CHAMPAGNE FIGHTING.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1917, Page 4

CHAMPAGNE FIGHTING.

EQUAL TO VERDUN STRUGGLE. That Verdun has been overmatched in bloodiness and severity by the fighting in Champagne was the claim made in August by Reuter’s correspondent at French Headquarters. The length of fronts is approximately the same. Fortynine German divisions were engaged at Chemin des Dames from May sth to August 20th, compared with 25 at Verdun lor the same period last year, when the fighting at Verdun was at its heaviest. The fact that the French had taken 3,552 prisoners at Chemin des Dames for the period mentioned, compared with 586 lor the corresponding period at Verdun, clearly suggests that the wastage of German effectives on the Chemin des Dames is almost twice as great as it was at Verdun. Even allowing for the fact that the fighting strength of a German division is considerably less than it was last year, if is evident that the battle of Chemin des Dames has been more costly to the enemy than was Verdun The strain of the battle of Chemin des Dames on the nerve of the German troops is shown by the fact that only one out of 49 German divisions re- ! appeared in the fighting line after their withdrawal. Divisions which participate in fighting never remain for more than 12 days on the front. There is every reason to believe that the Germans have between 450 and 500 batteries on the Chemin des Dames. They certainly" have as many as they had at Verdun last year. They have 10 or 12 batteries ,011 .every thousand yards of front, * and they have often cmploved 200 (batteries on a narrow sector fora single attack. There Lave been 40 big attacks—half German and half French—on the Chemin des Dames, in 107 days, besides minor attacks and counter-attacks. The bloodiest hand-to-hand fighting ever seen occurred on the crest-line at Cer’ny and Craonne, where the area to be won is so narrow and the necessary advance is so short that 50 defeats have not yet cured the Boche of the illusion that he can conquer it. Probably the enemy’s strongest motive for keeping the battle of Chemin des Dames alive is the vain hope of wearing down the courage ot the French who have beaten him as signally on the Chemin des Dames as they did at Verdun.