THE DOUAUMONT FORT MASSACRE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 124, 26 May 1916, Page 5

THE DOUAUMONT FORT MASSACRE.

THE FIERCEST CATTLE OF THE WAR. FLOWING STREAMS OF GERMAN BLOOD. FRENCH FRONT PILED WITH GERMAN CORPSES. HUNS REACH WHERE THE FORT WAS. FRENCH HOLD ALL THE APPROACHES. i i THE EBB AND FLOW OF BATTLE. | ™ PARIS. May 25. The conflict at Verdun does not slacken. Seventy-five thousand Ger- ! mans have been engaged for two days, the enemy not ohesitating to make any sacrifice to recover the ground lost on Monday. The battle is the fiercest fought on the Western front. 1 The German offensive on Tuesday night was partially successful. Despite heroic French resistance, they entered Cumieres. which consists of | forty ruined houses, and which is unimportant as it is wholly dominated 'by hills on either side and the French are firmly dug in on the hills north ©f Chattancourt. k *

The little smoke-covered hill of Morthomm e has been flattened out like Hiil 70 at Ypres. Sheets of fire swept over it day and night. Shelter trenches do not exist. Directly new 'trenches are dug, tons of shells from 240 guns wipe them out. . The enemy pushed through the woods fringing the bas e of Hill 304 and occupied the northern,, north-western and eastern slopes, but the French continue to hold the crest of the western slope. The Crown Prince then flung at least two army corps against Hill 287, which is 300 yards behind Mort Homme. Wave alter wav e melted under the curtain of fire. French officers are of opinion that either the German general staff had taken leave <cf their senses or hoped for great things from the amazing massed rushes, which covered the French front with corpses. A French staff officer describes the spot as a slaughter house. Douaumont Fort was the storm centre on Wednesday. There were twelve distinct night assaults in forty-eight hours. The French extensively used flare bembs and star shells to detect the movements of the assaulting columns. Huge electric searchlights swept the slopes before the fort. Prior to the recapture of the fort, all the French trenches had the parapets of German dead. The officers ordered the men to remove mounds of grey clad corpses which were piled so high that they obstructed in the field of fire.

The "Times" corespondent in Paris says the Douaumont action was admirably timed. The French waited until the Germans had shifted the centre of gravity of their attacks westward and until all the German reserves had been committed to the desperate Dead Man operations. Before delivering his blow, General Nivelles' plans were carried out with the rarest secrecy. A swarm of air hornets was sent up to. attack observation balloons, "downing" six. Then assured of privacy. General Nivelles advanced the centre and terrifically bombarded Douaumont, launching some of the finest fighters in France, who carried the positions against the most stubborn resistance. A communique says: Infantry actions continued east of Mort Homme. Artillery stopped the enemy debouching on Cuniieres. A sharp counterattack during the afternoon enabled us to re-capture trenches on the southern edge of the village. S Two newly-arrived Bavarian divisions made desperate attacks on Fort Douaumont throughout the day. After several fruitless attempts, resulting in enormous losses, the enemy reoccupied the ruins of the fort. We hold the immediate approaches. A German attempt to storm Caill ette Wood 1 was made. Simultaneously, but completely failed. I