CAPTURE OF IMPORTANT POSITION NEAR VERDUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 7

CAPTURE OF IMPORTANT POSITION NEAR VERDUN.

TRIUMPH OF FRENCH MILITARY SCIENCE. TERRIFIC GERMAN BOMBARDMENT ACHIEVES NOTHING. (Received April 23, 10.10 cm.) London*, April 23. The Press Bureau has issued a description of the capture of Hois d'Ailly, which is a strongly-fortified point south-west of Verdun. The enemy employed large forces of artillery from Metz. The French, on the morning of April 5, concentrated their artillery on the German position, aided by aerial torpedoes fired from short distances. The bombardment soon shattered the German parapets, and corpses could be seen still gripping their rifles and holding them over the trenches. The intensity of the French artillery fire was redoubled. Some of the prisoners stated that the bombardment left an impression of anguish and stupefying fear. At noon the French exploded a chain of mines close to the German fort, and annihilated the garrison, and caused a panic in the neighbouring trenches. The signal was given for attack, and the infantry poured into the trenches in three successive waves with fixed bayonets. They did not fire a shot. Detachments of bomb-throwers accompanied the infantry and went into the trenches in advance of them. Some carried small boxes with fixed wooden handles. These were filled with explosives, and were thrown. Sappers also accompanied the infantry, dragging with them a gangway to enable the troops to cross the wide trenches and so get behind and attack the enemy with grenades or bayonets. The programme was carried out detail by detail, and trenches were rapidly cleared. Many of the enemy took refuge in subterranean shelters, which collapsed and asphyxiated them. On April 8 the Germans sought to recapture the position, and brought up the whole of their St. Mihiel artillery. The French had to repel eight attacks, and there was not an inch of ground which was not disturbed by explosives. "In this hell, under a hurricane of steel and iron," says the French report, "wo held our own. We had no shelter whatever, our artillery having previously destroyed all cover." In the afternoon a final attack was made. Six companies of Germans were annihilated. They had no more fresh infantry, but they still had ammunition, and their artillery hurled 26,000 shells on the spur of Bois d'Ailly, and the French trenches were a continuous crash of thunder. The French losses were heavy. Then the enemy's fire dwindled and ceased, and left the French in possession.