FIGHTING NEAR THE VILLAGE OF YAUX

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 5

FIGHTING NEAR THE VILLAGE OF YAUX

ENEMY'S FALSE REPORTS

ZOUAVES, TURKOS AND' SENEGALESE FIGURE PROMINENTLY N By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. March 13, 5.30 p.m.) , London, March 12. "The Times" correspondent in Paris says that the Germans, being unable to carry positions in the field of battle, have decided a paper battle by announcing their success at Vaux, when the attack had not begun until two hours afterwards. A staff officer visited the fort, and found everything normal, tho men playing cards. Throughout the day bloody enemy repulses were converted into brilliant successes, and despite enemy reserves ituug wildly into tho furnace, the enemy made no gains anywhere, but was repulsed with extraordinarily heavy loss. The "Dailr Mail's" Paris correspondent says Friday's German losses were the bloodiest of the war. AVhole brigades were wiped out at Vaux and Douaumont, where the Zouaves, Tiirkos, and Senegalese figured prominently, fighting like demons, driving in their bayonets with a fearful over-arm plunging stroke. The French artillery slaughtered thousands. The dead and dying are lying in huge heaps. Tho Germans attacking the Fort Vaux ridge never reached the trenches. All were mown down.

A French lieutenant, describing the Germans' original capture of Douaumont, says: "One hundred and twenty thousand men attacked, and lost forty, thousand before they gained the puins of the fort, including the heavy losses of the famous Brandenburgers. Tho French' were magnificent. There wore terrible sights. One man with the lower part of liis face shot off knelt behind a pile of dead Germans, picking off tho attackers."

A NEW STAGE OF THE WAR OPENING FOR THE ALLIES,

(Rec. March 13/ 5.5 p.m.)

London, March, 12. The "Daily Chroniclers" Paris correspondent, reviewing the twenty-one days of the fighting at Verdun, says the hopelessness of German victory means that a new stage in the war is opening, and that the Allies will be taking over the offensive when they reach the top of their strength.

REMARKABLE SUCCESSES OF FRENCH AIRMEN

(Rec. March 13, 8.15 p.m.)

Paris, March 12. A French communique says: "We carried out a destructive fire on the enemy's works at Mnurcourt, southward of Sonime, and in the Nouvron region. '"'There were no infantry, actions northward of Verdun, but the bombardment was rather violent on both sides on the two banks of tho Meuse. Our heavy artillery shelled the enemy while assembling in a ravine north of tho I'oivro Hill and the batteries west of Louvemont. We wrecked tho trenches in the Senonei region. "We brought down an aeroplane in flames in our lines near Theiscourt, this being the eighth brought down by Lieut. Guynemer, six of which fell in our lines, and two in the German lines. "We brought down an aeroplane in our lines near Dombasle, in the Argenne. The occupants were killed._ "We fought eighteen aerial actions in the region of F;tain, routing our adversaries."

A QUALIFIED GERMAN ADMISSION

(Kec. March 13, 8.15 p.m.)'

Amsterdam, March 12. A German communique says: "The.enemy successful!,); attacked the sector westward of the Meuse without reaching our new positions on the heights eastward of the river. There have been only violent artillery' actions in the Woeuvre. "Our prisoners have now reached the total of 20,900, and we also captured 180 guns and 232 machine-guns. "The French repeatedly attacked Obersept without regaining their former positions, and were bloodily repulsed."

NO INFANTRY ACTIONS IN THE NORTH OF VERDUN.

London, March 13, 2 a.m.

The High Commissioner reports: "At the north of Verdun there has been no infantry action to-day, but fairlv lively bombardment continues. "At Ba'n-de-Sapt we destroyed some enemy trenches. "No fewer than eighteen air fights occurred in the region of Ktain. The .Germans were put to (light." ARTILLERY FIGHTING AT BOIS DES BUTTES. Paris, March 12. An official communique' states that there has been active artillery fighting at the Bois des Buttes, p'lid an intense bombardment at Bethincourt,' also east of Fort Douaumont, and'in the redon of Fort Vaux. Tha oiicmy hus mado atsince Friday to reach the Fort Vaux plateau.

MASSES OF MEN HURLED AGAINST AN UNSHAKEABL'E WALL

London, March 12. An ofiicer who fought at Verdun says: 'Tor over sovontoon days the Germans have hurled masses of men against an uuwhakonblo wall. Their aircraft reminded olio of a flight of ravens. Notwithstanding tho inteuso bombardment our supply of ammunition is still enormous. Reinforcements are arriving from nil parts ready to moot the now German troops which are constantly appearing. Nobody in tlio French army foaiu that tlio Germans will succeed ill breaking through."

ENEMY CANNOT MAINTAIN THE ATTACK MUCH LONGER.

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

London, March 11. M. Marcel Hutin, writing in the "Echo <lc Paris," says that the Germans are unable to maintain the bitvattack much longer, despite tho numerous railways constructed to convoy material, munitions, and reinforcements to tin) front. The French artillery on tlio wholo of tlio Vordun front is fully equal to that of the Gorman.

GERMANS EXPECTED TO ATTACK PARIS BY WEDNESDAY,

("Times" and Syduoy "Sun" Services.)

London, March 11.. Swiss papers state that tho Germans had assomblcd guns, munitions, and troops necessary for a maximum ton-day offonsivo, believing this would destroy all resistance. , ~, , . , Tho Germans expected to break tlio I'rencli lines and attack Pans beforo March 15. ' ' HUNS INTENDED TO BLAST THEIR WAY THROUGH FRENCH LINES. Paris, March 12. A. German artillery officer, who was taken priaonor, states that the Gcr. x mans brought into the battle hundreds of Iffiavy guns, and advanced them in a colid block" intending to blast their way tftwugh tho French lines. They had mountains of shells, ill order to firo unceasingly until the gunners were ex. hausted; but tho French artillery rained shells on tho German batteries, and forced them to disperse. The German supplies wero disorganised. Tho infantry met with a resistance the desperate nature of which astonished tho German commanders, and thus the whole initial plan was upset, and the Germans were forced to resort to isolated attacks.

THE GERMANS HAVE BLUFFED US WELL.

(Rec. March 13, 11.15 p.m.) London, March 13

Colonel Repington, "The Times's military correspondent, says: "The Germans liavo bluffed lis well. The Egyptian campaign lias fizzled out, and onlv three or four weak German divisions are now south of the Danube, while not-fifty divisions are fronting tho Russians; all the rest, with the available gnns, flowed back to France. "The Germans also had illusions. They were spoilt by the relatively easy Russian successes, and thought the Mouse was tho Dunajec and Verdun anothor Ifovno. Generals Mackenson and Roselor's rush tactics have broken down beforo Verdun. "General Falkenhayn, believing tho Allies would simultaneously attack in the spring and summer, forestalled us. Olio hundred and eighteen German divisions confront 11s. General Falkcnhayu can use twenty-five at Verdun, and, contrary to German theories, leavo the remainder idle. A second attack may therefore open elsewhere."

FRENCH NOT PREPARED TO SACRIFICE LIVES USELESSLY. (Rec. March 13, 11.15 p.m.) 1 Paris, March 13. Military expeits emphasise the fact that General Pctain, the commander at Verdun, is not" prepared to sacrificc thousands uselessly, as the Germans are doing, and that every French retirement since the outset has not been due to inability to hold the position, but because it was not worth holding at such cost. Further retreats are foreshadowed if they are found necessary, for tho same reason, inasmuch as General Joffro knows how men count, and will do so increasingly in the final phase of the war.