In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 70, 28 February 1916, Page 5

In the West.

I THE BATTLE OF VERHHSM. A TERRIFIC CANNONADE. ENEMY MOWN DOWN. FnITKU inmHil a I lO*> Paris, February 2(5. The latest nows shows that the battle raging at Verdun is the most tcr--1 ritic of modern times, though a twenty-four hours’ snowstorm abated the ferocity at some sectors on Friday. I Eyewitnesses narrate that the Ger- ! man cannonade was such that all trenches and fortifications were comiplotely overturned. I A surgeon who was present on the twenty-second narrates that lie saw a whole Dorman brigade advancing in massed columns. Suddenly T,t was caught in a converging fire from several French batteries, and was annihilated almost to a man in a moment, j Eight, successive attacks on Hanmont were repulsed, with enormous losses. j Two Baden regiments were shattered by the fire of three batteries of seventy-fives, which were suddenly unmasked. The survivors were seized with mad panic and fled. Out of 2500 men in one regiment only seventy answered the roll call. THE GERMAN CLAIMS. EXPLOITING. PREVIOUS SUCCESSES. Paris, February 26. A German wireless states: On the Meuse we exploited our previous suv- , cesses, and captured the fortified vili Urges and farms of Champ Neuville. (Cote de Lotte, Marmont, Beaumont, j Chamberettos. and Qrnes, in addition , to the enemy’s positions on the ridge j of Lougemont, which were captured by storm. The enemy’s losses were extraordinarily heavy, and the total of prisoners is above ton thousand. There is no information as to the booty and materials. THE FAMOUS BRAFI DEN BURGERS SPECIAL PICTURE FOR THE KAISER. London. February 26. A German wireless states that the Brandenburg Regiment stormed the armored fortress of Douaumont, t.ie north-eastern corner pillar of Verdun’s permanent main lino of fortifications, and Douaumont is now firmly held in our hands. A German wireless says: There were considerable during the Kaiser’s presence oast of the Meuse. We captured the hills south-weSj of Louvemont, and also the fortified positions east thereof. The enemy s resistance ° n the plain of Woevre broke down along the entire front to Marphoville, south of the Paris-Metz highroad. We are closely pursuing them. It is reported that • the capture of Champ Neuville proves ononeous. THE FRENCH VERSION. RETIREMENT WITHOUT FIGHTING. Paris, February 26. A communique states ; Wo attached and captured an enemy salient south of St. Marie Apy, taking three hundred prisoners. There is snow in abundance at Verdun, and the activity ot both artilleries is extremely intense along the whole front, especially east of the Meuse, where the fighting is pursued with the same vigor. Several German attacks, with large effectives, wore carried out*with unparalleled violence on Poivre Hill, hut were unsuccessful. We stopped an attack at Vauclie wood. There ha s been no infantry ligating west of tne -house. Another cominuniqiiqe says: Severe figuring continues north or \ erdun. tue enemy is still directing his extorts against our front east of the Mouse. According to the latest inlorrnation our troops are holding their positions against repeated enemy onslaughts, wnich were made regardless of sacrifices. 'The fighting in Douaumont region was particularly fierce. We brought our advanced linos from Oracs and 1 Hcnnemont nearer to the foot of the Meuse hills, without lighting. Our 'artillery on both banks of the Mouse replies unceasingly to the enemy’s bombardment. THE DOUAUMONT FORT. London, February 27. A French communique says ; A desperate struggle rages round the Doiiaumont fort, which was captured by the enemy this morning after very great losses. OPINION OF EXPERTS. A WIN OR LOSE EFFORT? London, February 26. 1 Experts are discussing whether the Verdun move is only local, or a wm or lose effort to break through. The Spectator believes that it is the opening scene of the final act of the g r eat drama, and adds; ‘A erdun, which is a hinge of the defensive door, continues to hold, and the Allies cannot he beaten.” Various estimates say the v rown !>i iuee' s forces range from a qunrier

