In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 13, 18 April 1916, Page 5

In the West.

GERMAN REPORT OF VERDUN. i.vi.Di .AaSuOlA'i'lON . J Amsterdam, April IG. German newspapers unit at Gic aimmionmeiUr ol Uie attempts n \eiauu, declaring tiiat the German move intention merely to loiestau a u.euiemu:U.s C revC.l oileuHive <ig.un.si xviet/., tn.it us piunneii lor yesterday, ihe r rencii calculation pf tao German losses is absurd. The papers do not give the correct figures, but state that ninety per cent, of the Germans who were wounded at \ erdun aie able to return to the front. GLORIOUS DAY FOR THE FRENCH. Paris, April 16. General Petain, after the action on April 9, issued the following Order: “This has been a day of glory for our arms. Our infantry, artillery, engineers, and aviators rivalled each other in heroism, everywhere breaking the Crown Prince’s soldiers’ furious assaults. They doubtless will attack again, and therefore we will work and watch to achieve the same success, and by courage' we shall beat them. A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. London, April 16. A German communique states: There is violent mine firing and artillery action on both banks of the La Bassee canal. Our mines destroyed sixty’ yards of the British positions at Yermilles. Violent lighting developed eastward of the Meuse on Saturday evening, on the front between the fortress of Douaumont and the ravine of Vaux. The French, after strong artillery preparation, attacked in considerable force, but were repulsed with heavy losses.

THE ORDRE DE BATAILLE.

COLONEL REPINGTON’S REVIEW

(Received 8.20 a.m.) London, April 17

Colonel Ropington, in an article detailing the German Ordre de Bataillo north of the Somme, says: Great events may he impending. General Focli is still in command in the north, enabling General Joflrre to co-ordinate with the operations of the Allies. Forty German divisions, excluding cavalry, are holding the positions north of the Somme, numbering 800,000 of whom half a million rifles and over three thousand guns arc facing the French and Belgians. On our left are the Naval Corps, 2i Landwehr and Erasatz Divisions. All the rest are before the British, while one cavalry and eight infantry divisions which are in reserve can ho rapidly moved to any point. One / Landwehr division is before the British; the rest, which are active on reserve formations, are on 'the left, and are ■ equal to those at Verdun and better than the others on the west and east. The Germans hold the dominant positions. This mass of important .forces is a tribute to the fighting qualities of our men. The Ist Bavarian Army Corps, and the Ist Bavarian reserve division are opposite Arras, with the 50th Reserve Division in reserve. .The 13th Army Corps is at Ypres, the 19th at Armentieres, the 7th at Neuve Chappele, and the 4th opposite Loos, with various reserve ■ corps intermixed. The Germans are without reserves, except in front of the British. At Verdun these were still ample to fill the field depots during the summer campaign. Though the quality of many of the reserves is poor, if they attack the British they may have temporary success, but their reception would ho as warm as at Verdun. We shall attack when strong enough. Superiority in men and guns is necessary to assail modern trenches.

It is now fairly well known that the third hypothesis that the Germans propose is to master the Lower Scheldt and violate the neutrality of Holland, so that the German naval armaments which have been accumulating for eighteen months on the Scheldt may put to sea and attack us. We still have not all the troops in western France which should be there. Though the strategy improve, since the General Staff regained its functions in October, our output of guns and munitions is still below those of France and Germany. It is necessary to keep two million making munitions to end the war, of which one million arc males. When our own munitions are sufficient, we must re-douhle our efforts to help Russia.

PROGRESS REPORT ON OPERA-

TIONS,

(Received 9.20 a.m.) Paris, April -7. A communique states: Our positions at Avocourt Wood and Mort Homme on the Cumieres front was subjected to intense bombardment. It was calm on the right bank of the Meuse except south of Handromont Wood, where the artillery was fairly lively. Nine of our aeroplanes during the night of 16th bombed Confian.s station, the Rombach factories, Aeruville station, and Pagny and Ares Sur Xurthe stations.

THE OFFICIAL REPORT. The High Commissioner reports Loudon, April 17 (5.2 U p.m.) The French official report says: v<n the West hank of the Meuse, there has been an intense bombardment of our positions at Avocourt wood and on the fronts of Mont-Homme and Cumieros. On the right bank, the night was comparatively calm, except in the region south of Haudremont wood, where the activity of the artillery was maintained in a fairly lively manner. There was no infantry action, and nothing to report on the rest of the front except the usual cannonade.