A TEMPESTUOUS ASSAULT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 March 1917, Page 2

A TEMPESTUOUS ASSAULT.

By H. J. Greenwall, Daily Express Correspondents PARIS, December 17. On Friday morning at ten o’clock France began to send ber reply to the German peace offer. 'lt took to deliver the reply, and at the moment of telegraphing the whole answer is not yet delivered. So far the result has been the capture of over 9000 prisoners and eighty-one guns, and, more important still, the situation is the east bank of the Meuse is now practically the same as it was on February 24. The German Idsses during Friday’s battle are estimated at 25,000 General Nivelle was present at Verdun on Thursday, and with General Petain put the final master touch to the preparations. The great victory has crowned the successes accomplished by France’s new Commander-in-Chief. The Verdun army is in a class by itself. The men, speaking of them; selves, say: “We are the crack army of all the French armies,’ ’and they are. For ten months they have been on the banks of the Meuse, through snow and rain, wet and dry. They have suffered from the cold, and have been parched by thirst, and they said, in spite of it all: —“The enemy shall not pass,’ ’and he did not. A friend of mine who was with General Nivelle at Verdun just after the victory in October, saw this wonderful corps preparing to go through its third winter. General Nivelle said to my friend: ’ “Well, you have seen my children, and I tell you that Napoleon Bonaparte in his Old Guard never had men like mine.” Late on Friday night, General Niv- £ elle took leave of those he always called “my children,” in an address •to them. He said: — “I leave you gentlemen, after a splendid day. The experiment is 'conclusive. Our method is equal to \ any test. I “Once more the 2nd Army has i, shown moral and material superiority over the enemy. Victory is certain, I - assure you. Germany will know it to , her cost.” DIFFICULT GROUND. The most careful preparations were made for Friday’s victory. When the }. Germans were driven out of Douan- | mont they lefC a terribly difficult | ground full of shell holes, and entirely |J' without means of communication, i Since then they have been very busy digging new trenches with flanking works in imitation of the French defences. Despite the weather conditions,, which hampered aircraft and artillery actvity, four French divisions safely passed over the defence, and within an hour the French were masters of th e whole line through Vacherauville and Louvemont to Hill 378. Tremendous obstacles were crossed with such aash by General Guyot de"Salines’ division that the reports never even mention them. In Vacherauville and Louviemont the enemy resistance was swept aoiifp as easily as one snuffs a candle. An hour and a half after the attack was launched the French held the Louvemont ridges, as well as the Hardau- ■ mont and Lorient works. In the Vauche Woods the French met greater difficulties, but were not stopped. At three o’clock General Passaga’s division reached the Bezonvaux work. Right up to the moment the attack was launched the enemy was uncertain where the blow was going to be struck. Doubtless he expected an attack on the west bank of the Meuse, ' where the French artillery fire had been extended westwards The German main curtain was dropped fn this direction, but the French actually attacked on the east bank. Four divisions, each having a front of a mile and a half, went into action, well sheltered by the French curtain fire. They leapt forward in waves. On the slopes , of Pepper Hill the French broke down all resistance. The men danced, yelled, shouted, and sang the “Marseillaise as they charged, but their voices were drowned by the thunder of their own guns, still spreading death in the German ranks.