In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 73, 2 March 1916, Page 5

In the West.

A SURPRISE TC THE ENEMY. CLASH BETWEEN PICKED TROCP3, (Received \S.2U a.m.) I*:>i'is, March !. Details slidw thai I ho (l?rinan s ivrc .momentarily surprised at the unox- ' p'cted riposte (parry and thrust). Hie clash between those two bodies of picked troops in spite of the bloody [nature of the close fighting was a (grandoise and impressive spectacle. Tlie Germans quickly recovered from their surprise, and defended themselves vigorously, but the French dash had partly enveloped the Brandenbnrgers, and the Germans made desperate vain attempts to rescue them. NEW ATTEMPT TO REACH VERDUN. (Received 8.20 a.m.) Paris, -March 1. Le Temps states that the enemy's new attempt to reach Verdun via Moransville and Branzee has less chance of success than one by the north, as they are unable to deploy their artillery without being dominated by the guns on the Meiise heights. EVACUATION OF VERDUN. CIVILIAN POPULATION DEPART. lIJXITETJ PrkSK fIfiROOIATtON.I London, February 29. The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent says thai Verdun has been completely evacuated by the civilian population. ft is a quaint'little town of twenty thousand inhabitants, lying on both sides of the Meiise, and its ancient walls moats and ,gateways .are now only of historic'interest, and the population has latterly been much reduced. Shells began to fall in the Verdun streets and among the old-fashioned houses on .Monday. The cannonade on Wednesday .became more serious, and the Governor ordered the civilians to leave. Hundreds of the poorer classes took refuge in the deep underground galleries of the citadel, and a . dreary cavalcade of civilians has since trickled along the snow-covered roads to train to Paris. THE SUBURBS HAMMERED. Paris, -March 1. .Many of the Verdun suburbs are severely hammered by the bombardment and numerous civilians are vie- . tints. The new church and the old cathedral were targets on Thursday and on Friday night heavy shells fell almost one per minute on parts of the torn ruins. A VIVID DESCRIPTION. Paris, March 1. An infantryman in a sap before Douaumont saw the Germans advancing at the double. Suddenly, from the heights and slopes on either side heavy French artillery, shortening the range, ploughed the foremost ranks with six-inch and eight-inch shells.''.Then dozens of batteries of seventy-fives came into the open and began a rapid fire on the advancing"! battalions, and these melted away. | "We were eventually confronted tenfold in number, and withdrew for two thousand yards behind .the fort in good order, our artillery and rearguard maintaining a curtain of fire Ito prevent the enemy coming too near. Before the enemy bad time to establish himself on the crest of the plateau we were ordered to retake it. It was like a battle of oiden times, as there was little shelter and w had no trenches. "The French advanced amid an inferno of shot and shell, carrying everything before them. An officer who' was participating In the charge had to climb a wall of German corpses ' Tho maclrifie-gun sections were more numerous than in the previous battle and they kept pace with the infantry and took up positions in the, open regardless of cost. "When the moon rose the machineguns were still liring at two hundred rounds per minute, enfilading the enemy. : The ravines where the enemy were living to approach were failed im ivit h German dead. Seven regiments were thrown upon the hill. "Preparatory to advancing, the General addressing the troops, urged them to light without pity saying, •Remember, the French shoo, all prisoners!' Seven regiments were shattered and broken by the French !. r tillerv but still fresh troops swarm,ml om .' t ho dead until it seemed as if the German reserves were inexhaustible." Describing the French eounte.-at-tack a wounded French colonel says: "Httrd.lv had the command bn Av a,,t» l-een uttered than our men threw themselves forward with terrible dash." DOUAUMONT BOMBARDMENT. THE HEART OF THE FURNACE. London, February 29. T| , )aiiv Chronicle's correspondent continues:- Fighting continues 0.. g the lines held sincej™Uy acroßH the Poivre crest, thrcgh *» amnont, and to Vaux on tl e s Throughout an incessant an, Ift 8 U Ltt to* Froidtorre is exis still the heart, oi: tlie 1 After being repeatedly stop J;;;"'::;, decimated in a frontal at-

