FRENCH ATTACK TIMED TO THE SECOND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14195, 12 January 1917, Page 6

FRENCH ATTACK TIMED TO THE SECOND.

OFFICERS ID-TLD WATCHES TO ORDER 100,000 SIEN INTO ACTION. FRENCH AIR SUPERIORITY , PLAINLY EVIDENT. ("By G. H. Perris.— Received by Mail.) With the French Army Near Verdun, Dec. 16. — From 10 o'clock yesterday morning, when the French infantry climbed over the parapets, till night 7 fall, when it ouly remained to hold what Jiad been Avon," I watched the whole 'French offensive at Verdun as well as actions of such extent can be watched. The French positions of this morning, except Douaumont, the highest point of the plateau^ the Meuse heights rise tier beyond tier. Heavy purple clouds filled "the. sky, but only a. few scurries of rain and sleet fell during tbe day, and the dark hillsides rising toward; the central crest of Douaumont remained clear of mist. This was an important advaaitagc, for the French .aviatoi-Sj were able to carry on without cessation their valuable /work,, despite a strong and icy wind. Great biplanes and little Nieuports came and went, while- a dozen "sausages" held, permanent guard at the end of their long, cables. There- must have , been some German planes near tho front, but I did not .see ono on the French side of the line, and I only saw one German observation balloon, and that was falling like a huge torch beyond Douaumont, an incident typical of the Germans' day. \ ■ WORKED BY WATCHES. Just before 10 o'clock there was a hush in the cannonade, a momentary pause in winch hundreds of officers were following the second hands of their watches and thousands of men were stand ing^ready for the signal, with bayonets fixed and bags of bombs adjusted j to complete the heavy load — tbe only | "food and drink" they could hope to receive for mauy hours. W T hf-ii the I given moment arrived', it was rather like .1 spontaneous movement of a. vast mechanism than a noisy, • ant. confused clash of old-time' armies. -Suddleniy ihe hills echoed' 'with the multitudinous fl'a*pping and tfrashing of hundreds oS: hidden guns. The green and brown slopes '' aiid the valley of the- amphitheatre were | fuller of gun flashes than the frosty sky ;s with stars. '-. •'■■•'*•; •^ The other end. -of the. trajectory of the French barrage fire, visible in long lines -)f the smoke of exploding shells, receded with marvellous closeness before the advancing lines of blue-coated infantry. The French three-inch field gun was always famous for its rapidity and exacti-, tilde,'., and a tactic has gradually been evolved which exploits these qualities to the fullest. ' . Grenade fighting continued for several hours in the villages and 'it was not until the commanding positions on the' >ast had been lost that^its defenders gave in that tbe capture of Pepper Hill .ras speedily accomplished. ' TRENCHES SHATTERED. The Germans had a triple system of benches along the slopb up to the summit, marked 342 metres, and on the •outh-side of the road from Vacherauvill© to Louvem'ont. These had. been much shattered, and the whole crest waa cleared by bombing parties with Uncanny rapidity tinder the protection of tlie French curtain fire. , The Germans received a very heavy blow. Among eight or nine thousand prisoners made in the last 24 hours there ire between 200 and 300 officers. ' The time when German \>i*ucers generally died fighting has passed. As to the meh there is a good deal of evidence tliat they now stand in open fear, of the French. - t There are strong elements among t them,. but they are not numerous enough" to sustain the weak stiiff thathas been anixed with. them. Tho decline if their morale is .marked-. Their Organisation is still formidable, but it develops no new' resources or quality to. meet the increase of the material strength of the Allies— the Allies' superiority in practically every specialist service and tactical science, in which ijhe French are first masters. Ifi Treeent actions on the Mouse the Germans hay? tended to revert to the' earlier practice of holding the foremost trendies in strength, perhaps because thinly held lines could not bo trusted to resist at all. The only result so far has been, to increase their 'losses of all kinds. " FRANCE'S ANSWERThe battle of Louyement, as we may call it from its central position, brings back the true proportion and perspective to our interpretations of the map of war. The Kaiser and his chancellor have been answered by statesmen and will be answered by diplomats, but I ( doubt whether any reply to their peace proposals will count for appropriateness and emphasis beside tho thunderous voice of Verdun— for Verdun, which speaks not in words, but only iii'^-n---mortal deeds, has become a sort of personality. ' • ' • The voice of, Verdun is the invincible wi"ll of all France in its deliberate expression. It is a clarion challenging a wearied foe, but I. -read also, in that fierce voice the challenge no less to friends and partners than to the foes of France.