FRENCH OFFENSIVE AT VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2734, 31 March 1916, Page 5

FRENCH OFFENSIVE AT VERDUN

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK VIGOROUS ASSAULT ON AVOCOURT WOOD Hy Telegrapn—Press Association—Copyright London, March 29. A feature of the days war news is the success of a French offensive.' Not content with repulsing the enemy, the heroes of Verdun assaulted a strong Avocourt redoubt, which is in the centre of the most recent attack. , • FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. • ■ ' - . , Paris, March 29. A French communique states: "Our troops after an intense artillery preparation vigorously attacked Avocourt Wood and captured the south-eastern horn thereof, to the depth of threo hundred yards. "They also captured an important email fort, which the Germans tad strongly fortified. . , . , ■ "A violent German counter-attack with, recently-arrived troops was completely repulsed with heavy losses. Another French attack, delivered in conjunction with the foregoing, progressed north of Avocourt. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports: London, March 29, 3.40 p.m. "In the Argonno our batteries bombarded German_ organisations on the borders of Cheppy Wood. Grenade fighting in Connection with neighbouring attacks in this sector permitted notable progress to be made against the enemy's branch trenches north of Avocourt. Some prisoners were taken. "West of the -Mouse the onomy made no new attempt in the course of the night against our position at Hauconrt and Malancourt. | "The bombardment has taken a- certain character of intensity on our Beth-Jncourt-Mort Homme-Cumieres front. Tin's morning, after intense artillery preparation, our troops attacked the wood at Avocourt with spirit, carrying the south-east corner, and also an important work called Avocourt Redoubt, which the Germans had strongly fortified. A very violent counter-attack by.a newlyarrived enemy brigade was completely repulsed, the enemy sustaining heavy losses and leaving about fifty prisoners. ' ' "East of the Meuse there is great artillery activity on both sides in the region of Vaux and Douaumont, at Woeuvre, and in the Moulainville sector." ■ • . London, March 30, 12.40 a.m, "Between the Oise and the Aisne, tho French artillery dispersed important enemy convoys north-east of Moulin-Sous-Touvent. "The French heavjv artillery directed a bombardment from Malancourt Wood to Avocourt during the German counter-attacks on the Voisin sector. "West of the Meuse a violent bombardment continued during the dayfrom Avocourt to Bethincoart. Three successive counter-attacks by the enemy on positions cantured by the French this morning at Avocourt Wood were com"During the course of a heavy attack on the village of Malancourt. the Germans took a footing in an advanced work north of Malancourt, but all attempts to push on further were repulsed by our artillery." ' GERMANS IGNORE THE FREN CH OFFENSIVE. (Rec. March 30, 8.55 p.m.) London, March 2D. Tho German wireless message regarding the fighting at Verdun ignores the French offensive, and states: "Our troops, with little loss, stormed tho French position north of Malancourt, over a depth of several lines, extending along a front of two thousand yards, and also penetrated the north-western portion of Malancourt. The .-French loft twelve officers, 486 unwouiidcd men, and five guns." GERMAN GENERAL AT ODDS WITH THE KAISER. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Paris, March 29. The "Temps" states that General von Haessler has quitted Verdun and gouo into retirement because he disagreed with the Kaiser on tactical and other questions. . It is said that the General strongly protested against the careless sacrifice of lives, especially by massed attacks, to which the Kaiser is partial

ENEMY'S TACTICS REVIEWED

FEARFUL LOSSES AT MALANCOURT.

- ■• . . l London, March 29. A Paris semi-official review says the German offensive, which had been suspended since March 22, ivas resumod to-day with redoubled violence. The enemy, in order to conceal his designs, deluged the entire Verdun front -with shell tiro for six days without interruption. The weight of their infantry onslaught was delivered on a front hardly a kilometre (five-eighths of a mile) in extent, between Avocourt and Malancourt. The German masses, a division strong, leaped to the assault over ground ploughed up by their own heavy shells. Tliey thought it would be easily crossed, but reckoned without our infantry and light artillery, which the orgy of steel had not destroyed. Lying flat, the infantry poured in a terrific fire, and the field pieces cut down swathes of men. , . The enemy's line was again and again broken, and ho failed to drive us out of tlio village of Malancourt, wtio re tlio Germans had already occupied the surrounding hills. Their losses _were s 0 heavy that the German commanders at nightfall recognised the futility of the attacks and returned, leaving about a quarter of their effectives dead or wounded on the field. The Gorman i tactics—hutting forward in fits and starts—show that the enemy is weakening, either through lack of will or lack of means. If he proposes to march towards Verdun via Malancourt, he must cover twelve kilometres (7} miles). IMMEDIATE AND FAR-REACHING RESULTS OF PARIS CONFERENCE, Paris, March 2,1. The Allies' Conference has closed. It is understood that the British mem-' hers consider that the results will be immediate and far-reaching, especially as regards common action. Mr. Asquith goes on to Bomo.