FRENCH VICTORY NEAR VERDUN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2955, 19 December 1916, Page 5

FRENCH VICTORY NEAR VERDUN

A NOTABLE- SUCCESS ENEMY'S ARTILLERY PARALYSED AND REDUCED TO SILENCE . ' . , "■■•■)'". (By Tftlegrapb.—Pjcsss Association— Copyright). ■ T ;> ~ ,-.„ ' , „ Paris, December 17. , it la estimated' that General Mangin in the attack at Verdun inflicted loaves on the Germans equivalent to two divisions. Until tbe last moment the • Germans were uncertain where the attack would be made. They expected the assault on the left bank, where the artillery preparation was extended far enough westward. In this direction their prinoipal barrage of fire was directed, while the Frenci attacked on the right bank. After, a. night of rain and snow, the weather cleared ans visibility Bteadily improvedjfacihtatine aviation work. The enemy's artillery was paralysed by the French, and reduced to silence an hour before the attack. The rapidity of the assault is shown in the capture of 20 guns and 1200 prismeT%Ja wo ■ ours - ** was a complete,surprise to the enemy.' The advance was strongly pushed home at Vacherauville andiPoivre (Pepper) Hill on the left, then at Haudronrant Wood, and the farm in the centre, Where the German front was soon driven in. Finally the French on the rignijwmg swept victoriously along the Douaumont-Bezonvaux road. The enemy brought reinfofcements and fought obstinately at certain points, butr the vigour of the Prenoh troops was increasing with every yard gained, and the Germans yielded, and .fled in disorder. The victory deprives the' Germans of their last observation points helping them in the operations before Verdun. ' General Nivelle, in the evening, assembling the commanders, said: "I leave you, gentlemen, after a splendid day, the experience of which is conclusive that our method has again proved that the 2nd! Army can assert its superiority, moral and material,'over the enemy.."—Aus.-tir.Z. Gable Assn. OHRONOMETRIC PRECISION OF NEW FRENCH BATTLE TACTICS. ri," '■'','. , ~ , „• ' London, December 17. A correspondent whowitnessed tie Verdun battle.states: "It was a clear morning. The whole battlefield was soaked by many weeks of rain, and the ground was most exharatmg to the infantjy. In front was the long wklebacMJine of Pepper Hill (333 metres Ugh), and to the right thereof %> flat, batteredxrest of_t>ouaumont. Between Pepper Hill and the Froide Terre Ridge, of whioh Douaumont is the highest point, stood out the ridge of Louvemont, which none expected! would be captured. To-day's attack on Pepper Hill was conducted with that ohronometno precision charaoteristio of the new French, battle tactics. The infantry ruslied forward with absolute confife'w™^* 0 ? 16 V6l l eig l oi barrage, an unbroken line of mUky smoke Trarsts marking the grenade ban-age by whioh the infantry smother the enemy resistanoe before they leap upon them. As they moved tf& of the hill theWman barrage retreated to the iw a °t, the F es(i - I** Ie , BS than t wo lmrs tie whole position was captured. Already o&er lines of smoke were launched from Douaumont and Froide Terre J&TSsrs:4K& ££*'" Lou ™ fc - A BMar *™* on the "It was a glorious day. Our aviators, flying low over the advancing lines, returned with exact information, and pursued and fired their machineguns on the fleeing Bochea. The German air service was apparently paralysed. Durragfour hours we saw not a single enemy machine. ■" * ***"■ ** aMB * ° f ™ b GERMANS CONSIDERED THE VERDUN POSITIONS IMPREGNABLE. • The "Petit Pansien'-'states that tie Germans considered tho positions, impregnable. Masses of wire entanglements, concreted galleries, shelters, anJreHouhts converted Poivre Hill inV a fortress, fiT capture ol ff/STf' b~ 'from there the Germans enfilald the Bezonvaux dominated the MINOR RECONNAISSANCE BY ENEMY SHATTERED. ■ LOSS OF BEZONVAUX WOOD ADMITTED BY THE GERMANS. * i& $V " the Ster hard fighting, took possession of Bezonvaux Wood."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TWENTY SQUARE MILES OF ENEMY GROUND SWEPT . CLEAN ; ( . '. A VIVID NARRATIVE OF ,THE GREAT FRENCH VICTORY. ~ (Rec.-December 18, 7.20 p.m.)' w « ■ ■!« ' , t, i ™ ■', London, DecemEor 17. Mr. Warner Allen, at Frenoh Headquarters, says the victory at Verdun Was a triumph for the new Frenoh. tactics. The assault was made with four divisions against five German divisions. "Wo swept over twenty square nu cs of enemy ground as though on parade. When tho moment for the as- ?™ French eheUs fell f aste r and thicker until they formed an impenetrable lmq of smoke. The fire was drawn with mathematic straightf„„n7 M 4 wi me £ f a l ttack - , Th - e sent up showers of rockets, anJuSft h Mk w £ s The Gorman barrago saved them the w. « ay ?-? et fi? htln ?- -Frenchmen with hand grenades, rifle gronades, and .*™™ Mowed & J m , * enind tno °<"™g° up the slopes of Peppw Hulas if glued to the barrage. „,w„ T !l aUgll spent nine months making Pepper Hill impregnable, it was captured m loss than tw 0 hours. The attack on Vachcrauville was ot a different character. There were manv machine-gun posts hidden in tho cellars and rums: of the houses, and the artillerv was unable to give the same assistance as in the open ground of Pepper Hill. The French, poured a continuous curtam of baud grenades, „hich the first line of infantry hurled, while the second Ime used rifle grenades. The curtain moved forward smoothly -and ateadilv. Ihe onlookers wore spellbound, and were able to watch the progress of the attack by the curtain of white smoke passing over the viluntil the last resistance was overcome The Germans now feared that tho French on the summit of PeppcT Hill would try to descend the slopes towards tho river and take the garrison at Vaoherauyille in the rear. The Germans opened a.terrific barrago From their six and eight-inch guns on the further slopes of Pepper Hill, and this was continued until a, volley of rockets showed them that they were bombarding their own mon. When the barrage ceased the French on Pepper Hill dashed: for-

