IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 February 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

I POINT OF ATTACK. ! j INCESSANT FIGHTING. GERMAN UNITS WIPED OUT, Paris. Feb. 25. The point of attack at Verdun, the wooded kills of Brabant, is well chosen, because there is an equality of elevations. The Germans further east would have to scale the edge of the he'ghts from the plain of Wecvre. The French were obliged to evacuate the hamlet of Haumont on Tuesday, but General Humbert holds the high hill to the south. The magnitude of the operations vns revealed on Tuesday, but the enemy effectives were »nly deployed on Wednesday, when dense masses of the ath German Army were flung, rank after rank, in the old phalanx formation against the French trenches between Brabant and Ornes. The result of the fighting was that two dangerous French salients were disclosed, due to the evacuation of Haumont.

Throughout Wednesday night the fighting was incessant. Attack after attack was launched on the village of Beaumont without result. In order to avoid useless waste of life, General Humbert ordered the French front to be straightened, and Brabant was evacuated at midnight so quietly that the German infantry was not drawn from the trenches. Since then successive German attacks delivered on the villages of Samogneux and Beaumont have been without result. Prisoners admit that some German units have been completely wiped out. They state that General von Deimling, on the eve of battle' in an order to the 15th Corps, wrote: "The final offensive against France is commencing. I hope the corp3 will distinguish itself afe hitherto." The French losses have been surprisingly small, despite the fact that gas shells have been used in great quantities. The French generals are not exposing the men. The element of surprise is entirely wanting. The French have been bringing up reserves of shells. The only thing feared is some fresh devilry like the first gas attack at Ypres.

GERMAN PRODIGAL SACRIFICE. ■ '"" iParis, Feb. 25. Newspapers state that the Crown j Prince and the Government have been organising for three months. The points of attack form no part of the real defences of Verdun. After profiting by the favorable terrain the Germans have now to face the elevated open country from the Meuse to Beaumont. Newspapers marvel at the prodigality with which officers are sacrificing Germany's best troops. The French have put forth only one-seventh of those who aiight have been thrown into action. FRENCH POSITIONS. Paris. Feb. 25. ' A communique states that the cannon: ade northward of Verdun is less violent. The enemy did not attack us during the night. We established ourselves on a line of resistance organised behind Beaumont, on the heights stretching from eastward of Champ Neuville to southward of Ornes. mGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. Wellington, Feb. 26. The High Commissioner reports under date London, February 25, 4.40 p.m.:— In the Argonne, east of Vauquois, the French have executed a fresh bombardment of enemy works in the region of Bois de Cheppey. There is intermittent artillery activity between Malancourt and the left bank of the Meuse. There ii.less violent cannonading in the region north of Verdun. The enemy is not directing any attack on our position. In the course of the night the French established a resistance line behind Beaumont, on the heights stretching east or Champ Neuville to south of Ornes.' The night has been calm on the rest of the front.

BATTLE STILL RAGING. A TERRIFIC CANNOXAur.. ENEMY MOWED DOWN. Received Feb. 27, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Feb. 26. The latest news shows that the battle raging at Verdun is the most terrific of modern times, though a twenty-four hours' snowstorm abated the ferocity at some sectors on Friday. Eyewitnesses narrate that the German cannonade was such that .all trenches and fortifications were completely overturned. A surgeon who was present on the twenty-second narrates that he saw a whole German 'brigade advancing in massed columns. Suddenly it was caught ir. a converging fire from several French batteries, and was annihilated almost to a man in a moment. Eight successive attacks on Haumont were repulsed, with enormous losses. Two Baden regiments were shattered by the fire of three batteries of seventyfives, which were suddenly unmasked. The survivors were seized with mad panic and fled. Out of 2500 men in one resilient only seventy answered the roll fell '

HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES.

A BULL AT A GATE FRENCH PRESS COMMENT Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Feb. 26, 5.5 p.M. London, Feb. 25. The Daily News correspondent at Copenhagen hears from well-informed sources that the Germans suffered unparalleled losses during the recent attacks on the West front. Belgian towns have been cleared for the severely wounded and are now overcrowded, and hospital trains are passing uninterruptedly into Germany. , German officers iHformed a neutral correspondent that the new offensive is adesperate effort to break the French fortress line, with the object of opening the road to Paris, and the General staff has given directions not to spare life. . Paris, Feb. 25. Le Matin states that the Germans have brought to Verdun all their available forty-two and thirty centimetre heavy artillery which were used against Serbia. Le Petit Parisien says that the Kaiser arrived at the front on Saturday and assured himself that everything was prepared. He ordered a general rehearsal of reserves manoeuvring as if in the presence of the enemy. The Raiser personally ordered the attack on Sunday. L' Actione Francais declares that if the Germans wish to impress neutrals by launching an attack, after sounding all parts of the French line for three weeks past, they will not persevere long.By continuing the offensive against the entrenched lines at Verdun they will equal the losses made in the attempt to break ihe Yser front. Another comment says: "The German army is like a bull which dashes forward, with lowered head, in its battle with brute force. We did the Crown Prince too much honor in failing to consider the possibility of hie Imperial Highness utilising such a primitive instinct."

