THE WAR

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 October 1916, Page 3

THE WAR

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(Aufltralia-Is'ew Zei'and Cable Servicc.) FRENCH SUCCESS AT VERDUN Paris, October 24. A French communique says Attacking on a seven kilometre front on the right bank of the Meuse. we smashed the whole line to a depth of three kilometres and captured Douauinont Fort, also the village of Haudromont and adjacent quarries. The prisoners already counted number 3500, including 100 officers. Our troops advancing beyond .Thiaumont Work and Farm, seized the quarries and established themselves along the ißraaHDo'Uauinont road. Our line ton th© right bank of the fort passes northward of Cailette ridge and follows the western fringe of Vaux village and the eastern outskirts of Fumin wood, continuing northward to Ohroifi Woodi and' Damloup battery.

The material captured has not yet been catalogued. Our losses were slight. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. London, October 25. A French official inesage says:— ' On the Verdun front after an intense artillery preparation, an attack on the right of the Meuse was launched at ncton on a front of seven kilometres. The enemy line was burst in everywhere to a depth in the centre reaching three kilometree. The village and Fort Douaumont were captured. On the left wing, passing by Thiaumont Farm, we captured Haudromont quarries which we are consolidating alionig the road from Bras to Douaumont. On the right of the fort our line passes north of Caillette Wood along the boundary west of Vaur-Fu-inin Wdod', continuing north of Chenois and Damloup battery.

THE BRITISH SECTOR. 'London, October 24. Sir Douglas Baig reports.— ■Heavy mutual shelling occurred on Tuesday Southwards of Armentieres. A strong enemy party raided our trenches eastward of Loos apparently for the purpose of destroying mine shafts. It was immediately ejected. The High Commissioner reports.— At Quedecourt and Les Boeufs the British igains have been fully secured. Our gains at Schwabcn Redoubt and Lie Sars cost us 1200 casualties, while we took prisoner 1000 of the enemy. RUMANIA'S POSITION. ■London, October 24. The Daily Chronicle's Petrogradi correspondent says that the growing interdependence of the Russo-Rumnnian fronts -corresponds with the energy of Falkenhayn's advance. It is now recognised that Rumania is a strategical factor of the utmost importance. The Germans are straining their resources to the utmost, not only to avert menace to their Balkan communi cations, but to secure the advantages which the subjection of Rumania would give, namely, to hold the mouth of the Danube, outflanking the Russian left, and to obtain a fresh supply of grain.

The fettles in Galicia .and Vollivnia regions are now subsidiary until the issue in Rumania is decided defi-. nitely in favour. The German plan »cems to he a big combined, advance in the Bras so region of the Dobrud.ja to cut across Rumania thereby seizing the greater part of Wallaehia, including Bucharest.