WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, 27 May 1916, Page 5

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

HEAVY LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES BALANCE AGAINST THE GERMANS. (Rec. May 27, 8.40 a.m.) * LONDON, May 26. The Spectator states that news from Italy and Verdun is superficially disappointing, ibut fundamentally good. _, The Italians are fighting for their existence. The Austrians* best troops are being used up, and "will be badly want- . ed'when Russia resumes her advance in * GaEcxa. The" casualties on both sides at Verdun are enormous, hut the balance is much against the Germans. The latter continue hammering for no reason except the potent one of fear. They do ' not dare to admit that they have failed morally if not physically at Verdun. VERDUN BATTLE ATTACSKS AN3> COUNTER-ATTACKS The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 25, 3.55 p.m. In the-Argonne region the French exploded a mine successfully at Fille Morte. On the right hank of the'Meuse there < ,- vras a Trident artillery combat in the sectors Avoncourt Wood • and Mort Homme. In the latter region a German attack which,was preparing a debouch -was immediately stopped by our curtain of fite. On the right bank a counter-attack ' 'made us masters of a portion of trenches' i ocupied yesterday by the enemy between j •Haudromont Wood and Thiaumont Farm. - North of the Farm we progressed by means of grenades in the course of the " night, making several prisoners. . HAUDROMONT GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. VIOLENT ARTILLERY DUELS. , PARIS, May 25. A communique states' that the Ger- • mans made a series of attacks at five o'clock between Haudromont Wood and. Thiaumont Farm. All were repulsed with heavy losses, except at one point where the enemy carried a trench element. Our, artillery destroyed a'German depot at Handicourt. Violent artillery, duels at Hill" 304 and Douanmont continue. POSITION AT {DOUAUMONT. N , COUNTRY A TANGLE OF RAVINES. THE FINAL GERMAN ATTACK. LONDON, May 26. The Daily Mail's 'Paris correspondent says the French weakness at Douaumont : •Fort lies, in the tangle of ravines from La Vauche Hill, which terminates at the base of the north-western salient of the fort. When the French recaptured the fort the Crown; Prince brought up 120,000 troops from. Valenciennes and Cambrai. ; The attack was still a failure at dawn on Wednesday, when the Crown Prince ordered the operation to be hastened. • Finally 50,000 Bavarians attacked on a •front of 3000 yards. The storming parties were so dense that they choked the ravines. The French, had the exact range, and every gun with yards was trained on the narrow corridors, the French meanwhile shelling the ruined walls and craters. The German artillery made it almost i impossible to get supplies. Ammunition ! was Tunning low, so the French retreated to previously prepared trenches on the southern slopes of the fort, and are awaiting a favourable moment to sally out and recapture the position. FRENCH ASSAULT" ADMIRABLY TIMED. LONDON, May 24. The Times correspondent at Paris reports: —"The French attack on. Fort Douaumont was admirably timed. The French waited until the Germans had shift* 1 ' 1 the centre of gravity of „ their attack? .vestward, and until all the. German'reserves had been committed to the desperate assault on Dead Man {Mort Homme) before delivering the blow. General Nivelle's plans were carried out with the Tarest secrecy. A swarm of air hornets were sent up to attack the observation balloons, bringing down gix. Then, assured! of privacy, General •Nivelle advanced his centre., delivered a -terrific •bombardment on Douaumont, and launched some of the finest fighters of France, who carried the positions against most stubborn resistance." DEFENCES OF LIEGE AND THE MEUSE GERMANY PREPARING GREAT • DEFENSIVE WORKS. (Rec. May 27, 8.40 a.m.) A LONDON, May 26. The newspaper Echo de Beige states .that the Germans are greatly strengthening the defences of Liege and the Meuse lines. Several thousand sappers have arrived. BUYING RHEUMO IS LLKE BUYING .-. MEALTH. ' Are you? tortured by Rheumatism, "■ Lumbago, Gout, Sciatica? You can: be cured;. "• Many hundreds who have suffered "as- you--do have found repermaneni cine —in Rheumo. Captain' John Gibbs,* lately of Auckland, who'-was ibent double with Rheumatism, .says: "I always recommend - Rheumo to. any one who suffers from. Rheumatism, or Gout." Here is friend--Iy advice from a -man- who has been cured ' from' yon* complaint. Start taking - Rheumo now, 2s 6d and 4s 6d bottle. •.' JBarxaclough's Magie Nervine instant- --. ~ry stops Toothache. -.. Proganar3 Qorps.

THE ITALIAN WAR OFFENSIVE TEMPORARILY CHECKED. ENORMOUS AUSTRIAN LOSSES. PARIS, May 25. Rome and Vienna communiques indicate heavy fighting in the Trentino. The Austrians claim, to have captured several villages. ' The Italian reports indicate that the offensive is temporarily checked. Ten thousand Austi-ians lie unburied on , the hillside and 20,000 severely wounded were taken to Innsbruck and Salsburg. The Austrians throughout attacked in the German fashion, the serried ranks being mowed down by hundreds at Monte Rovera, until they were able to entrench behind masses of their own dead. The Austrians' main attack is concentrating on the tableland of the Sette Comuni, making for the local superiority of their artillery, but the Austrians still scarcely touch the main Italian positions on the Arsierb and. Asiago lines. The chief danger is the open plain of Vicenza, only- five miles below Aisiero. Enormous reinforcements are reaching the Italian front. AUSTRIANS ADOPTING GERMAN TACTICS. NEW YORK, May 26. Messages from Rome state that the Austrian offensive is increasingly assuming the character of the German offensive at Verdun. The advance of the Austrians is rendered more difficult by. the destruction of bridges and roads. Italian officers estimate that between the Adige andi Brenta rivers the Austrians placed 26 batteries of the heavy guns, besides many batteries of smaller guns. They are also bringing from the Galicran and Balkan frontiers fresh troops to the number,of 360,000. Austrian prisoners state that prior to the offensive the officers' gave orders that the soldiers, once on Italian soil/ must act brutally towards the population.