ON THE VERDUN FRONT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12065, 21 July 1917, Page 9

ON THE VERDUN FRONT.

THE BRILLIANT FRENCH VICTORY. DEMORALISATION OF THE ENEMY. CAPTURE OF THE POMEIU:<. ' SADDLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received July 21, 11 a.m.) PARIS, Ja-i 20. Details of tTtis briliant t.uccoss in the Verdun district, show that since June *<s, when tho Germans, after violent artillery fire with five hundred guns, secured tho foremost French position between Avocourt Wood and Hill 301, with its supporting positions southward, they commanded the salient at an intermediate saddle called the 00l de Pomraerieu. Tliis overlooked all tho French organisations and threathened to outflank Hill 304. Tho French determined to win it back, and prepared a plan of assault. A continuous bombardment caused lossos to the Tenth German Reserve holding Col de Pommerieu. Some of its companies lost fifty per cent, of their effectives, until they were reduced to fifty or sixty bayonets. Reinforcements

brought their numbers to seventy-five bayonets for a few days, and shelling again brought them down to fifty, consequently the division was withdrawn and replaced by the Twenty-ninth from Tahure and Champagne. Theso were placed in the front line between Avocourt Wood and Hill 004. The fortyeight divisions just withdrawn for the Russian front somewhat demoralised the enemy. They wore entrusted with the .second position behind the Twentyninth, and their transference was in full swing when the French attack opened. Prisouers have been taken from all three divisions, which is clear proof of tho enemy's disorganisation. The French advanced magnificently on a front of a milo and a half, when they were ordered to capture the saddle and crest. They had reached the third trench before the enemy realised that the first was taken. Tho victors swept over tho crest three hundred yards beyond their objectives, and firmly established themselves on the other side of the slope. A counter attack twelve hours later was slow and hesitating, and forodoomed to failure. (The recent German attack, in the report mentioned m this message, was on a front, of a milo and a-quarter west of Hill 301. It penetrated tho French lino at somo points, but some of tho groung was subsequently regained. Hill 304 is the_ highest point on this sector of tho Verdun front. After a series of fierce attacks, of which huge bombardments formed the basis, the Germans early last year fought their way foot by foot through Avocourt Wood and Malacourt Wood, eventually capturing the village. They then blasted a way across the checkerboard oi knolls and ravines, every inch of which was fortified, to the foot of Hill 304. The French made this hill a veritable honeycomb, filled with men and guns axid mines, with heavy artillery well planted on tho reverse side, out of tho way of direct fir© from the German guns. A half milo from tho summit of the hill tho baro slopes begin to take form out of the ragged lower ground. They run into a plateau from the north and west, with the face of tho hill to the east. Without cover of any kind the only protection on it for troops consists of such cavos and dug-outs as they may liaye constructed. The top of Hill 301 commands all the nine miles of country south-east to Verdun, with tho forts protecting this side of tho city, and it is a straight-away drop throueh wooded land and minor elevations to tho railway. Any real progress toward isolating Verdun and forcing its evacuation depended on the struggle for tho hill, and the French held the hill.)