IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

SITUATION GOOD. i FRENCH TROOPS IN GAY MOOD, Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. London, March 11. The general situation at Verdun, from the French point of view, ie excellent. Experts are of opinion that the Germans sire now up against the French entrenchments, while the Germans perforce hold the abandoned and weaker positions. They must be losing at least ten thousand men daily. The French regiments go into action in the gayest mood, and the troops widely hold, the viow that the fighting at Verdun ! consists in killing the Bosches. The German losses have been particularly intense during the last twe days. NOT BATTLE, BUT BUTCHERY. M. Joseph Rcinbach writes that Verdun is no longer a buttle; it is a butchery. At least four hundred German cannon, in two hours, flung eighty thousand shells »n two miles between Douaumont and Vaux, and it needed all the superiority of the French positions to withstand this hellfire. Then, a German army corps was launched on Wednesday night and new forces on Thursday morning. Seven Prussian regiments below fort Vaux, advancing in close formation, were simply massaered. French gunners say that there were moments when the sight of the butchery was nauseating. DREAMS AND CURSES. An artillery officer added: "I dream at night of the ghastly, crumpled heaps cf shattered grey green bodies. Germany's wives and mothers must curse the Kaiser in their prayers." i___ n OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS • FROM FRIEND AND FOE. " (Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 11. A communique states: The Germans debouched at Ville-au-Bois and attacked the aalient at Boig des Buttes. We threw them back on the north-weatern and western portions of Bois des Buttes, which they had occupied. A German report says that Saxon regiments stormed the enemy positions ; near Ville-au-Bois, twelve miles northwest of Rheims, on a front of fourteen hundred yards, with a depth of five furlongs. We captured seven hundred men, some cannon, five machine-guns, and thirteen mine-throwers. We entirely drove out the French from Crows' Wood and Cumieres Wood, and counter-attacks were repulsed, An enemy surprise attack at Blunzee broke down, with heavy losses.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports under date March 10, 5.10 p.m.:— Operations continue in France, west and east of the Meuse. The situation was not modified in the course of the night. The bombardment continued along the whole front, violently on the left and right banks of the Meuse and intermittently at Woevre. In Alsace the French batteries overwhelmed the German trenches at Hill 425, east of Thann. On Wednesday the French aviators were particularly active. In the course of aerial combats fifteen German airmen were put to flight and ten were seen dropping directly into their own lines.

The High Commissioner reports under date March 11, 5.5 p.m.:— North of the Aisne, after having bombarded yesterday for several hours the French positions between Troyon and Berry-au-Bac, the Germans debouched from Ville au Bois and attacked the salient towards Bois des Buttes. After a very lively engagement we threw back the enemy from the north-west point and the western part of the wood 'which he had succeeded in occupying. West of the Mouse the Germans, in the course of the night, made a strong attack south-east of Bothincourt, against trenches along the road from Bothincourt to Chattancourt. An immediate counter-attack restored to the French entirely an important communication trench which the enemy had penetrated. East of the Meuse the enemy redoubled his efforts between the village and crest of fort Vaux. The bombardment continued all night with great violence, and infantry assaults were multiplied against the village, which was ruined by shells. The enemy took some houses east of the church, but all his efforts failed against the western portion of the village, which the French still hold. • In several resulting attacks against the crest of the fort the Germans made progress up the slope, but attempts to reach the wire entanglements extending in front of the fort were broken by the French fire. In the Woevre the bombardment continues intense in the regions of Fix and Monlainville. In Lorraine th e French artillery fire caused grave damage to the German works near Ember Mesnil.

BOMBARDMENT CONTINUES. AIRCRAFT ACTIVE. Paris, March 10. A communique says that the situation cast and west of the Meuse is unchanged. During Thursday night the bombardment on hoth flanks continued violently. We wrecked the trenches on Hill 425, eastward of Thann. Our aircraft had numerous encounters, mostly over the enemy lines. On Wednesday, out of fifteen machines in flight ten lunged vertically into their own lines, two were brought down in Champagne and three near Verdun. COL. REPINGTON'S VIEWS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, March 10. Colonel Repington says that it is necessary to remember that the Germans are out for a big decision on the west front. The temporary lulls and recrudescences in the attacks are only stages in their culminating offensive in the war. The recent captures of Forges, Hill 265, and Fresnes are intended to draw tighter the chain round the main fortified position. These isolated attacks will continue until the German batteries reach their second positions, when the 'whole of this front will be attacked.

FRENCH REPBRT.

. JUNES IX THE MEUSE, i _. Deceived March 12, 3.5 p.m. Paris, March 11. A communique says: The enemy assaulted Corbeanx Wood, but our infantry and machine-guns repulsed several successive attacks, with great ravages in the enemy's ranks. Notwithstanding v the fact that their losses were utterly disproportionate to the objective the Germans launched a final assault, their effectives amounting to at least a division, and succeeded in reOccupying the part of Corbeaux Wood that we occupied pn the Bth. The enemy wa6 twice repulsed west of the village of -Douaumont and tin village of Vaux. Continued German infantry attacks yesterday at Vaux cost great sacrifices. The Germans threw floating; mines into the Meuse at St. Mihiel, but they were fished up before damage was dene. FIERCE FIGHTING AT VAUX. Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 11, A communique says: The enemy strongly attacked our trenches southeast of Bethineourt, bordering on the Bethlncourt-Chattancourt road, and penetrated an important communication trench. We immediately counterattacked and drove out the enemy, whe redoubled his efforts between Vaux village and the fort, which he bombarded all night long with great violence. His infantry attackp on the ruined village became more and more frequent. He took possession of some houses in the eastern portion, but all efforts on the western side failed. The enemy, after several attacks, progressed somewhat on the slopes below the fort, but were broken in the effort to reach the entanglements.

