ARTILLERY FIGHTING ON THE MEUSE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2728, 24 March 1916, Page 5

ARTILLERY FIGHTING ON THE MEUSE

GERMANS ATTEMPT TO LEAVE AVOCOURT WOOD

STOPPED BY A CURTAIN OF FIRE

The High Commissioner reports:—

London, March 22, 3.25 p.m. "East of the Meuse there has been a very lively artillery duel in the region of Jlelancourt, Bsnes, and Hill 304, and particularly violent on Mamelon Dbaucourt. ' i ' "There has been an intense bombardment in the VauX-Damloup region. There was.'no infantry action during the course of the uight. , "The night was calm on the rest of the front." i Loncjon, March 23, 2.5' a.m.

"West of the Meuse, after a violent bombardment throughout the whole day, the Germans several attacks oil the peak of Avocourt "Wood nnd the village of Melancourt., All their attempts to emerge from the Avocourt -,Wood were stopped by our curiam of artillery and infantry fire. 'The Germans gained a footing on a small summit at Haucourt. There has been an intense bombardment in the region of Douaumont and.Vaux."

FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright . Paris, March 22. 'A French' communique states: "Operations in Meuse district are confined to a lively artillery duel westward of the river, and an intense bombardment eastward."

GERMAN WIRELESS COMMUNIQUE. \

London, March 22. A German wireless message states: — "Three enemy aeroplanes were put out of action north ,of Verdun. Two fell behind our front, and the third, aHame, behind the enemy lines. Boelke brought down his thirteenth oneiny plane." v

London, March 22. A German wireless message states: "The battles ou both sides of the Meuso continued ivith great, violence. f "The. French attempted at Seppois to retrieve the check on February 13, but were repulsed with sanguinary losses." [A message from London on February 15 stated; "Owing to an intense bombardment which was directed.by the Germans on our positions east of Seppois, in Alsace, we evacuated them; they were entirely destroyed. The enemy's reinforcements were caught by our fire in the same region."]

ANOTHER DESPERATE THROW FOR A VICTORY

SOMETHING WANTED TO BOLSTER UP THE NEW -LOAN.

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

. . London, March 22. The "Times's" correspondent in Paris.6ays: "The German failure in the costly isolated attack at Coto du Poire suggests that the Verdun plan has been temporarily reduced to incoherence, but it is thought the enemy will resume the struggle at the earliest possible moment. ■ Meanwhile, it is hardly necessary to point out the importance of tlie check sustained, leaving the French (ines stronger than ever." , Other Pans reports also predict a u early resumption of the German offensive. There are political reasons for another despcrat'o 'effort to pierco tho French line in order bolster vp the new; loa&.

VEBDUN FIASCO AND GERMAN'■ PUBLIC OPINION.

Censva, Maxell 22.

Advices from Berlin state that the defeat at Verdun Las had a disastrous effect on public', opinion. The Bavarian "Staats Zeitung" denounces the sinister agitation as undermining £pfidenc9 iu the Government-, and recommends the publication of the approximate losses on both sides at Verdun, with a view to proving the baselessness of the rumours. 1

ITALIAN GENEBALISSIMO IN LONDON.

London, March 22. General Cadorna, Generalissimo of the Italian Foveas, received an ovation on his arrival in London. Lord Kitchener and Lord French ivolcomed him.