ward and captured or killed the remaining Germans, and caught tho garrison retreating from Vacliorauvillo, which was taken in flank and rear. Tho do- ■ fenders of Vacherauvillo were seized with panic, threw awav their weapons, and took flight. "Tho French centre advancing from the Thiautiiont-Douaumoiit ridgo employed similar tactics, and by one o'clock a complete French victory became certain. Tho German guns no longer attempted to bombard tho rear of tho French linos to prcvent-'resorves of ammunition coming up, and all efforts wore concentrated on saving tho remnants of tho advanced batteries:"— Ans.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. LIKE INTERNATIONAL RUGBYITES AGAINST A VILLAGE TEAM. (Rec. December IS, 7.20 p.m.) ' London, December 17. A Headquarters correspondent's version of the Verdun victory says the French advanced through seas of mud and pools of water, singing the "Marseillaise." Never were there such magnificent eoldiers. They overran everything like international Rugbyites mince-meating a village team. They carried the first system of three trenches, and then the network beyond, with consummate ease. The enemy "was beaten from the start, and after the hattle had not a kick left, or he would never have allowed patrols to destroy the German guns which lay beyond the ground occupied "by the French.—"Tho Times." ENEMY BOMBARDS THE NEW FRENCH LINES. ' (Rec. December 18, 7.20 p.m.) Paris, December 17. Official: "On tho right of tho Mouse our new lines from Vacberauville to Bezonvaux, particularly in the Ohambrettes Farm sector, have been bombarded by the enemy. Wo replied."—Ans.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. SUCCESSFUL BOMBING RAIDS BY THE BRITISH. (Rec. December 183 7.20 p.m.) i .; ■ ' . London, DecemEer 17. 1 _ Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We successfully raided trenches at Repsart, inflicting casualties. After bombing dug-outs wo entered the trenches.southwest of Wytschacte, and destroyed a machine-gun emplacement. The enemy blew up a camsuflefc oaßtwards of Ypres."—Aust.-N.Z. Cable Assn.