VERDUN BATTLE RAGES DURING THE NIGHT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 5

VERDUN BATTLE RAGES DURING THE NIGHT

FRENCH SUCCESS AT FORT DOUAUMONT BRILLIANT COUNTER-ATTACK AT HILL 304 The High Commissioner reports:— • London, May' 23, 4.10 p.m. At Verdun .-the battle continued'with extreme .violence throughout the night on both banks of the Meuso. On the right bank furious counter-attacks on our positions at Hill 304 completely failed. > "West of the Meuse, notably west of Hill 301, the enemy, by large employment of flame apparatus, penetrated one of our. trenches, but the brilliant return of our troops compelled him to evacuate the posi Hon occupied. "East of the l'ivor, despite intense artillery preparation, an enemy attack was broken by our fire before reaching our lines. . - - •"On the right baiik, in" the Thiaumont-Douaumont sector, saii"uinary fighting was continued by the enemy,'who-multiplied massed attacks in the course of tho night, and suffered enormous losses; Uc succeeded in rooccupyinjj a trench which was conquered by us north of Thiaumont Farm. Notwithstanding tliie, wo maintained our position in the interior of Fort Douaumont, and despite lively resistance, we ( eontinued to drive the.enemy out. Tho enemy now holds only a corner in the north-east of the fort. -, . •' ; "On the heights of tho Meuse a coup-dc-main by us at the Chevalier's Wood was completely 1 successful." rt j -~ , . Lt n London, May 21, 2 a.m. In tlie region of Verdun the German counter-attacks have been extremely nilent .throughout the. whole front. On the left bank, after a bombardment with large shell? nil morning, the Germans launched a succession of massed attacks east and west of Mort Homme. The first attack was mown down by artillery and machine-jjun fire, and repulsed with sanguinary losses, the enemy beinc unable to reach our lines. A second stubborn attack in the evening gained the enemy a footing to tho west. We counter-attacked immediately, and completely threw out the enemy. J "On the right bank, the region of Haudromont and Douaumont has been the scene of a murderous struggle throughout the day. The Germans multiplied their assaults, each, preceded by a powerful artillery preparation, but despite all their efforts the positions iv*e conquered on Monday were entirely maintained, notably ia Fort Douaumont. We captured 300 prisoners." BRILLIANT'COUP-DE-MAIN AT DOUAUMONT ' - HOW 'THE GERMANS WERE SURPRISED. By. Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Bee. May 2-1-, 8.30 p.m.) Paris, May 21. The French' attack on Douaumont was dictated by the fact that General Nivelle had learned that the enemy was withdrawing his, troops to assist in the attack on Mort Homme. General Nivello then concentrated-, an enormous force of artillery opposite Douaumont, unknown to the Germans, and when the bombardment ceased.'the French infantry dashed out, singing snatches of the "Marseillaise." The-greater part of the fort was captured within ninety minutes, after great bayonet. work. ' • When the French began- the the artillery men lengthened their fuses and increased the density of the shell curtain, cutting off the German, advanced lines .from their supports. The assault was entrusted to tho pick of the French Army. Tlio' French, lines were only 350 yards from the entrance to the fort, but, despite the fury of the preliminary bombaidment, the German defence remained formidable, and it took the French an hour to cover tile distance. The Germans had dug in deep, in two lines of trenches, before the fort itself, but the French cleaned up the first line ,in hajf an hour. - Wave after wave streamed towards tho second line, but were twice driven back from the.broken entanglements. Then reinforcements wero ordered out. They went at the German line with a dash that carried all before it. The troops moved on to the fort, where admirably co-ordinated -movements from the west, east, and south were converging. The eastern column met with a stronger resistance, and the advance from the Cailette Wood was delayed. It looked for a time as though the whole position would bo surrounded, so rapid was the French western, and southern movement. Many of the: defenders were caught between the flmikiEg and frontal attacks before they coulcl retire. Tho fort was ruined, but the garrison put up a determined defence in cvory corner and cellar. The French, with bayonet and granade, drove back the enemy towards the north-eastern corner, where the Germans'imade a successful stand. During all Monday night the fiercest fighting continued. OF A DASHING ASSAULT. Paris, May 23. Tho "Petit Parisien" says that the preliminary bombardment by the French ' on the right bank of the Meuse lasted for several hours. Picked corps, which had been iu training for months, went to- the assault- at' midday with frenzied ardour. The Germans concentrated a heavy fire, but the courageous French never Wavered for an instant. Using the bayonet, they swarmed over the. first line. French reinforcements were sent up, and passed the destroyed entanglements with a dash equal to that of the first onslaught, to the tune of tho "Marseillaise." The principal assault was at Fort Douaumont, where the attackers arrived at 5.30, penetrating the south-western rampart, and killing all who resisted. They welcomed the relieving troops with cries of "Victory!" jfl'hc latter have firmly established themselves, to await the desperate counter-attacks which are sure to follow. THE FIGHT FOR VIMY KIDGE \ A REPORT FROM THE BRITISH FRONT. *The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 21, 12.15 a.m. "On Monday night and during Tuesday there were heavy bombardments on both sides about Vimy Ridge, where the situation is unchanged. "On Tuesday tho enemy's artillery was very active against our trenchrs between Xloogo and tho Ypres-Eoulers railway." BIG MOVEMENTS OF GERMANS THROUGH LUXEMBURG. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, May 23. There have been heavy movements of troops through Luxemburg for several days. Luxemburg has been isolated from Belgium, Germans having forbidden com. munication. __ MARKED ACTIVITY IN THE AIR. London, May 23. Coinciding with the marked recrudescence of activity on the West front,-the ' newspapers draw attention to the aerial activity, and especially note the Allies' success in bringing down nineteen German machines in three days*