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Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 March 1916, Page 3

Latest War News

(Received This.Day 8.30 a.iin.; THE METHODS OF DEFENCE ' AT VJGRDUN. i-'aris, March z-i. A wounded corporal describing the methods of defence ijtfjtost Germans, and their liquid liame attack, •said: We carried big shields of interwoven osiers, covered with clay, against which the flaming liquid' tc<! harmlessly. 'liie smell was suffocating tnougti wo were wearing masks. inday'.s bombardment smashed the trenches badly but we had the slie'ter ho.i:s. Our artillery disorganized enemy enabling us to link up tuie slicdi holes anil fix barued wire belore the assault commenced. ' We saw tlio Boscnes running lonvard in groups to the 'mounds in front of their trenched about twenty yards rroin ours, and then they began spurting liquid lire along the line. Our sharpshooters were firing continuously, but the enemy kopt sweeping us with a hail oi. burets. After that came a nightmare oil i-miuke. We could never have held the line (for the enemy charged immediately and had flame throwers with them) except, for our artillery. J lie "seventy-fives" made havoc in the attack. A aholji exploded a "juice container," and the blazing liquid oaugfit the Bosehes -who ran away screaming in all directions. Then our turn came, and we riddled the whole iin£ with bullets. When the stuoke was clearing the ground was carpeted a deep red and wo could see men robing on the ground in their efforts to extinguish their clothes. They muse have lost the -best part of a regiment on a quarter of the line or ground. me flame attacks might scare niggers aim children, but against the French trendies, supported by French" gnus, u \\ as u orse t,iau useless. We liau seventy men burned ;<it-ogether; less than a score of these bad enough to go to the hospital. if IG 11 COMMISSION liR'S RLI'ORT. Loudon, March 24. I.: the Aryonne the A <!u-s - batteries energetically (anno4iadei:l ,m the course ol tlie nignt the wood of Malancourt. We exploded a mine near Hill 280. occupying fcie eiater. <J-n the west o; the Meuse the night ivas calm and to the east ot the Mouse there was an intc-.iiiiiitten.fc bombardment in the regions of Dpiiaumont, Damtjup anu AVoevre. fcJevera-1 squaus of artillery fire from both sides passed over the sectors of Moulainvil>> and Eparges. There was nothing important elsewhere.