THE DOUAUMONT TRAP.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1916, Page 5

THE DOUAUMONT TRAP.

A SCENE OF CARNAGE, ENEMY REPULSED AGATX AND AGAIN. A BRAVE ENEMY. Received March 3, 9.50 p.M, London, March 2. The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent says that awing to the frightful earlier losses the more recent attacks have been made with fewe- men. In the attempts to relieve the Brnndenburgers the Prussians charged eight times, but the assaults were broken against the fire of the mitrailleuses and seventy-fives. The Germans would not admit they were beaten, hut resumed attacks afte: 1 midnight on Monday. La Liberte's correspondent adds: "I must admit the courage of those crack troops of Guards and of the 15th Corps, who must have known that they were marching to certain death. They advanced as if on parade until within sixty feet. Then they ran, crying "Vorwaerts." "We waited without budging, and a salve of Mftphinc-*nn fire tore through 'the first ranks. We then eliarwl mid repulsed the enemy. The shock of the collision in the darkness was terrible. Tragic mistakes were made. Many Germans were transfixed >y their pomades' bayonets, and the approaches to Douaumont were covered With dead and wounded." HUGE GERMAN LOSSES. FRENCH SODIER'S STORY. Received March 3, 9.55 p.m. Paris, March 2. Newspapers agree that there is slackening in infantry operations, but Verdun i 9 the only entrance and the Germans will come on again. They estimate that the Germans have already lost 150,000 men. The Brandenburgers are securely trapped, but the French are avoiding'useless slaughter and are waiting for famine to do the work. A French wounded soldier states, "The Germans love close formation. It delighted us. My regiment was six times ordered to retire to get the enemy within range of the seventy-fives, and then hecatombs were piled each time." MORE DETAILS. PROPORTIONS OF LOSSES Reecived March 4, 1-2.45 a.m. Paris, March 3. M. Poincarc visited Verdun and congratulated the troops. The Germans' preliminary bombardment lasted 120 hours, almost wholly by heavy guns. The French front was terribly battered, and the fire on the second line made it difficult to get' food up. A lain, shell burst near a battery of seventy-fives in a little wood near Fleury and all the gunners were either killed or wounded. One German army corps northward of Verdun was reduced to 3000. The French losses in the ten days are slight when compared to those of the Germans, the proportion of killed, wounded, and prisoners being estimated at five Germans to one French. GERMAN STAFF DISORGANISED. QROWN PRINCE SHIFTED, London, March 2. The Chronicle's Geneva correspondent wires that advices from Mainz disclose the disorganisation of the German Staff as a result of the Verdun battle. Several Generals advise against continuing the offensive, but General Falkenhayn continues to send reinforcements. An officer of the General Staff estimates the losses from Friday to Monday at 75,000 men. The Crown Prince has been summoned' to general headquarters, and the. Duke of Wurtemburg has taken over his command.