ON THE BRITISH FRONT.

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

ON THE BRITISH FRONT.

LOST TREMCHES RECAPTURED. LONDON, March 2.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: This morning we attacked and recaptured tU\ trenches on the Ypres-Comines Canal, which we lost on February 14. We also captured a small salient in the original German lines and repulsed an enemy counter-attack launched some hours later. We destroyed German

With each ascent of three miles and a half the density of tho air is halved, and le steps shorten, through tho condensing power of cold at high altitudes.

Compressed air is. need as a motive power in certain forma of machinery—notablj thoso employed in boring tunnels lli rough rook and under mountains.

mine galleries in the captured trenches and took 180 prisoners.

THE ATTACK ON VERDUN

FRENCH POSITION STRENGTHENED PARIS, March 2.

Semi-official: Latest news shows that the German attack on Verdun, which is waning, has not made further progress. Though the enemy captured Manheulles (two miles north-west of Fresnes), they gained no strategic advantage, as the region is flooded, and our new line, with the stronger artillery, commands Manheulles.

. German infantry attacks at Douaumont have ceased. Our troops continue to surround Douaumont ruins. Our line from Douaumont to Poivre Hill is solidly organised, and is now ready to resist the most violent efforts.

The enemy attack in Champagne is confined to local operations, and they do not appear likely to extend their offensive. Having sustained a prolonged check, the enemy, realising the futility of the VeTdun effort, are now either confining themselves to defending the positions gained or resting their troops before again hurling them to the assault. It would be rash at present to forecast otherwise, but certainly we shall know the enemy's intentions by the end of the week. Le Petit Parisien says the German casualties at Verdun are estimated at 125.000 to 150.000.

A communique states: Intense artillery fire preceded a lively German attack on the French positions at Fresnes (21 miles east of Verdun) on Wednesday. The attack was repulsed, the Germans abandoning the trench elements where they had momentarily secured a footing.

BRANDENBURGEBS STILL IM PRISONED.

LONDON. March 2.

The Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent says : " The German' onslaught upon Verdun must he regarded as having failed. The extraordinary situation at Fort Douaumont is unchanged, and the Brandenburgers are still imprisoned in the ruins." The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent writes: "Owing to the frightful earlier losses the more recent attacks were made hv fewer men. Tn attempts to relieve the Brandenburgers the Prussians eharcred eight times, but the assaults broke against afire of mitrailleuses and 'seventyfives.' The Germans would not admit themselves, beaten, but resumed their attacks midnight on Monday." The Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent writes': "The remnants of the Brandenburgers are hemmed in on all sides and cannot obtain food or ammunition. Desperate attempts to relieve them have failed.

PARIS, March 2.

The Brandenburgcrs are securely trapped, and the French, to avoid useless slaughter, arc waiting for famine to do its work.

FRENCH SAPPERS' EXPERIENCE

A. RIVULET OF BLOOD. PARIS, March 2.

The Petit Journal says: " Three French soldiers had completed laying a mine at Bois do Lavanche. While returning they were buried by a terrific explosion, and the roof of the gallery collapsed through the effects of a German shell. For hours the men waited until their own mine was exploded, and then with trowels and hands they began to dig their way out. Soon the narrow gallery began to drip with a warm liquid, which they discovered was blood. As they dug the rivulet of blood increased, and one soldier, clawing frantically, struck a mass of human flesh. This was" the first huge heap of German bodies, which had rolled to the bottom of the crater after the mine %vas sprung which annihilated a whole German company. Through the mass of distorted corpses they slowly hacked their way to freedom." La Liberte's correspondent adds: " I must admit the courage of these crack troops of guards and the Fifteenth Corps, who must have known that they were nriTching to certain death. They advanced as if on parade till within 60 feet, and then ran crying 'Vorwarts.' We waited without budging. A salvo of machine guns tore through the first ranks. We then charged and repulsed the enemy. The shock of the collision in the darkness was terrible. Tragic mistakes were made, many Germans being transfixed on their comrades' bayonets. The approaches to Douaumont were covered with dead and wounded."

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY RESUMED

FRENCH AIRMEN BUSY. PARIS, March 2.

A communique states : The enemy artillery north of Verdun and Woevre has greatly increased in activity along the whole* front, but chiefly against Morthomme, Poivre Hill, and Douaumont, where several infantry attacks of extreme violence were driven back, our fire decimating the enemy ranks. Our batteries everywhere vigorously replied to the bombardment.

We cannonaded communication roads with our long-range guns north-east of St. Mihiel, and bombarded the station of Vigneulles. Two outbreaks of fire occurred, and several trains were struck, one locomotive being blown up. There is great artillery activity in the Seppois sector. A French air squadron dropped 44 bombs and greatly damaged the Chambley station- Aeroplanes also dropped 40 bombs on the Bensdorf station and nine projectiles on an enemy establishment at Avrecourt.

The newspapers agree as to the slackening of the infantry operations, that as Verdun is the only entrance the Germans will come on again. They estimate that the Germans have already lost 150,000 men.

A French wounded soldier states : " The Germans love close formation, and it delighted us. My regiment was six times ordered to retire, so as to get the enemy within range of the seventy-fives. Hecatombs were piled up each time."

M. Poincare has visited Verdun and congratulated the troops.

LOSSES COMPARED. PARIS, March 3.

