In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 76, 27 October 1916, Page 5

In the West

THE FRENCH AT VERDUN- — FLAMING SHIELD OF SHELLS. rii'-- ** «■* • •* • 1 '■** AEhOS SPY OUT HUN SECRETS. * 1 REMARKABLE GUNNERY. ■ ' Piress Association—Copyright, Austra. iian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 8.55 a.m.) ‘ New York, October 20. The World’s Paris correspondent states that the French advanced behind a flaming shield of shells. Thousands of shells, weighing more than a ton each, rained on the armoured shelters at. Douaumont, and drove the. Germans from the vaults, which were 60 feet deep. Flocks of aeroplanes spied out the German secrets, and told the gunners minutely what they were accomplishing. When the advance was being made, the fire screen was so effective that an even of projectiles exploded on© hundred yards ahead of the advancing infantry, the fuses being lengthened at every stop. GERMANS FORESTALLED. ACCOUNT OF THE OPERATIONS. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association ' (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, October 2G The Germans on Friday moved two of' the divisions which formed the reserve from'the Meuse to the Somme, as the Kaiser was at Bapaume meditating on an offensive. The weather was very thick after a spell of cleat days, in which the french artillery had battered the German trenches. During the fog the bombardment was stopped, and everything seemed quiet, when four divisions of General Nivel* Jo’s troops suddenly leapt from tha trenches and attacked, crying “I'm Avtivmt!” The columns on the left quickly reached the Bras-Douaumout road and the quarries, and also seized Thiaumont Redoubt. General Mangin’s brigade on the right cleared the north-oast part of Fleury and Hill 320, ’penetrating Caillette Wood by the famous “Death Ravine.’ On the east, the Thiaumont batteries were captured In twenty minutes, MOO defenders being killed or taken prisoners. The commander shot himself rather Than surrender. By quickly did the “poilus ’ (french in fantry) cover the ground that General Mangin saw an equal if not lugger task than was originally devised, and- -gave*, the Staff the necessary orders to capture Douaumont fort and let the attackers have their head The French reached the village and Douaumont Fort at four oc.o<c, columns converging from the sout rwest. The very regiment which recaptured the Fort on May 22 and were turned out by the Bavarians, now Occupied the ruins, and ' ut lUi art hour the smoking heap of masonry wai3 fully occupied with the !1 ‘

colour planted at the topmost battlement. A flare of Bengal lights sent up at' six o’clock announced that all the objectives had been taken. The trenches were rapidly re-made. Blocks of bricks and stone from the village wcp-V piled up and furnished with machine, guns. The third French force, meanwhile penetrated the North Chapj.tr® and Fumin Woods,, reaching the lake west of Vaux village., The success of the day’s work was more remarkable because a thick mist and rain prevented the aeroplanes assisting. Vaux Fort, which was surrendered on June 7, is within a quarter of a rail© of the- new French line. I ...... “COMRADES/ HOLD ON !” ..\i ivusk >i) 'ian/-llfid J/ ■ oil,; • rIJ ' ijtii-i.ij?! ftV\’> CERMAN'REVIEW At CAMBRAI. ; . a ..((_• .11! |y THE KA.SErT^HORTAT.ON. (Received 10.45 a.m.) Amsterdam, October 26. The Kaiser reviewed troops at Cambrai. He said ho had hurried from the East to bring them greetings and thanks from their comrades for their heroism in the greatest battle of the world’s history. The Battle of the Somme would .stand foi centuries as a brilliant example of the whole Nation’s determination to. conquer.' „ The Kaiser concluded; Ton incarnate that determination in the reliance against French arrogance an British obstinacy! Comrades, no on! The Lord of Creation is with y°u!” # _____ CROWN PRINCE ON HOLIDAY. (Received 11.40 a.m. ) • I ' Amsterdam, October 26. | The' Crown Prince was not present at the Verdun defeat, as h® was visiting Verlin on the Kaiserme s birthday. GENERAL HAIG’S REPORT. Press Association —Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams (Received 11.50 a.m.) Loudon, October 26. General Haig reports: During the night there was heavy enemy shelling between Eaucourt L’Abbayc and Lcs Boon fa. An enemy trench was successfully raided near Manchy, ,also| north-east of Arras. J , j NO ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS, j | Press Association. -Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 12.30 p.m.l London, October 26. A French communique states that there had been no further couuter--1 attacks at Verdun. i CAPTURE OF DOUAUMONT. 1 Paris, October 26. | General Jbffre was an eye-witness of the triumph at Verdun. He watchd the attack from 11.30 a.m. till 6 p -m . i, when a rocket announced that Fort Douaumont bad been captured. The ground won represents the maximum of an entrenched hill and valley, which could have been 1 thoroughly slashed by a single operation. The battle was a perfect example of

the new stylo of a scientific me lianical offensive, supported 11 1 Oust of troops. It was untrue to say tlnit : ’ort Douaumolit was captured at a smgl' bound. Tho offensive had been irepared by many small advances for 2j months, whereof the most important was that on Floury village,' on August 18. .Though the Germans ha 1 remarked oo the heavy bombardments oast of the Meuse Tor a week, nevertheless there was an element (-1. surprise in tho attack, COUNTER-ATTACKS PEPUhScP. Paris, October 2d. A oommuni'jue states: We repulsed three counter-attacks at Haudrnmont and Donaumont, and progressed eastward of Fumin Wood and northward of Chenois. The number of unwounded .prisoners hitherto counted amounts to 1500.