EFFECTIVE BLOW SECRETLY PLANNED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2913, 27 October 1916, Page 5

EFFECTIVE BLOW SECRETLY PLANNED

STORY OF THE FRENCH ATTACK. Australian-New Zealand Oable Association. , . Paris, October 25. The "Petit Parisien" states that General Nivellc, comamuding the army at Verdun, carried out secret preparations for several days, reinforcing the infantry and installing 'fresh batteries. The troops rushed from the trenches spiritedly, and reached and passed their objectives., The left wing seized the Tliiaumont work and two redoubts at the Farm of Haudromont and the quarry, reaching the Bras-Douaumont road without stopping. The_ offensive in the centre was carried out even more swiftly. The troops seized the Caillette Wood, and surrounded Fort Douaumont, and captured the fortified ruins of the village. A fierce struggle ensued, tho garrison refusing to surrender until three-fourths had been annihilated, defenco then becoming impossible. The right wing captured portion of the Woods of Vaux-Chapitre, Fumin, and Le Chenois, and the extreme right captured the. Damloup Battery, menacing Vaux Fort, which is invested on three sides. i JOFFRE A WITNESS OF THE COUP PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE NEW SCIENTIFIC ATTACK. (Rec. 27, 0.50 a.m.) !. Paris, October 26. General Joffre was an eye-witness of the French triumph at Verdun, Ho watched the attack from 'half-past 11 till 6, when a rocket announced that' Fort Douaumont had been captured. The ground won represents the maximum of entreuohed hill and valley which could have been thoroughly smashed in a single operation, an dthe result affords example of the new style of scientific mechanical offensive, suported by the best troops. It is not true to say that Fort Douaumont was captured at a single bound. The offensive was prepared by many small advances over a period of two months and a half, of which the most important was tho village of Fleury, on August 18. Though the Germans had remarked tho heavy bombardments east of the Meuse for a week nevertheless there was an element of surprise in the attack. PRESS OPINION ON THE COUP London, October 25. The news of the brilliant French advancc at Verdun was received too late for comment, but was fully displayed in the later editions of the newspapers. The advance means tho regaining in a single day of almost all the ground the Germans win in the second Battle of Verdun, lasting through May and June. Tho enemy was demoralised wherever he had not marked superiority in numbers. , Tho "Daily Mail" says that the splendid news from Verdun shows that the Germans had scraped together an army to invade Rumania at the cost of dangerously thinning their 1 line elsewhere. It is a bitter pill for tho enemy to lose ground which he conquered at such a price in lives and munitions. i ON THE BRITISH FRONT The High Commissioner reports:— London, October 25, 12.35 p.m. "On the British front on the Sorume yesterday there was heavy rain. During tho night the enemy's krtillery was active north-east of Courcellettc, and also along tho Pozieres-Bapaume Road. At Guoudecourt and Lesboeufs our gains have been fully secured. During tho night there has been mutual intermittent shelling. Our gains at tho, Schwaben Redoubt and Le Sars cost us 1200 casualties, . while we took 1000 of the enemy." WHAT THE GERMANS SAY ABOUT VERDUN ' Australlan-Now Zealand Cable Aseooiatlon, (Rec. October 26, 5.5 p.m.) London, Octobcr 25. A German official communique states:—"A French attack north-east of Verdun gained ground as far as the burning fortress of Douaumont." GERMANS THOUGHT VERDUN.- WAS SAFE. (Rec. October 26, 5.5 p.m.) Rome, October 26. The German defeat at Verdun is attributed to tho transfer of troops to Rumania.

FRENCH GENERAL HONOURED. London, October 25. General Minebelcr, who, with General Fayolle, under Goneral Foch's direction, shares the honours of tho Sommo offensive, has been promoted to Commander of the Legion of Honour. Tho "Gazotto" says that General Mineheler was summoned to direct offensive operations in difficult terrain, and obtained most brilliant results. Thanks are duo to him for his profound grasp of tho methods of tho present war, and for the vigour and confidence ho communicated to those acting under him.