AROUND VERDUN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3234, 8 March 1916, Page 19

AROUND VERDUN.

A TEMPORARY LULL. PARIS, March 1

The French daily review states that there has been a lull round Verdun. The artillery bombardment on either side is only intermittent. Le Matin says : " The enemy aim at taking Verdun and the heights of the Meuse, and will not recoil before any sacrifice to attain their object."

GERMAN PLAN MODIFIED

PARIS, March 1

The French newspapers state that the Germans seem to have modified their tactics in view of their formidable but impotent attacks north of Verdun. Their activity in the Woevre and in the Champagne is designed to divert the efforts of the French and also to direct the attention of the German public to the multiplication of their offensives in fresh theatres. These tactics show that the enemy have not renounced their plan of forcing the French lines; but France may with confidence trust her leaders.

Le Journal says: "Even if ever the enemy succeeded in breaking our front, the fight would be in open country, where the factor of the valour of the men would regain its importance. Germany has again to meet the victors of the Marne."

Le Temps states that the enemy's new attempt to reach Verdun via Moranville (eight miles east) and liranzee (two miles south of Verdun-Etain railway) has less chance of success than that from the north, as they are unable to deploy their artillery without being dominated by the French guns on the Meuse heights.

HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING

PARIS, March 1

In the Douaumont fighting the Germans were momentarily surprised at the French unexpected riposte. The clash of these two bodies of picked troops, in spite of the bloody nature of the close fighting, was a

grandiose and impressive spectacle. The Germans quickly recovered from their surprise, and defended themselves rigorously, but a French dash partly enveloped the Brandenburgers, the Germans making desperate but vain attempts to rescue them. M. Pichon, writing in Le Petit Journal, says: "The news is encouraging. The enemy's fury fails before our Avail of steel. The Brandenburgers, who were imprudent enough to thrust themselves into the interior of Douaumont, seem doomed never

to emerge

M. Gustave Herve writes in La Victoire : "No army has many regiments like the Brandenburgers. When an army thus sacrifices its corps d'elite without securing victory at the first attempt, it is not far from failure." A French officer states that six German companies were pounded to death by their own artillery near Champ Neuville. The men wore chain armour vests and steel shin-guards, and carried cylinders for liquid fire.

FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. PARIS, March 2

A communique states: Our artillery, in conjunction with the British artillery, effectively bombarded the enemy trenches south-east of Boesinghe. There is no infantry fighting at Verdun.

An enemy bombardment continues west of the Meuse between Malancon and Forges. Our artillery actively bombarded the whole enemy front. Our trench guns west of Pontamousson wrecked the German organisations at Boislepretre.

GERMANY SUBDUED. LONDON, March 1

Travellers arriving in Switzerland state that Germany is subdued owing to the Verdun losses, the people's only comfort being the value of the prize aimed at.