FIGHTING FOR VERDUN

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2887, 6 March 1916, Page 3

FIGHTING FOR VERDUN

A SANGUINARY STRUGGLE

GERMANY'S EXPENDITURE OF MAN-POWER.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

PARIS NOT ANXIOUS ABOUT THE ISSUE.

UY BLKOTIUO Iliit-GBAPH.— COP-BMJMf. PUB I'RESB AMOOI-TION. (Heceived March 6. 8.40 a.m.) Paris, March 5. A review of the recent lighting at Voi'dnn says the battle was continued on Saturday with uudJiiMiiirihed au•tensitv, aud tho day closed with tho position unchanged. The enemy s greatest oiforts were again directed against the village of Douaiuont, where both sides wero fighting dospoately, but neither able to occupy it definitely. Tbo German attacks were of the most furious, and every devilish expedient was used m the endea- ! your to break tho French resistance. Nothing coukl overcome tho stubborn endiiranco of tho French troops. Tho number of French wounded was small; the enemies' losses were very groat. Tho French supply system is ecrua to all demands, and all services, including tho railway and motor transport, havo been strongly reinforced. Thus the situation, in the second jriiaso of tho German offensive is totally different from what it was a week ago. The Germans havo inado not the slightest advance, and a. further difference is tho impossibility of surprise; also the ground is so torn up by bombardment that it cannot bo scientifically organised. Tho men taking part in the first attacks were worn out, and the fresh troops were demoralised at sight of the mounds of German corpses, of which it is estimated that 50,000 aro still cumbering the ground before the French lines. For these reasons tho issuo.of the battle is still awaited in Paris without anxiety. Other reports from Eastern Franco estimate the German losses in killed and wounded af 200,000.

THE FATE OF DOUAUMONT

FIERCE FIGHT FOR SUPREMACY

IN EQUAL STRENGTH

Paris, March 4. Fort Douaumont is perched 40ft above the village. When tho Germans wero driven out ou Wednesday the enemy artillery resumed a shattering lire, 'ploughing tho ground in all directions and reducing the rocks to powder with a thousand monster shells. The Crown Prince ordered the last attack with fresh Prussian brigades, who almost shared thoir comrades' fate, but gained a footing on the cxtremo edge of the plateau. Latest information is that the Germans hold one side of tho main street of Dauauniont and the Frenchmen tho other. Fighting is proceeding with bloody vehemency. First the French, then the Germans gain a few yards in a deadly struggle for possession of the village. .. Amsterdam, March 4. A German communique says: The French attacked the village of Douaumont and lines adjoining, but wero repidsod at practically close range fighting. They sustained heavy loss. Wo took prisoner 1000 unwounded men. Our booty since tho 22nd includes 115 guns and 160 machiuegnns.

TRENCH WARFARE ENDED

GERMANS' VICTORIOUS DAYS

BACK AGAIN.

A GERMAN CORRESPONDENT'S STORY. Amsterdam, March 4. The Berlin Lokalanzeiger's correspondent, writing from the Lorraine 'heights, says: Even from this distant point coulel be recognised the fierceness of the battle, which he describes as hell, on the height of the ridge to the loft of Douaumont, where the French artillery was directed upon them on Sunday. Columns of dust and smoko as high as a house rose from the bursting shells. It is almost incomprehensible that men were able to live there. We could also follow the fight on the Woovro xilain. i\ timorous wounded passed. All looked confident and pleased that the tronch Avar was finally at an end, and the grand days of August and September, 1014, had apparently returned, when our masses were crushing everything before them and flooding France.

FRIGHTFUL CARNAGE, YPRES A MERE BRAWL TO THIS (Received March 6, 8.45 a.m.)

London, March 5. M. Marcel Jaures, a relative of M. Jean Jaures, who was assassinated in 1914, who was wounded at Verdun, relates: I fought at Ypres, a year ago, but that was a mere brawl compared with Verdun. Only - a fiend— or tho Kaiser—could have sacrificed German lives with such prodigality. The German assault was crushed under an enormous weight of metal. Half the force was wiped out, and tho remainder lied to the shelter of . a , wood, but sallied out, strongly rein- ' forced, and kept steadily on though rapidly thinning. When 700 yards away our machine gnus and rifles . started carnage. It was frightful. The remnant struggled on a few yarels and then lied in wild panic to tho wood, pursued by screaming shells. Our artillery concentrated on the wood which was soon ablaze from end to end.

SCANDINAVIA'S VIEW

GERMANY'S LAST EFFORT TO SECURE VICTORY.