VARIOUS REPORTS ' GERMAN CLAIMS. Keceired Feb. 27, 5.5 p.m Paris, Feb. 20. A German wireless states: On the Meuse we exploited our previous successes, and captured the fortiled villages and farms of Champ Xcuville, Cote de Lctte, Marmont, Beaumont, Chambercttes, and Omes, in addition to the enemy's positions to the ridge of Lougemont, which were captured by storm. The enemy's losses were extraordinarily heavy, and the total of prisoners is above ten thousand. There is no information as to the booty and materials. Reecived Feb. 27, 8.5 p.m. London, Feb. 20. A German wireless states that the Brandenburg Regiment stormed the armored fortress of Douaumont, the northeastern corner pillar of Verdun's permanent main line of fortifications, and Douaumont is now firmly held in our hands. A German wireless says: There were considerable advances during the Kaiser's presence east of the Meuse. Wo captured the hills south-west of Louvemont, and also the fortified positions east thereof. The enemy's resistance on the plain of Woevre broke down along the entire front to Marplioville, south of the Paris-Metz highroad. We are closely pursuing them. It is reported that the capture of Champ Neuville proves erroneous.

THE FRENCH VERSION Received Feb. 27, 5.5 p.m. iParis, Feb. 26. A communique states: We attacked and captured an enemy salient south of St. Marie Apy, taking three hundred prisoners. There is snow in abundance at Verdun, and the activity of both artilleries is extremely intense along the whole front, especially east of the Meuse, where the fighting is pursued with the same vigor. Several German attacks, with large effectives, were carried out with unparalleled violence on . Poivre Hill, but were unsuccessful. We stopped an attack at Vauche wood. There has been no infantry fighting west of the Meuse. Another communique says:' Severe fighting continues north of Verdun. The enemy is still directing his efforts against our front east of the Meuse. According to the latest information our troops are holding their positions against repeated enemy onslaughts, which were made regardless of sacrifices. The fighting in Douaumont region was particularly fierce. We brought our advanced lines from Ornes and Hennemont nearer to th* foot of the Meuse hills, without fighting. Our artillery on both banks of the Meuse replies unceasingly to the enemy's bombardment, DONOUAMONT FORlt ReeerveL Feb.'2B, 1.15 a.m. London, Feb. 27. A French communique says: A desperate struggle rages round the Donuamont | fort, which was captured by the enemy |M» morning after very great losses.

A WIN OR LOSE EFFORT.

OPINION OF EXPERTS. Beceived Feb. 27, 11.19 p.m. London, Feh. 26. Experts are discussing whether the Verdun move is only local, or a win or lose effort to break through. The Spectator believes that it is the . opening scene ef the final act of the great drama, and adds: "Verdun, which is a hinge of the defensive door, continues to hold, and the Allies cannot be beaten.'' Various estimates say the Crown Prince's forces range from a quarter to three-quarters of a million men. Most of the northern salient fell on Monday night, and since then village after village has been stormed and captured at the cost of ghastly slaughter. The French have withdrawn to the line of field works at high altitudes, just outside the permanent forts. The German outposts are within seven miles of Verdun, but the German attack does not cover more than one-fifth of the perimeter, the rest of the defences being only subjected to artillery, and it is only the recently constructed earthworks that have been captured. Experts consider that if the battle does not break the French line it will break the German offensive in the Champagne. Friday night's hill attack was only of a temporary nature. The French artillery firing over measured ground accounts for the enormous German losses, but th» weight of the German artillery obliterated the field fortifications. The German .claim of ten thousand prisoners is remarkably small for five days' fighting on an advance of four miles, and the capture of several small towns and villages. The French are in high spirits at holding their own, and are bringing up many reinforcements. The attack on Verdun is intended to forestall the FrancoBritish offensive in danders. The. Kaiser's presence is reported from many sources. He pitched his tent on the inclement slopes of Cotes-der-Nouse, where he liberally harangu' ■*, tiit troops.

