IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

THE VERDUN ATTACK. A FRENCH REPORT, GERMAN'S GAIN* GROUND. The. whole region north ef Verdun consists of wooded hills aid ravines. After a heavy bombardment a series of infantry attacks csmmenced ok Monday afternoon. The chief assault was »n the BeoJaer woods, Beaumont and Herbereis, a front oi 2% miles. The Germans here succeeded in occupying a horseshoe skapecT wood about a mile deep. Elsewhere the Germans were unable to get started in their assaults owing to the impeaetrable barrage of fire with which the artillery of the 3rd French Army punished the attackers. The French losses were s*iall during the capture of the first line, as the trenches were thinly held on both side 9, knowing that the front trenches would be readily broken down by a bombardment. After capturing the trenches the Germans suffered badly from the French fire, but were promptly largely reinforced by attackers. The defences of Verdun are so strong that French experts are not anxious; indeed they are hopeful that the Germans will continue the attack, which they attribute to the Crown Prince's desperate desire to refresh his faded laurels. • ——■« FRENCH RETIREMENT. CARRIED OTJT IN PERFECT ORDER. AEROPLANES ACTIVE. Received Feb. 85. 6.15 p.m. Paris, Feb. 24.' A communique says: Fighting northwards of Verdun continued with the same intensity throughout the night, from the Tight bank of the Meuse to southwards of Oraes. Owing to the violence of the bombardment on our advanced position at Br*bant-sur-Mevwe we evacuated the village at night, protected by a flank lire from the left bank of the Meuse. Another strong attack by at least a brigade against Bois de Caures enabled the enemy to recapture part of the wood of which we at present hold the southera salient. All offensives against our positions at Beaumont failed, and we dominate the ravine southward of Herbebois. The retiring movement we ordered to avoid needless losses was carried out in perfect order, the enemy being unable to break our front at any point. The enemy in Lorraine obtained a footing in one of our advanced posts at Bois de Cheminet, from whence they were immediately ejected. One of our bombarding air squadrons at night dropped forty-five projectiles, several of heavy calibre, on the Metz-Sablons station and gasworks. A big conflagration was afterwards noticed. A TERRIFIC STRUGGLE. CROWN PRINCE UP AGAINST IT. VERDUN IMPREGNABLE

Received Feb .25, 9.25 p.m. London, Feb. 24. The Daily Telegraph's Paris, correspondent says that one of the fiercest battles of the war is raging north of Verdun, but the military chiefs view it with perfect confidence. The withdrawals at certain ports of tile line strengthen the new French position. For instance, Beaumont, live miles east of Brabant, which is strong strategically, has been held against the German attacks, while Canlcs wood is half French and half German. The. onslaught lias now lasted three days and has not produced any appreciable effect on the French positions, yet the violence of the attacks is indescribable. The Crown Prince is battering his head against a wall, and there is not the remotest chance of Verdun being taken or even approached. A Paris report says that the German casualties on the Western front in the three days are estimated at twenty thousand. A German communique claims that the Germans captured the villages of Brabant, Haumont, and Samogneux, in the wooded district of Vicanty. Received Feb. 25, 11.50 p.m. Paris, Feb. 25. A communique states: The Germans between the Meuse and Ornes redoubled their furious attack, leaving heaps of corpses without breaking our front. We carried baclF our line on both wings to the rear of Famogoneux, south of Ornes.