The German preliminary bombardment lasted 120 hours, and was almost wholly by heavy guns. The French front was terribly battered, and the fire on the second line made it difficult to get food up. One 15in shell burst near a battery of "seventy-lives" in a little wood near Fleury, and all the gunners were either killed or wounded. One German army corps north of Verdun was reduced to 3000 men. The French losses for the 10 days were slight as compared with the Germans. The proportion of killed and wounded, prisoners estimated, was five Germans to one Frenchman.

[As the Germans are estimated to have lost 150,000, on this basis of calculation the French must have lost 30,000.]

SAMOGNEUX EVACUATED. PARIS, March 3. The French have evacuated Samogneux

CLEARING THE BATTLEFIELD

LONDON, March 2

Amsterdam reports that the Germans are. clearing the Verdun battlefields with masterly, though soulless, efficiency. They are heaping the dead into cattle trucks and sending them to blast furnaces to the north-east.

NUMBERS THE DETERMINING FACTOR.

LONDON, March 2

Mr Hilaire Uelloc, in Land and Water, writes: " The enemy has launched a great offensive upon which may turn the future of the war. It affords another proof that numbers will be the determining factor in the campaign. The result will have a great moral effect on the French, whose object is to inflict such losses as to render the enterprise, whatever its result strategically, a German defeat. The Germans claim, however, that they can maintain a battering ram of irresistible density, weight, and momentum.

" The French occupy the main ridge of Louvement, covering Verdun, where the struggle will be decided. Had the enemy not occupied Douaumont the whole ridge would have been in French possession, but in taking Douaumont the enemy carried the highest point of the ridge, which is a position of great value. The situation is still critical, but the successful counteroffensive of the French on Saturday destroyed the enemy's immediate advan-

tage."

GERMAN STAFF DISORGANISED. LONDON, March 2

The Daily Chronicle's Geneva correspondent states that advices from Mainz disclore disorganisation among the German Staff as a result of Verdun. Several generals advise against continuing the offensive. Marshal von Falkenhayn continues to send reinforcements there. An officer of the German General Staff estimates their losses from Friday to Monday at 75.000. The Crown Prince has been summoned to general headquarters, and the Duke of Wurtemburg has taken over the Crown Prince's command.

PROP,ABLY ONLY A DIVERSION.

LONDON, March 2

General Verraux, in GEuvre, says that probably Verdun is only a diversion, but we have not weakened our line elsewhere. The German offensive in the Woevre is not important, as the enemy are unlikely to attempt large movements in- these soaked marshes.

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR GERMANY. AMSTERDAM, March 2. The Kaiser has returned to Germany with his staff.

Descriptive writers, photographers, kiirematograph operators, artists, and poets were permitted to witness the opening attacks. Their accounts were utilised by the press. The kinemas are preparing the public for a great triumph. The newspapers have evidently become reticent over the later stages of the battle.

GERMAN PRESS CLAIM A SUCCESS.

LONDON, March 2

The German press is jubilant over the Verdun operations, claiming that a great and unexpected success had been achieved, and asserting that the German losses were not heavy. Four long-range shells destroyed the Douaumont fort. The Lokal Anzeiger asks: "What has Mr Asquith to say to this?" The Cologne Gazette says: "Germany has given the answer to Mr Asquith with surprising speed and overwhelming emphasis.'

The Frankfurter Zeitung says: "We are risking everything for the life ox death of Germany among the world's Powers." The whole of the papers applaud Germany's answer to Mr Asquith's speech, which will be greater violence, abandoning chivalry because she is dealing with robbers and murderers.

The tone of the German comments indicates that Germany is exasperated because her peace feelers -were rejected, and she is therefore waging a most savage offensive in a desperate effort to force a victory. But no paper predicts that Verdun will decide the war.

The Cologne Gazette lugubriously comments iipon Mr Asquith's and M. Sazonoff's speeches, and complains that they are used to long-range conquerors' dictatory terms of peace to a defeated enemy; but Germans must realise that the British and Russian Parliaments will support their leaders because the speeches were vociferously applauded. Despite the German claims to success around Verdun, the mark continues to decline in value.

CROWN PRINCE'S EXPECTATIONS

PARIS. March 2.

The Echo de Paris says: "The Crown Prince on February 16 issued an army order demanding the troops to make a new decisive effort, assuring them that he expected to review them in Verdun at the end of February, and that blow would compel the French to agree to peace."

GERMAN REPULSES AT SEVERAL

POINTS. LONDON, March 2 (4.45 p.m.)

The High Commissioner reports: In the Artois the French blew up a mine under an o!d crater occupied by the enemy, taking possession of the new crater. At Verdun the enemy violently bombarded during the night " Dead Man " and Gosse Hill, between Malincourt and Forges, and also the principal passages of the Meuse. East of the Meuse there has been slight artillery activity. At Woevre, after an intense preparation by artillery, the enemy yesterday evening made a lively attack on our positions at Fresnes, being immediately driven back by a counter-attack from some elements they' had penetrated.

In Lorraine a bombardment lasting several hours was directed on the St. Marie Farm, west of Bezange. The enemy attack following completely failed. In Alsace, attempts by strong German patrols on small posts in the Lauch Valley were repulsed by grenades. There is much'artillery activity on both sides, from Vierstraate to Boesinghe.