THE VERDUN VICTORY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 19 December 1916, Page 5

THE VERDUN VICTORY

r HAS INTERFERED WITH PEACE OFFER _ i ———. * PEACE OR REVOLUTION IN GERMANY “ VICTORY IS CERTAIN,” SAYS NIVELLE GREECE IN REASONABLE MOOi) BLOCKADE STILL STRINGENT

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

CAPTURED POSITIONS SHELLED. PARIS, Dec. 17. Official.—On th e right of the Meuse, our new lines from Vachcr-Auvillo to Bezon-Vaux, particularly 'the Chanibrettes Farm sector, wore bombarded. We replied. VERDUN BAD BLOW TO PEACE. WHAT WAS HINDENBURG DOING? Received 11.15 BERLIN. Dec. IS. The Cologne Gazette and other papers admit that Verdun was a bad blow to peace. It veil}, strengthen the war parties of the enemy countries. Some surprise was expressed that Hindcnburg allowed the French to gain so much ground and take so many prisoners at the present moment. GERMAN FRONT LINES STRONGLY HELD. FRENCH COLONIAL TROOPS PARTICIPATE. Received 11.40 PARIS, Dee. IS. At the battle of Verdun the Germans reverted to the former practice of holding the front trenches in strength, be- , cause thinly held lines could not be trusted to resist. The only result at Verdun was an increased number of prisoners. The victors include the Colonial troops which captured Douaumont in November. The Germans have now lost observation points down the ravines. Another similar rush will thrust them back from the line occupied before February 21. Snow is falling heavily, and hinders the work of consolidation. GENERAL NIVELLE'S FAREWELL “GERMANY WILL LEARN TO HER COST.” Received 11.20. PARIS, Dec IS. General Nivelle, farewelling the staff at Verdun, said: Victory is certain. I give you my word o n that, as Germany will learn to her cost. BRILLIANT WORK BY BRITISH AVIATORS. Received 11.20. LONDON, Dec 18. The Air Board describes successful bombing raids in France. German artillery prisoners admit that large numbers of guns were directly hit, as a result of the accurate observation of British aviators. BRITISH REPORT, LONDON, Dec 17. Sir Douglas Haig reports; We successfully raided trenches at Rensart, inflicting casualties. W r e bombed dugouts and entered trenches south-west of Wytschaetd. We destroyed the machine-gun emplacements of the enemy and blew up Camsuflet, eastwards of Ypres. RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. DESPERATE FIGHTING IN THE CARPATHIANS. TROOPS FROM THE WEST FRONT Received 11. PETROGRAD, Doc. 18. The Germans for several days have made energetic attempts to assume the offensive in the Vladimir Volynski region and hav e also been reinforced. In the wooded Carpathians they have initiated desperate but fruitless attacks. German prisoners captured in Eoumania stats that they were brought from the West front. There were no troops to replace them, but the Germans hope that strong trench works will enable them to hold on despite the weakness of the lines.

THE VERDUN' VICTORY. W • / ENEMY COMPLETELY OVERRUN. NOT A KICK LEFT. LONDON, Dec. 17. Our headquarters correspondent's version of the Verdun victory shows that the French advanced through seas of mud and pools of water singing the ‘ ‘ Marseillaise. ’ ’ Never were there such magnificent -soldiers. They overran everything like international Rugbyites making mince meat of a village team. They carried the first system of three trenches, then a network beyond, with consummate ease. The enemy was beaten from the start, and after the battle they had not a kick left in them, or they would never have allowed the patrol to destroy the German guns that lay beyond the ground occupied by the French. TRIUMPH FOR NEW FRENCH TACTICS. VICTORIOUS FRENCH SWEEP. LONDON, Dec- 17. Mr Warner Allen, at the French head quarters, says: The victory at Verdun was a triumph for the new French tactics. The assault was made with four divisions against five German divi *®ons. We swept our twenty square miles of enemy ground as though on parade. When the moment for the assault arrived French shells fell thicker and thicker until they formed an impenetrable line of smoke and fire drawn with mathematic straightness across the line of attack. The Germans scut up showers of rockets announcing the attack was beginning. The German bar-: rage saved riicm tne dreadful bayonet figuring. Tne Frenchmen, with hand grenades, ntie grenades, and automatic rifles, followed a few yards behind the barrage up the slopes of Pepper Hill as if glued to the barrage. FRENCH ADVANCE AS ON PARADE GERMANS FIRE ON THEIR OWN MEN. LONDON Dec. 17.

Mr Warner Allen’s story continues: Though, the Germans had speut nine months in making Pepper Hill impregnable, it was captured in less than two hours. She attack on Vacher Auville was of a different character. Many ma-chine-gun posts were hidden in cellars, and the ruins of houses, and the artillery was unable to give the same assistance as in the open ground at Pepper Hill. The French poured in a continuous curtain of hand grenades. The curtain moved forward smoothly and steadily. The onlookers were spellbound. They were able to watch the progress of the attack, and see the curtain of white smoke passing over the village until the resistance had been overcome. The Germans now feared that the French on the summit of Pepper Hill would try to descend the slopes towards the river and take the garrison of Vacher Auville in the rear. The Germans opened a terrific barrage from <i-inch and 8-inch guns on the further slopes of Pepper Hill, which was continued until a volley of rockets showed they were bombarding their own men. When the barrage ceased the French on Pepper Hill dashed forward and captured <> r killed the remaining Germans. They caught th e garrison retreating. Vacher Auville was taken on the flank and rear. The defenders of Vacher Auville wer e seized with panic and threw away thein weapons and took to flight. The French centre was advancing from Thiaumont and Douaumont ridge by similar tactics, and by one o’clock a complete French victory was certain. The Greman guns no longer attempted to bombard the rear of the French lines ,|o prevent reserves and ammunition up. All their efforts were concentrated on saving the remnants of their advanced batteries.