tack the enemy is endeavoring to penetrate the line by the eastern ridge of hills near Vaux, with supporting assaults from the Woevre. Columns of hiairtry have also been launched repeatedly against the ruins of Douaumani village. i CAF<~FULLY PREPARED PLAN. London. February 20. An authoritative account of the operations al \orclnn says thai the rvcat offensive was one of the most carefully-planned and powerfullyequipped movements of the whole war. The partial attacks ah the whole front since the beginning of .January seem to have been intended to mask the decisive blow that was preparing for Verdun. Seven army corps carried out the German attacks, demonstrating the enemy's desire for victory, even at the price of most appalling sacrifices, 'equalling those at Douaumont. where desperate lighting is still proceeding, leaving a stream of dead. According to prisoners' statements the old Verdun forts form part of the defensive line, with similar trenches, and therefore the capture of the fort is equivalent to a capture of part of |the trench, without threatening the entire line. FRENCH POSITION IMPROVING. The French position is improving daily with the advent of fresh troops, whereas the Germans are using their last resources.THE OFFICIAL REPORT, The High Commissioner reports;— London, .March 1 (4.30 p.m.) fn the region of Verdun, and also in the Woevre, nothing of importance (happened in the course of the night. iThere was intermittent bombardment of different points on the French front between Regnieville and Remenauville, west of Pontaumousson. We bombarded the second and third lines, where the enemy showed signs of movement. In Alsace, our batteries fired on the enemy's communication lines in the region of Cernay. PRESS COMMENT. rTjNiTED Press AssooaTioN.j (Received 10.55 a.m.) Paris, March 1. • French newspapers state that the Germans seem to have modified their tactics in' view of the formidable and important attacks north of Verdun. The activity in the Woevre and Champagne is designed to divert the efforts of the French and also draw the attention of the German public to the multiplication of offensives in fresh theatres. This shows that the enemy has not renounced his plan of forcing the French lines, but France may have confidence in her leaders. L e Journal say s that even if the enemy succeeded in breaking our front", the fight will be in open country ,where the factor of valor in men will regain its importance and Germany will again meet the victors of the Marne. M. Pichon, writing in the Petit Journal, says the news is encouraging. Enemy fury fails before our wall of steel. The Brandenburger.,. who were imprudent to trust themselves in •the interior of Douaumont, seemed J doomed not to emerge. 1 i,.M. Gustave Serve writes to La Victoireuo. and says: The army has many regiments like the B.andenburgers. When an army thus sacrificed its corps delite without securing victory at the first attempt, it is not far from failure. The French daily review states that there has been a lull at Verdun, and the artillery bombardment on either side intermittent. Le -Matin says that the enemy aims at taking Verdun and the heights of the Meuse,. and will not recoil before any sacrifice to attain his object. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. CAPTURE OF GERMAN AEROPLANE. London, February 29. General Sir Douglas Haig reports : We brought down a German aeroplane behind our lines, in the vicinity oi La Bassee. GERMAN LOSSES. Railway traffic in Luxembourg was suspended for twenty-four hour s to permit of the transport <>i German wounded. Forty-one trainloadg passed through to Germany, and 11UU German corpses arrived at Seraing, where thev were cremated. It is re'ported that 5200 Germans were killed in the Brabant region alone. MORE REINFORCEMENTS. Two new German divisions from Metz have departed for Verdun, whore thev will be kept in reserve until the great assault begins on the torts at Verdun. ONLY A DIVERSION. Swiss despatches state that the attack on Verdun is really a diversion by the main German forces coiu-entra-!tcd in the Champagne district., for attacks via Noyon and St. Quentin upon {Paris. MORE BLUSTER. General Moraht, in the Berliner Tageblatt, comments that the Germans are making progress and contradicts the Times' statement that th» Germans brought heavy guns from Serbia He adds: "England will be exposed to catastrophes'until she realises that the Germans are better than the Anglo-French in infantry attacks."