PRUSSIANS ATTEMPT TO RELIEVE BRANDENBURGERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16169, 4 March 1916, Page 7

PRUSSIANS ATTEMPT TO RELIEVE BRANDENBURGERS.

EIGHT ASSAULTS BROKEN UP BY FRENCH FIRE.,; GUARDS ADVANCE AS IF ON PARADE. GERMANS BAYONET EACH OTHER IN THE ■ DARKNESS. . ( .'• • "■■'. (Received March' 3, 11 p.m.) ' ' :. ' : .'_.'• -".;■ ,; " •.- ', London, March 2. The Paris correspondent of the London Daily Chronicle writes - "Owing to frightful earlier losses, more recent German attacks have ' been made with fewer men.: In attempts to relieve the Brandenburgers, who are imprisoned ■, in the ruins of Fort Douaumont, the Prussians ,-'.'.■' charged eight times, but the assaults broke against the fire of mitrail- " leuses and 75's. "-. The Germans would not, admit themselves beaten, and resumed the attacks after midnight on Monday." ,;■■,•.-.■ • r The correspondent of the French newspaper Liberie states; "I h must admit the courage of these crack troops of Guards and of the 15th Corps, who must have known they were marching to certain death. They advanced as if on parade till within 60ft, and then ran crying, 'Vorwaerts.' We. waited without'budging. A • salvo of ( machine-guns tore through the first ranks. ! We then charged and fi •', repulsed the enemy. ;In the shock of the collision in the darkness terrible and tragic mistakes were made.' Many Germans were trans- > fixed by. comrades', bayonets. The approaches to Douaumont are $- . covered, dead and wounded." French wounded state that the German love of close formation delighted them. One regiment was six times ordered to retire to get . the enemy within range of the 75'5., Hecatombs were piled up each

time.