COMPARATIVE LULL IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2731, 28 March 1916, Page 5

COMPARATIVE LULL IN THE WEST

ABORTIVE COUPS DE MAIN IN BOIS LE PRETRE The High Commissioner reports :— ~-nr t r,u -ir" ' « . London, March 26, 3.20 p.m. West of the Meuse there was a very violent bombardment in the course of the night in the Malancourt-Esnes sector, and Hill 304. "East of the Meuse, the night was relatively calm. "In tho Woeuvre thore was some artillery activity. "In the Bois le Pretre, the enemy's attempted coup de main on trenches at Croix des Carmes were repulsed by fne French fire." ' T „ , ■-. tondon, March 27, 12.10 a.m. In the Argoiine a concentrative fire was directed on the centres of the enemy's communication behind'his front', the French also bombarding the revictualling convoys north of Apremont._ "Tvest of the Meuse there was a violent bombardment between the village and Malancourt AVood, and on the French ,second»line positions. "East of the Meuse and in the AVceuvre the bombardment was intermit-' tent. The French cannonade is very active oil the whole front, notably in the region of Grimaucourt, where our fire provoked several explosions,, and in the region of Harville, where an important convoy was dispersed. "AYest of Pont-a-Mousson our trench cannons, directed on German shelters, effected an explosion in a depot of grenades. "In the A r osges our artillery was active on the German concentrations-at the. Ville de la Fecht." " ' .;. BRITISH FRONT EXTENDED NINETY MILES By Telegraph-Press'Association-Copyright . London, March 26. The British has been extended ninety miles, from the Yser to the Somme, relieving the French, and thus materially helping the defence of Verdun. REPORT FROM SIR DOUGLAS HATG. (Rec. March ™, 10.5 p.m.) ■ „ London, March 27. Sir Douglas Haig, the British- Commander, reports: "The enemy sprang a mine at Neuville St. Vaast, and occupied the crater. AVe drove them out, and the bombers again drove U3 back "The Germans shelled Kruistraathoek and Saint Jean, in the neighbourhood of Loos. - AYe retaliated, blowing up their ammunition depot near Oosttaverne." , GERMAN NEAVSPAPER'S GLOOMY PHILOSOPHY. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Servioes.) (Rec. March 27, 6.5 p.m.) '•'.'■ mi n ■ ~m •-l ,7-V „ • • London, March 26. ■' Ihe berman journal "A r ossische Zeitung" prints the following-—"The Battle of Verdun is no longer work for men—it is hell. Nothing can storm u ver fields of barbed wire, through' trap pits, against machine guns Our storming troops are preceded by death, horror, and destruction. This war foreshadows the use of electric, steam, and gas flames, which will supersede the artillery. He is no inferior opponent who faces us in men or material; excent for our seventeen-mch howitzers, ne is no weaker than we." -