I FROM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. THE LATEST NEWS. The High Commissioner reports from London on February 27, 2.30 p.m.:— A mine contest in the Artois region was to our advantage. An enemy atattack on our salient at St. Marie Apay was repulsed, 340 being taken prisoner. In the region north of Verdun the bombardment continues, ami counter-attacks completely discomfited the cneiuy attacks. On the hill Dupoihre we are firmly established and the enemy was repulsed. Fierce fighting was delivered around the fortress of Donaumont, which is portion of the advanced position of the old defence works. The position was captured this morning by the enemy" after several fruitless assaults, which cost him heavily, but has been captured afresh and repossessed by our troops, whom the enemy's endeavors failed to drive back. A French aviator brought down two German machines by machine-gun fire. A squadron of nine aeroplanes dropped 340 bombs on the station of Metzablon, and another squadron bombarded the enemy worts at Chambley.

THE FIGHTING DESCRIBED. AUSTRALIAN OFFICER'S DIARY. AX INTERESTING NARRATIVE. ' London, Feb. 25. The highly interesting diary of an officer of the 7th Australian Divisional Supply Corps, describing the incidents of the past few days, says: "On February 18, after a period of comparative quietness, great activity developed along the line to the south. The incessant booming of artillery shows that the French are heavily engaged, while further north we are closer still in touch with the fighting. We are sending lorries on all sorts, of dangerous missions, taking supplies and ammunition. Big shells burst near the roads and we sometimes see aeroplanes soaring overhead. Frequently marauders find themselves in a very unpleasant place, for suddenly our anti-aircraft batteries send forth dozens of shrapnel shells bursting all round the aeroplane. Almost invariably our own intrepid airmen soar up and engage them. We hear the crackling of machine-guns and from the skies above the purring of aeroplane engines. "There is complete absence of complaints by motor-men, who greet their work with greater pleasure than its accomplishment. We received grateful messages from units who had been assisted by our column. In addition to this work we have to keep in repair columns of transport vehicles, numbering 150. Our forces are delighted at the Allies' recent successes in downing a Zeppelin and seven aeroplanes. A desperate struggle is a-t present in progress, the division which we are serving bearing the brunt. It has already lasted ten days and may last much longer. The Allies are fighting tenaciously, and the fact that the enemy is sustaining tremendous losses will have a demoralising efi'ect not only on the troops field, but eg the enemy generaUg,

''After a spell of bitterly cold weather snow commenced to fall yesterday. To Australians it was a beautiful and novel sight. Soon the whole countryside was wrapped in a mantle of white. The men o". the column had much amusement in snowballing. As we pass villages the children are seen skating on ponds and in gutters. The whole aspect of the country changed in a day. Flocks ef foedless birds are invading the camps. Our column achieved a record on Februard 5, loading supplies for a division from the railhead in 33 nimites." Received Feb. 26, 3.36 p.m. London, Feb. 25. "A couple of nights ago we were in a little town where our column was located, and we heard, abojit 11 o'clock, the buzzing of engines, indicating that a largo fleet of aircraft was passing overhead. Shortly afterwards we heard eight explosions, and guessed that a pretty little town five miles away was being bombed. I ascertained that the damage was not extensive, although a woman was buried in the debris of a building. This is only one of a series of raids that the Huns have lately perpetrated. ''Our lorries on detached duty have continually run the gauntlet of artillery fire and sometimes asphyxiating gas. Two lorries were being loaded at the railhead, when shells burst nearby, but everybody escaped. A few days ago I was on (.lie road when a bomb fell some distance ahead, killing an Army Service man and making a big hole in the road. One of our men reports that while watching an enemy aeroplane he distinctly saw a bomb leave the machine, and it fell, doing damage. "Many of our men who are engaged in transporting loads of ordnance relate that they pass through the town of -—, which is little more than a few battered walls, and the road is shell-torn and broken. Then they proceed to the ramparts. A party of men left the trenches and took charge of the contents of the lorry, and meanwhile they were so close to the trenches that they could hear the whistles and words of command of the infantry officers. Everything is in total darkness, and even smoking is -prohibited. Stretcher-bearers passed us. and we saw many dead and dying horses. Our men then passed on to deliver the remainder of the load. "February 23.—There lias been continual fighting for the past five days. Our column is doing its maximum of work in transporting supplies,- ordnance and other necessities. Our mobile workshops are also taxed to the utmost repairing the motor vehicles, which, however, have wonderfully withstood the prolonged and arduous work. Everyone is working at the highest tension, realising that, relaxation Will react on the efficiency of the fighting forces,"