "Fix bayonets!" and wo leaped over the sodden ground, shouting. 'Hio bayonet fight seemed interminable. Our men fell fast, but tho Germans fell fasier. We cleared them out. and tdadly resled. Our uniforms were caked with mud and blood. GERMAN VERSION. CAPTURE OK .MEN AND GUNS. Paris. March 3. A German communique states: We 1 advanced south ol Douaumont fort, taking prisoners 1000 and capturing six heavy guns. (.Received March -I, 10.30 a.m.) London. March o. A German comnuniioue says: On lhe heights of tlie Meuse, ailer a vigorous artillery picparation, wo cleared the village of Douaumont and advanced our lines west and south of the village and the iort into more favourable conditions.

Our airmen bombarded the French troops in a fortress in the region of Verdun. CROWN PRINCE'S VAIN BOAST. A BLOW THAT DJDJf'T FALL. Paris, March 2. - NeEcho do Paris says the Crown Prince, on February 1(5. issued an army order demanding that the troops make a now decisive effort, assuring lliein that he expected to review them in Verdun at the end of February. That blow -would compel tho French to agree to peace. GERMAN LULL TEMPORARY. GERMAN" LOSS. 150,000. Paris. March 2. Newspapers agree that tlie blackening of the infantry operations at Verduii is only temporary, and that tho Germans will conic on again. Jt is estimated that the Germans have already lost 100.000 men. GERMANS DRIVEN BACK. ARTILLERY AND AEROPLANES. -Paris. March 3. A communique says: Enemy artillery northward id' Verdun and the Woeuvro has greatly increased ilt> activity- on the whole front, chieily against Nortbomine. Poivre liill. and Oouaumont. Here several infantry al tacks oi ' extreme violence were driven back, our lire decimating the enemy rauks. Our batteries everywhere vigorously lopjied to the bombardment", and cannonaded communication roads. Our long range guns north-eastward of St. Miliiel bombarded tho fetation of Vi.neilles. There were two outbreaks of fire. Several trains wero struck, and a locomotive burst. There was great artillery activity in the Seppois sector. A French air squadron drooped -M bombs, which greatly damaged Chamblev station. Aeroplanes also dropped -10 bombs on Bcnsdorf station ami nino projectiles on an enemy establishment at Avrecourt. A TIGHT CORNER. BUT THEY GOT OUT AGAIN. Paris. March 3.

When the French evacuated Suinugeux two companies ol inlantry wero isolated among a gioup of houses, and a youihful captain organised resistance against oi erwhelming odtls. Two I'russian battalions Iwico attempted to ruisb tbe positiou and were repulsed, losing 200 killed and 500 wounded. The deicntlei.s woro seriously i educed and were soon without ammunition. A message was sent to the colonel that they intended ii> cut their way out. They made a sifddeu sally, momentarily disconcerting the Germans, and when the doienders were almost overcome leinlorcenieutb saved fhem. ALMOST DONE. HOW DAZED REGIMENT WAS REVIVED. During a critical moment in tho struggle for Doiiauinont a regiment which was dazed with five hours' incessant shell fire, weakened in the ceutie and was about to yield. . A poilion ol them fell back and throw themselves on the ground. Colonel ReaUx, the commandant, seized a rifle and advanced, amid a hail of .shrapnel, and stood alone on. tho crest, where he shouted, "On your feet. Form fours." The men obeyed, and Colonel Ileaux led them back to the firing line.

LIKELY REASONS

WHY THE GERMANS COOLED OFF.

Lo Temps says the, probable reason for flic recent relative calm at Verdun was the necessity for the Germans to reconstitute their units; and, if was possibly also a question of nmn i fiims.

THOSE BRANDENBURGERS

RELIEF CHARGES BY GERMANS

Loudon. March 3

In attempts to relieve the Brandenburgers were shut up in the Douanmont fort, tho Prussians churned eight times, but the assaults broke against the firo of tho mitrailleuses aiid 75's. The Gentians would not admit being beaten, and resumed the attacks after midnight ou Monday. lie Liberfe's correspondent adds: I midst admit tbe courage of' these crack troops of Guards and the loth Corps, who must have known they were marching to certain death. They advanced as if on parade to 60ft. Then they ran, crying "Vorwaerbs!" We waited without budging, then a salvo of machine guns tore through tbe first ranks. Then we charged, and repulsed ihe enemy. The shock of the collision in the darkness was lerrible. Tragic mistakes were made, many Germans being transfixed on

their comrades' bayonets. The approaches to Doiiaumont aro covered with dead and wounded. Tho Brandenburgers are securely trapped. The French. in order to avoid useless slaughter, aro waiting for famine to do its work. The Daily Telegraph's Pans correspondent says the remnant ol thp Brandenburgers are hemmed in on all «ides. They cannot obtain lood of ammunition. Desperate attempts to relievo them failed. TREMENDOUS LOSSES, FIVE TIMES THOSE OF FRENCH. London, Match 3. A loin, shell burst near a battery of 75's in a little wood near Floury. All the gunners were killed or woundOne German army corps of Verdun has been reduced to 3000. Tho French losses during tho ten days have been slight compared .with the Germans, the proportion of killed, ■wounded and prisoners being estimated at live Germans to ouo _rencttiuan. , , ~ ~ ~ French wounded .stato that tlie, Geimatis lovo dose formation. 'My teginteut was six times ordered to retire in order to get the enemy, within range of our 75's. .Great heaps were piled up each time." ITALY APPLAUDS FRANCE. FIGHTING COMMON ENEMY' ONCOMMON FRONT. Rome, March 2. At the opening of tho Italian Chamber of Deputies thero was a magnificent demonstration of tho solidarity of tho Allies, culminating in a unanimous resolution to send a telegram to the gallant French army valiantly lighting at Verdun, declaring that "tho separate fronts of tho enemy no longer exist, as the Allies aro fighting one common enomy on a common front." _, .„_ PRESIDENTIAL PRAISE. ER.ENZIED FIGHTING. Paris, March 3. President Poiucaro visited Verdun and congratulated tho troops. The Germans havo made a .preliminary bombardment during the last 120 hours, almost wholly with heavy guns. The French front f has been terribly battered. The lire on tho second line made it difficult to get food up. OBSTINATE FIGHTING. A VILLAGE PENETRATED. (Raceived March -, -.35 a.m.) Paris, March 3. 'A comuiuniyuo states: Tho enemy's attacks and bombardment wero continued yesterday evening with redoubled violence. After several fruitless attempts they were repulsed with erne l losses. Tho Germans succeeded m penetrating tho village of Douaumout, where obstinate lighting continues. They attacked tho village of Vaux at the same time. Assaults directed. from north to north-east wore shattered by our curtains of fire and machine guns, and the enemy had to retire, leaving a great mirnber of corpses in our barbed wire entanglements. Our curtains of fire at Woeuvre during the night prevented the enemy debouching after an intense bombardment.