FIGHT NEAR VERDUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16674, 19 October 1917, Page 6

FIGHT NEAR VERDUN.

'; GERMANS DRIVEN BACK. : ". STORM" TROOPS REPULSED. LONDON, Sept. 30 ' Thb conespondenlj of Renter at French Headquarters telegraphs:—The Germans bunched an attack at dawn yesterday, on the extreme right of the Verdun battle- ;'.-/.■.•• :-': field, following a heavy bombardment last--■;v ;;.■;:•!■, ing "; several ; days, and ; covering ■ the . whole . of the lotions on the right bank, of', the ',-■■: Heuse. Even the streets of Verdun., in . •which ** there "is nothing! but ruins to hit, ,■•.-'-'-. ' were peppered persistently with shrapnel. The object of the attack was the recovery "' of the dominating ridc;e v separating the Chaume and Fosses/Woods;which; the French ; captured on September -5,. giving them views over the Orne Valley. up to <•• the mountain 'fortress j 1 called the Orners Twins, which flanks the German's extreme \ left.' It ; was, therefore, \ towards :; the ;. -highest' point ?of ' the ridge—Hill y 363— "■•''■;. ■ that ; the ■ German r ' attack was directed, :■, and the hottest fighting was; among the benches bordering the Chaume and Fosses Woods, which the 1 Germans were obliged ;.':.'' "• to traverse in order to reach the crest. \' ; . The enemy used five battalions, including • • the Rohr-Sturm battalion, which is a modal ;" school 1 for sturmtruppen, commanded by .» the officer' who introduced the system. -;■ , :■■ The. German objective was ' the : trenches \ v'; surrounding • the hill/.,,- At the same • time, < diversions 1 were attempted with units : of . .' ether divisions tit Bezonvaux on the right, and Beaumont on the left. - In the centre and right the attack was ■■'■''■ repelled after very hard fighting; at close F quarters. On the left of the hill the. Germans 'met?with still \ worse luck ;The :• ! colonial trrtops, who, while awaiting' them, left their trenches with magnificent dash |-.--;.-; and courage, met the assaulting Germans ! ■ .• half-way,. and drove.. them: ; back. to - the .-: storting-line with bomb and bayonet. ; -:-'