A GERMAN CLAIM. SUCCESSES AT VAUX. ... Received 'March 12, 5.5 p.m. London, March 11. A German wireless says: We took Ablain Wood, on the ridge west of Bouaumont, after stubborn fighting. Ir. the Wocvre We pushed forward through the wood on the sector to the south-east of Damloup. The French delivered strong counter-attacks against our new front cast and south of the village of Vaux as well as in the neighborhood of the fort. The French again succeeded in obtaining a foothold in the arawred fort itself, but otherwise their attacks were repulied with heavy losses. MEN MOWN DOWN. IN THE ATTACK ON VAUX. Received March 12, 11.10 p.w. j London, March 12j General Haig reports: We exploded three mines eastward of Verielles, with satisfactory results. Artillery on both sides is active about Albert, Hulluch, and Ypres. Paris, March 12.| A communique say 3: We carried ont a. destructive bombardment on the trenches in Stecnstiaete and Bixschoete districts. The activity of the opposing artillery on the left bank of the Meuse is less marked, but the bombardment on the right bank is intense, westward of Douaumont. Fresh information shows that Friday's fruitless assaults on our trenches at that spot were most murderous for the enemy. The latter attacked three times, in columns of fours, but were mown down and retired. The ground was covered with corpses. An aeroplane in the Douaumont district brought down a Fokker.

BRINGING THEM UP. GREAT MOVEMENT OF TROOPS. Received March 12, 5.5 p.m. Berne, March 11. The great movement of troops from the Rhine is confirmed. An uninterrupted series of trains passes through Basle, crowded with troops, mostly at night time, with lights extinguished, and apparently going towards Verdun. IMPREGNABILITY OF VERDUN. GERMAIN DESPERATION. Sydney, March 11. Mr. Harry Gullett, addressing the Journalists' Association, stated that he would stake whatever reputation he had that Verdun would not fall. It was rank folly to talk of the early ending of the war. When the Germans were right up against it they would not collapse, but would fight with greater desperation, POSITION AT BETHINCOUKT. FRENCH CAN HOLD. London, March 10. The Pai.s correspondent of the Daily Chronicle says that some military critics foretell a withdrawal from Betliißeourt, which is now a somewhat acute salient, and even from Goose Hill, but they Relieve that General Castelnau is certain to he able to hold the existing line. At present the German force has twice fruitlessly attempted to rush Bethinoourt village at night. Desperate encounters at Douaumont continue and long lines of Germans are broke'n before the French parapets. __, / RIOTS AT COLOGNt. GUNS TO OVERAWE MOB. Amsterdam, March 10. Travellers report that serious riots occurred at Cologne, it is supposed as the outcome of the Verdun battle. Travellers are not allowed to quit the trains, but they heard that guns were posted in the »ireet» to overawe the

GERMAN LIES EXPOSED.

FRIGHTFUL CARNAGE. Paris, March 10. A sewi-official statement has been published, exposing, seriatim, the flagrant official Geraaan lies. The Observer states they are multiplying since the failure of the offensive at Verdun, which still continues with incredible ferocity. Despite an ener.moiis expenditure of munitions and fearful sacrifices «C men the attack n»where has succeeded in bending onv line. Though, with mad obstinacy, it has been subjecting our front, since Wednesday night, to formidable onslaughts, the battering-ram lias failed to break our wall. On the contrary, we have increased oUr advance in Crew's W»»d. The struggle is particularly warm on the right bank of the Meuae. The Germans one day made mrmerous attacks in mass, and in a space of three kilometres attempted to debouch from ]>oiiaumont to Vaux. Our fire pinned the enemy down at his starting point. Later on in tlie day equally unsuccessful attacks wore wiaie an the trenches at the foot and slope ef Hill 8, overlooking Fort Vaux. Tsward evening, owing to a snowstorm, alterations slackened. These attacks were estimated to comprise several army corps, and sustained extremely vieleat casualties, the carnage being frightful, the Germans being decimated, but other troops replaced them. It proved a veritable hecatomb, for which the Germans failed to gain an inch of ground. ANOTHER LIE REFUTED. Received March 13, 12.5 a.m. Paris, March 12. The Eche de Paris says that the Germain gain of five furlongs by three hundred yards at Crows' Wood cost them twenty-five thousand men. Alluding to the German claim of again obtaining a footing in fort Vaux, a French semi-official message repeats the earlier denial, and adds that the fortwas never lost and was never attacked. GERMAN PEOPLE DEPRESSED. ■-*

DISAGREEMENT AMONG STAtT. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, March 10. Neutrals arriving in Switzerland from Berlin state that the German losses at Verdun are becoming public, despite precautions, and depressing the population. There are widespread rumors of disagreements among the General Staff. The Duke of Wurtemburg will probably replace the Crown Prince. The Daily Mail correspondent at Rotterdam says it is reliably reported that Germany has called to the colors all men between 18 and 40 hitherto employed on Government work.