to of n million men. .Most ol the northern salient fell on Monday night, ana since then village after village has been stormed and captured at the cost of ghastly slaughter. The French have withdrawn to die line of field wonts at high altitudes, just outside the permanent forts. Tlie German outposts are within seven miles of Verdun, hut the German attach does not cover more than one-fifth the promoter. Mm rest of the ' v enees being only jeeted to artillery, and if : s only 'he recently constructed earthworks that have heon captured. Experts consider that if the battle does not break the French line it will break the Gorman offensive in the Cbarnnagne. Friday night’s hill attack was only of a temporary nature. The French artillery firing over measured ground accounts for the enormous German losses, but the weight of +he German artillery obliterated the field fortifications. The German claim of ten thousand prisoners K remarkably small for five da vs’ fighting on an advance of four miles, and the '•apt nre of several small towns and villages. The French are in high spirits at holding their own, and are bringing up many reinforcements. The attack on Verdun i s intended to forestall the Franeo-British offensive iw Flanders. The Kaiser’s presence reported from many sources. He pitched his tent on the inclement -lopes of Cotes-der-Xonse, where he liberally harangued the troops. • THE OFF3O!AL HEWS. The High Conuuis.sior.or reports:-—-London, February 27 (2.36 p.m.) A mine contest in the Artois region was to our advantage. An enemy attack on our salient at St. Marie Apy was repulsed. 310 being taken prisoner. In tiio-region north of Verdun the bombardment continues and counterattacks completely discomfited the enemy. On the Hill Dnpoihre we are firmly established and the enemy was repulsed. Fierce fighting was delivered around the fortress of Douanmont, which is portion of the advanced position of the old defence works. The position was captured this morning by the enemy after several fruitless assaults, which cost him heavily, but has been captured afresh and repossessed by our troops, whom the enemy’s endeavors failed to drive back. A French aviator brought clown two German niay-Junos by machine-gun fire. A squadron of nine aeroplanes dropped 310 bombs on the station of Metzablon, and another squadron bombarded the enemy works at Chambley. DiARY OF AN OFFICER. THE NARRATIVE CONTINUED. (Unitkij Pkkss Association, t SNftC(London, ■* -February 23 “A couftleMf nights ago we were In a little town where our column was located, and we heard about 11 o’clock, the buzzing of engines, indicating that a large fleet of aircraft was passing overhead. Shortly afterwards we heard eight explosions, and guessed that a pretty little town five miles away was being bombed. I ascertained that the damage was not extensive, although a woman was buried in the debris of a building. This is only one of a series of raids that the Huns have lately perpetrated. “Our lorries on detached duty have continually run the gauntlet of artillery lire and sometimes asphyxiating gas. Two lorries were being loaded at the railhead, when shells hurst nearby, but everybody escaped. A few days ago I was on the road when a bomb fell some distance ahead, killing an Army Service man and making a big hole in the road. One of our men reports that while watching an enemy aeroplane he distinctly saw a bomb leave the machine, and it fell, doing damage.

“Many of our men who .are engaged in transporting loads of ordnance relate that they pass, through the town of- , which is little more than a few battered walls, and the road is shelltorn and broken. A party of men left the trenches and took charge of the contents of the lorry, and meanwhile they were so close to the trenches that they could hear the whistles and words of comm.iind of the infantry officers. Everything is in total darkness, and even smoking is prohibited, fetretcheihearers passed us, and wo saw many dead and dying horses. Our men then passed on to deliver the remainder of the load.

“February 23. —There has heon continual lighting for the past Jive dajs. Our column is doing its maximum of work in transporting supplies, ordnance and other necessities. Our mobile workshops are also taxed to the utmost repairing the motor, vehicles, which, however, have wonderfully withstood the prolonged and arduous work. Everyone is working at the highest tension, realising that relaxation will react on the efficiency of the lighting forces.” PRESS COMMENT. NEWS FROSVi VARIOUS SOURCES. London, February 2d. The Daily News correspondent at Copenhagen hears from well-inioimed sources that the Germans suffered unparalleled losses during the recent attacks on the West front. Holg.an towns have been cleared for the seveiely wounded and are now overcrowded, and hospital trains are passing uninterrupted into Germany. German officers informed a neutral correspondent that the new offensive is a desperate effort to break the French fortress line, with the object ol opening the road to Paris, and the General staff Ims given directions not to spare life.

