VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT IN VAUX REGION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2724, 20 March 1916, Page 5

VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT IN VAUX REGION

LONG RANGE SHOOTING

THIRTY-TWO AERIAL COMBATS BY FRENCH

AIRMEN

London, March 18, 3.35 a.m.

The High Commissioner reports: "Wast of the Meuse, the French curried out a concentration fire on the German trenches near Hill 265, and. on the Crowe' Wood. The enemy did not '•East of the Meuse the" bombardment was violent in the Vaux region, intermittent in other parts of this sector, and also at Woeuvre. Long-range guns bombarded all night the Apremont-Vigneulles Road, where enemy troops were marching from northward. ; . . VDuring yesterday, despite mist and low-lying clouds, French fighting aero-niachines made twenty-nine expeditions in the region of Verdun, in the course of which they fought thirty-two aerial combats. A Fokkor seemed to have been seriously damaged. . _ "On Friday night a group of seventeen bombarding aeroplanes dropped (ifty-four heavy-calibre bombs, including forty on Conflans station and fourteen on 'Metz station. The shells were noticed to strike the mark, causing fires. Three incendiary bombs were dropped on the station at Metz Sablons. The violently-bombarded French aeroplanes returned safely. "In the course of, an offensive reconnaissance, another squadron threw ten bombs on the aerodrome at Dieuze, and live on the station at Amaville."

ENEMY PENETRATE TRENCH RS IN LORRAINE.

London, March 18, 0.30 a.m.

The High Commissioner reports: "On the right bank of the-Mouse the Germans attacked several times between Vaux and the wood south of Handromont, hut were unable to reach our "An enemy attack in Lorraine enabled the enemy to penetrate our advance trenches,, but he was immediately ejected." WHAT GERMAN PRISONERS' HAYE TO SAY. * By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Reo. March 19, 5.5 p.m.f ' Paris, March 18. The German losses at Verdun exceed three hundred thousand. German prisoners state they were assured that Verdun would be the last ercat battle. A wave of desperation and discontent had swept over the Crown Prince's army, owing to the poorness of the food, and the ill-trnatment of the officers, when suddenly, in the middle of January, the attitude of the officers was changed bv orders from headquarters, and they began to mix with the men and talk familiarly about the offensive. The jations were increased, the mv raised and they were told that a mass of artillery and huge .reinforcements wcro coming, and that tho war would be over in the summer. The men tool- heart particularly when the troops arrived from, Russia in the best of humour' owin" to escaping the terriblo climate of Poland. Batteries of heavy nrrivwl from all parts, tho cavalry was rehorsed, and the men, when ordereZtradvance, did so, Emily believing that "Der Tag" had come.

FIVE SUCCESSIVE ATTACKS ON VAUX THROWN BACK

London, March 17, 1.50 p.m

The High Commissioner reports: _ "West of the Meuse the bombardment slackened m the course of tho night in tho region of Bethincourt-Cumieres. Since the sanguinary check of the attack vesterdav, tho enemy has not renewed the attempts on Mort Homme "Eist of the Meuse a recrudescence of the bombardment was followed by a series of violent offensives against the village and fort of Yaux. Five successive attacks with a 2 reat number of were thrown by the Germans without success ■ two on the village, two others against the crest which tho tort surmounts and' lastly, one in attempting to debouch on tho road south-east of the village of Vaiix. All those attacks were broken by the French curtain of fire and machine-guns, costing the enemy important sacrifices ■ "\t tho Woeuvre, there has been only a. reciprocal cannonade throughout tho se'etor west of Pont-a-Mousson, and a coup-de-main on .a salient of tho line opposite Bois de Mortmare, the enemy losing prisoners and suffering other casualties." i

IMPORTANT MUNITIONS DEPOT DESTROYED

London, March 17, 11.40 p.m.

The High Commissioner reports: . "North of Verdun there is no infantry action, but there is intermittent bombardment west of the Meuse; in the Woeuvre it is more intense, espcciallv on the ri<dit bank. At Douaumont-Damloup French artillery destroyed an important munitions depot at Champ Neuville." , SERIES OF PARTIAL ATTACKS CHECKED. (Rec. March 19, midnight). Paris, March 19. A French communique says: "A series of partial enemy attacks between the Vrux village and Haudromont farm were stopped before they reached our ♦•renches."

PRODIGAL USE OF SHELLS AT VERDUN.

(Rec. March 20, 0.55 a.m.) Paris, .March 19.

It is estimated the Germans at Verdun employed three thousand guns, including a dozen sixteen-inch howitzers, throwing a projectile, of a ton weight. Five million shells wore fired during tho fil-st (fortnight, including a hundred thousand at Douaumont in ten hours.

GENERAL ATTACK FROM PLAVA TO THE

ADRIATIC

THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

BOMB-THRQWERS AND AERIAL TORPEDOERS

ACTIVE

By Iteloßraph—Press Association—Copyright

(Rec. March 19, 5.5 p.m.) ,- s London, March 18. The ."Daily Chronicle's" Rome correspondent saj-s that desiring to relieve the pressure at Verdun, General Cadorna is conducting a general attack on the front from Plava to the Adriatic. Despite the exceptionally favourable weather the sodden ground is preventing massed infantry attacks, except on the Caxso, but bomb-throwers and acriai_ torpedoers are active. The troops are protected by quaint medieval head-shields and breast-plates when engaged in hand-to-hand fighting. In the labyrinthine defences of Oarso many unfix their bayonets 'and use them as daggers.

ITALIAN ARTILLERY HAS OBTAINED APPRECIABLE RESULTS

I ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.). , London, March 17. The "Daily Afail's" correspondent at Rome states that the Italian artillery has already obtained appreciable results on the Isonzo front, the enemy evacuating several advanced positions. ;

FORMATION OP A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT URGED,

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

(Rec. March 18, 5.15 p.m.) x London, March 17. The "Times'a" correspondent at\Rome reports that in an important speech in the Chamber, the Socialist deputy Canepa urged the formation of a National Government to represent all parties, to be responsible for the conduct ol the war. • . , ■ ' The "Messfigeto" says the enthusiastic reception of the speech shows that tha Chamber is favourable to the idea of a National Government.