HEAVY BOMBARDMENT ON VERDUN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2750, 19 April 1916, Page 5

HEAVY BOMBARDMENT ON VERDUN FRONT

V SUCCESSFULRAID BY AIR SQUADRON A REVIEW OF THE "ORDER OF BATTLE " The High Commissioner reports:— . - ■ '.--... ' ' , London, April 17, 5.20 p.m. . The French official report says: "On the left bank of the Meuse there has ' beeri intense'bombardment of our positions at Avocourt Wood, and on the Mort Homme-Cumieres front. . "On the right bank the night was comparatively calm, except in the region south of Haudremont Wood, where the activity of the artillery was maintained ilOa fairly lively manner. There was no infantry action. .• "There is nothing.to report on the rest of the front, except the usual cannonade. , • • , , , . ; "Last night one of our air squadrons, consisting of nine aeroplanes, in spite of intense mist, carried out an important operation, bombarding the region -of following bombs were thrown: Twelve on the railway station, Conflans; sixteen on Rombach factories; eight on Arnaville railway station; eleven on railways at Pagny and Ars-sur-iUeurthe." '■:■;. ANOTHER SLAUGHTERING ATTACK TWO GERMAN DIVISIONS HURLED AT THE FRENCH LINE. By'Telegraph—PreEa ABSociation-Oop'yrteht (llec. April 18,. 9.30 p.m.) , ; ' . Paris, April 18. A French official communique states: "Two divisions attacked our positions from the Meuse to Douaumont, in waves of assault spread over two kilometres (11-5 miles). Tho Germans encountered our curtain of shells and machine-gun fire, and.were driven back except south of the Ohau'ffour Wood, where they gained a footing in a small salient; . "There were very heavy enemy losses, especially west of Poivre Hill and " in the ravine between Poivre Hill and Haudremont." GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Amsterdam, April 17. A German communique states: "We brought down.a British biplane northwest of Peronne. The pilot" was dead, and the observer seriously hurt." N THE MILITARY SITUATION TO-DAY ' "WE WILL ATTACK WHEN WE'ARE STRONG ENOUGH."London, April 17. Colonel Repington, in an articlo detailing the German "ordre do bataille," north of the Sommc, says that great events may be impending. General Foch is still in command in tho north, enabling General Joffre to co-.' ordinate tho operations of the Allies. "There are forty German divisions, excluding cavalry, holding the line north of the Sominc, numbering 800,000, including half a million rifles and over three thousand guns. Facing the French and Belgians on our left are a naval corps, unci two and a half Landwehr and Ersatz divisions. All the rest, are before the British, while one cavalry and eight infantry dit "visions are in reserve, and can be rapidly moved to any point Only one Landwohr division is before the British; the rest are good active or reserve forces The formations on the left, are equal to those at Verdun, and better than any others on the west or east fronts. . ' "The Germans hold dominant positions, and this mass of important forces is a tribute to the fighting qualities of our men. The Ist Bavarian Army Corps and the Ist Bavarian Reserve division aro opposite Arras, with the 50th Reserve Division in reserve. The 13th Army Corps is at Ypres, the 19th at Armentiores, the 7th at Nouve Chapelle, and the 4th.opposite Loos, with various reserve corps intermixed. The Germans are without reserves except in front of the British and at Verdun. These- aro still ample to fill tho iiold depots during the summer campaign, though the quality of many of tho reserves is poor. If they attack the British, they may have a temporary success, but their reception will be as warm as at Verdun. "Wo shall attack when wo are strong enough. The superiority of- men and guns necessary to assail modern trenches is'now fairly well known. A third hypothesis is that the Germans may propose to master the lower Scheldt, and violate tho neutrality .of Holland, so that German naval armaments which have been accumulating for eighteen months on the Scheldt may put to sea to attack us. We still havo not all the troops in Western Franc'ewhich should be there, though our strategy may improve since the General Staff regained its functions in October. Our output of guns and munitions is still below that of France and Germany, and it is necessary to keep two million workers making munitions to the end of the war. Of these a million are males. When our munitions are sufficient, we must rdchiih 1 ' q- reU forts to help Russi».-"

INDUSTRIAL FRANCE EQUAL TO THE WAR DEMANDS

("Times" and Sydnuy "Sun" Services,)

London, April 17. A message from Paris states that, after a close inspection of the munition faotories, M. Diimesnil, a Deputy, reports that industrial France is becoming an immense arsenal. Stocks of heavy and light artillery and of munitions are piling up, in spite of the enormous dernands of the Verdun battle. Guns can he turned out and the batteries renewed with the necessary rapidity. ,It was largely due to the use of countless machine-guns that the Gorman onslaught was shattered.

WHY THE LULL AT VERDUN?

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

(Rec. April 18, 5.5 p.m.)

London) April 17. The Paris Press states that Germany's comparative inaction on the Verdun front is due to her profitless big attack on April 9, which resulted in heavy losses and insignificant gains, They have now adopted prudent methods, and are trying to advance by small stages by local actions. The "Journal" says: "They aro endeavouring to weaken the French lines by continuous shocks and incessant movements at different points, probably a prelude to another general attack, which is not unlikely to he more successful than others, because they have already used their utmost available force."