London, March 4. Dr. Dillon, the English authority on European affairs, writing from Christiania, says the tremendous onslaught at Verdun is rightly construed throughout Scandinavia as the Germans' final desperate effort to _, seoro a victory before the dejection now rapidly spreading among the peoples of the Central Powers paralyses their waning strength, which is. straiueel te; snapping point. A decisive German success would have a farreaching political effect upon certain neutrals. HAVE THE GERMANS DRIVEN IN A WEDGE? BRANDENBURGERS NOT YET RELIEVED. London, March 3. The newspapers speculate on the significance of the German communique. Some are of the opinion that the "claim means that the Germans have driven in a wedge, thus securing a salient south-west of Fort Douaumont, though the French still prevent the relief of the Brandenburgers. Paris, March 3. Lo Matin states that the Brandenburgers havo been able to prolong their resistance by means of a narrow communication path through a coppice north of the fort. WAR TO BE DECIDED AT VERDUN. M. OLEMENCEAU'S OPINION. Paris, March 4. M. Olemienceau, a leading French politician amd journalist, writing in his paper, "l'Honime Enchaine, says thait if Geirmauiy fa_l_ af Verdun, the issue of the wan- will then, ho deoided. • FUTILE COMMENTS. WHAT DOES FRANCE THINK OF THEiM? London, March 4. Major Moralhit, the Berliner Tageblatb',s nuiliitairy expert, commenting on the Verdun battle, says: "The wad part, of llbo sanguinary iva.r is that two iiaifienns which could rule the work! together auiel promote Kultur aro destroying each other. These two peopley hud no grave reason, to attack _a<oh o4ihe>r. The Genria'ii peoph 1 wiiiHi /next/ la.Jlfcow themselves %> be blamed for bringing on lhe war. They

niuiat also not blame the French people. A few lhou,vandt> originated tho wiiir." j ACTIVE BOMBARDMENT. j BUT NO INFANTRY ACTION. Paris, March 4. A coiiiiiiiniiunie says; There was a fairly active boiubnrdnieiiif during the | night in different .sectors of tho Vor- ' dun region, but rio iufamfry action on tho enemy's part. We prevtuiled the enemy ocoupynng a. orater formed by a mine explosion a.t Los Eparges. PRODIGAL BOMBARDMENT. THE GiERiAL-N STILE. Paris, March 1. Lo Eclair sa,ys 'that dlining the first weeks of Iho boiiihaudmoiiit northward of Vcrd'Uiii 'Tlie Germain, expended ■100,000 projectiles of every calibre. | CAiMVINCING EVIDENCE OF THE FIERCU FIGHTINGAmsterdam, March 5. Lo Echo Beige says thai eight long trains of ark-lory and nui.torial, rendered useless through hard work at Verdun, passed through Cologne en route lo Dusseldorf.

BRILLIAN FRENCH GENERAL

THE COMMANDER, AT VERDUN

Genera'! Poki-in, the Freuoh ceiinuiii'iider at Verdun, is a picturesque figure. Ho reijie from colonel to general > since tho war. General Retain did useful work during the retreat from Oluurleroi, and brilliantly liitu--died his mem during tho Artew's offensive in tßlay 'anil in it'he Oluimpaguc .offensive iv. September.

COULD NOT BE MORE HOPEFUL

STRONG REASONS WHY GER MANY IS LOSING.

London, March -1. The Daily Telegraiplh, in a loader, says nothing could be more hopeful than tho present position at Verdun: (1) Because, the French, with indomitable galilaiiitry and persistence' which ha.vo been the' admira-tion of the whole- world, repul.soel the attack; (2) beeiauiso the costliness of .tho a,ttacks tolls tromeudo-usly against lib" Tcu'kmn hopes for the future. The Germans' losses are Thrice those of trio, French. A seizes of determined attacks is likely to continue" to the north-east and perhaps the west .of the fortress. Wo antncipate a. period of intense aetivi.ty, which wo .shall watoh with anxiety but strong hope."

THE SANGUINE FRENCH

NEVER MORE SURE OF VICTORY

London, M-areh -I

The Saturday Review says -that some seiuaro unites of new territory are .in, German hands, hint our Allies huve broken this attack and gar'nod iv morale amd confidence after too many months in tho 'trenches. They have never been surer of victory.

REGAIN LOST GROUND

FINE' FEATS Of THIO FRENCH

Paris, March <1

Hot lighting took place near Douaurriout. Wo held the upper .part of the knoll on tho northern stipe on which the village is situated. A sharp conn, ter-attaok enabled its. to regain the ground in> the iinimedia'te vicinity of the village. The bombardment was niai'iutaiued ait am extremely violent pi toll -west amd east of the Meuse, al>o in I'he "Woeuvre. We concentrated artillery tire on ait enemy assembly near Beam moid, arid dispersed a> column which was on the march. Wo brought down a,u Albatross in tho vicinity of Douauinoii't, aim! made prisoners of the occupants. W,e atita/cked and captured several Germain trenches east orScppais. The enemy's counter-afitacks failed to dislodge us. NO QUARTER. FIGHTING ON SLIPPERY GROUND. (Received March G, 9.25 a.m.)

Our infantry advanced to harass the enemy as they quitted the wood, ami we were expensed to a lnurderenr.s fire. We sheltered in shell holes for half an hour, but succeeded in reaching our objective despite our heavy hisses. Tho Germans attacked us singing arrel cheering. My impression is that thoy wore drunk. Our machine- guns mowed lanes in their ranks anel tho survivors lay down behind breastworks of fallen comrades. They fired until thoir ammunition was exhausted, anel then charged with the bayonet. W r e .volleyed point blank anel all fell or Heel except - a handful who were bayonetted eir taken prisoners, somo refusing quarter. Tho second attack was prepared in a snowstorm. They came ou te> the fight with a terrific onslaught, and we were almost swept off our feet, No quarter was given or taken. The battle- swayed to anel fro on the slushy ground, and the hundreds of nieii found it most difficult to keep their foothold. Many slipped ami paid the penalty with their lives. Our slender line seemoel to be snapping, but, a miracle happened. We held "on .and felt tho enemy weakening, anel by midnight he wn.s.in full flight.