France

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 51, 27 October 1914, Page 5

France

the VERDUN FORTS. United Prkss Association. I.omlon, • ha-ober 2>>. A correspondent, in desci ibing the position at Verdun, sacs the German papers reported Licit, llio investment ul' Lite fortress had begun when, as a matter of tact, toe guns dl the forts had never once been bred. “The garrison, acting as a held force, has hud several encounters with the aim\ at Aleiz, but that’s all. There’s no prospect of the fall of Verdun while the army in the held can prevent the Germans from getting within lange of the forts, which the latter are apparently unable to do. Ihe whole history of the war has proved the utter uselessness of forts under presentconditions.” GENERAL S!K CHARLES DOUGLAO G.c.a. London, October 20. The death of General Sir Charles Douglas, G.C.IL. in, command of one of the British divisions operating m Prance, is regarded as a serious blow to the army. ' (General Sir Charles Whittingham Hornsley Douglas, G.C.8., was. second member of the Army Council, and jAdjutant-General to the forces, 11)0111909. Born in. 1850, he joined the 92nd Highlanders in 1809. he saw service in the Afghan campaign, 1*79*O, and took part in the march Irom Kabul to Kandahar, being twice munitioned in despatches. Ho served with jthe Gordon High landers in the Boor uar 18*0-*], and was present at the

!,attic of Alajnha. Ho was mentionod in despatches for gallant conduct during t}io Sunkim expedition, 18S I, ami subsequently hold important comma mis at Homo, where lie was also A.D.C. to the late Queen Victoria. Returning to active service abroad, ho was Assistant-Ad jntnnt-Genbral on

fin- Redvers Hu I lev’s staff of the South African field force, 1899, and ‘subsequently Chief Staff Officer to Lord Methuen. Ho took part in the battle of Magersfontcin, and was mentinned in despatches; commanded a column of all arms, being twice mentioned in despatches, promoted to Major-General, and received the Queen's medal and four clasps, i'lom a high command at Aldershot be was made second military member of the Annv Council, and Adjutant-General of the Forces to 1909, since when he has been General Officer Commanding in Chief the. Southern Command, and Inspector-General of the Ho mb Forces in 1913.)

FRENCH ARTILLERY SLAUGHTER IN THE ARGON HE. “SOLID MASSES FALL.” (Received 8.50 a.in.) 'Loudon, October ‘2(5. An officer, writing to La Liberie, narrates the fearful slaughter in the Argonne district. An infantry regiment and a battalion of chasseurs held an important strategic highway, and 15,000 Germans essayed to storm the trenches with the bayonet. The French,- in five quick-firing sections firing at' the rate of 600 shots a minute, opened lire at short range at the massed columns. ft was horrible to see the solid masses fall. Many were killed on the parapets, but others reached the trenches and engaged in hand-to-hand bayonet encounters until French artillery reinforcements forced the Germans to retreat, leaving thousands dead and wounded.

WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

GERMANS LOSE FIVE AEROPLANES. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Paris, October 20. Two German aeroplanes were shot down at Montidor, a third at Rheims, a fourth at Gravclincs, and a fifth at Amiens.