Be Matin states that the Germans have brought to Verdun all their available forty-two and thirty centimetre heavy artillery which were used against Serbia. 1.-- IVit Farisien says that the Kaiser arr.ved at the Iront on Saturday and assured himself that everything was prepared. He ordered a general rehearsal of reserves manoeuvring as If i-' tbe presence oi the ’-tv. Ha' Kaiser personally n-de-od the attack i .-sutiday. IV Actione Francois declares that d Mie Germans wish to impress neutrals by launching an attack, after sounding ail parts of the French line for three weeks past, they will not persevere long. By continuing the offensive against the entrenched Hues at Verdun they will equal the losses made in the attempt to break the Ysor iront. Another comment says; “ r liie German army is like a bull which dashes forward, with lowered head, m its battle with brute force. We did the Crown Prince too much honor in fading to consider the possibility of Ids Imperial Highness utilising such a primitive instinct.” BOMBADRMENT UNRELAXED. IN THE NORTH. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. ALLIES STRONGLY HOLD i DOUAUMONT. GERMAN AVIATORS BROUGHT DOWN. (Received 8.5 a.m.) Paris, February 27. A communique states: Northwaid of Verdun, the bombardment continues without relaxation. Eastward and westward ol the Mouse the eneniv’s attacks at different points of the front were met with vigorous counter-attacks. All the enemy’s fresh attempts in the region of Champ Neuville and against Powre Hill, where we. arc solidly established, were repulsed. , A desperate struggle rages round the Douaumont front, which is one of the advanced elements of Verdun’s old defensive organisations. The position captured this morning by the enemy, ‘after several fruitless assaults costing him very great losses, was again reached and passed by our troops, and all attempts to force ns hack tailed. In the region pf "N evdun. Adjutant Xavaare, on a monoplane, brought down with a machine-gun two German aeroplanes within our lines, two aviators being killed and two others made prisoners. 1 Nine bombarding aeroplanes dropped 144 bombs at Motzsablon station, and another squadron bombarded the enemy establishment at Chambley, north-east of Pontamonsson. SLAUGHTER PITIFUL TO SEE. MAN EVERY IS INCHES, GERMANS WILL SACRIFICE 200,009. SHELLS TORE THROUGH WALLS OF FLESH. (Received 8.25 a.in.) Paris, February 27. A neutral, who has just arrived from I Germany, declares that he learned from one of the host sources that the , Germans are ready to sacrifice 200,000 !-to capture Verdun. i A wounded soldier says that the ! slaughter near Melancourt was pitiful to behold. German infantry advanced )in a fashion which was Unbelievable I unless seen, averaging, a man for every eighteen inches. They rushed forward I quicker than the guns could be fired. He saw them falling over their own dead. The shells tore through the .walls of flesh, but still they came as if i fascinated. But there was no shouting and singing as was the case earliei in (the war. They just charged into our ! mowing machines. “NOW OR NEVER !” COLOSSAL ONSLAUGHT, j VERDUN, NOT VITAL TO ALLIES. GERMAN PLANS REVIEWED. j (Received 8.50 a.m.) 1 London, February 27. The consensus of opinion of Sunday newspapers is that there was a colossal ■onslaught northward of Verdun, uuh--1 eating that Germany seeks a solution *at any cost, because she is unable to i await the Allies’ higher strength, surer combination, and more various initiative. It is with Germany a case of “Now or Never!” both on sea and land. . I'he Observer says; The present is an attempt to anticipate, disorganise, and shatter by an alternate stroke tne Allies’ plans, combined with an offensive at their own time, and, secondly, by indirect mean, to clear the ,Vllies from the Balkans, with a new to isolating and subduing iloumama. I

Tin's demands on their part absolute coolness and self-control. Finding the weather st : ll unsuitable to complete the operations on the Eastern front, Germany has brought thence every man who could be spared for the next six weeks. Moreover, Germany lias massed on the West twothirds of her armies with a vast proportion of her accumulated shells. Could she force France and Britain into a premature offensive she will he able to employ hei maximum degree of strength against them, and if, thev are beaten to a standstill, transfer her troops to the East and tackle Russia iu her turn. The Observe* praises the French soldiership Jur.ng the past week in making the utmost

slaughter of the enemy, while straigtoning her lino and economising the men for the purposes of the great French offensive which they are already planning. The Observer adds; ‘ ‘Verdun, however important, is not vital, and its fall would not be a thrust in the Allies’ vitals, hut only a dent in their armour.”