IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1916, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

THE ATTACK AT VAUX. V j ONSLAUGHTS FAIL. . . Par!?, March 17. A communique states that the bombadinent west of the Meuse is slackening. No fresh attempt has been made at Mort Hoimne. There was an intense bombardment east of the Meuae, then a series of the most violent offensives against the village and fort of Vain. Five successive attacks were hurled without success, two against the village, two on the slopes leading to the fort, and one east of the. village. Our curtains of fire and machine-guns shattered all. They cost the enemy important sacrifices, " ■3" ENEMY SHATTERED. , Loadon, March 1". Official.—Five heavy German attacks at Vans were shattered with heavy losses, t ■—l ' HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. •, • Wellington, March 18. The High Commissioner reports under date Loadon, March ]", 1.50 p.m.:— West of the Meuse the bombardment slackened in the course of the night in the region of Bethincourt-Cumieres. Since the sanguinary cheek .of the attack yesterday the enemy has not renewed his attempts on Mort Homme. East of the Meuse a recrudescence of the bombardment was followed by a violent series of offensives against the village and fort of Vaux. Five successive attacks, with great determination, were thrown by the Germans without success, two on the village, two others against the crest which the fort suraounts, and lastly one attempting to debouch on the ■ road south-east of the village of Vaux. All these attempts were broken by the French curtain of fire and mitrailleuses, coating the enemy important sacrifices! At Woevre there has been only a reciprocal cannonade throughout the sector. West of Pont-a-Mous'son there was a cou,p-de-main »n the salient of the line opposite the Bois de Mort-Mare, the enemy losing prisoners and suffering other casualties. LOSSES AT VERDUN. i HOW HERMAN TROOPS WERE BEFOOLED. A WAV'E OF DISCONTENT, - Received Maroh 19, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 18. The German losses at Verdun exceed 300,000. German .prisonerg state that they were assured Verdun would be the last great battle. A wave of depression and discontent had -swept over the Crown Prince's army owing to the poorness of food and illtreatment by the officers. Suddenly, in tile middle of January, the attitude of the officers changed, and by orders from headquarters they began to mix with the men and talk familiarly about the offensive. The rations were increased and the pay raised. The men were told that a mass of artillery and huge reinforcements were coming and that the war would be over before the summer. Then the men took heart, particularly when troops arrived .from Russia, who were in the best humor owing to escaping the terrible climate in Poland. Batteries of heavy artillery arrived from all parts; the cavalry were rehorsed; and the men were ordered to advance, they firmly believing that "The Day" had come. VIOLENT ARTILLERY ACTION. AIRCRAFT BUSY. Received March 19, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March IS. A communique says: We carried out a concentrated lire on the German trenches towards Hill 265 and Crows' Wood, also a violent artillery action in the Vaux region. Our long-range guns all night bombarded the Apre.mont'VigneulliM road, where the enemy regiments were marching from the north. Seventeen aeroplanes dropped forty bombs on Conflans station, and fourteen on Met?, station. There were many explosions along the lines. Three were fired on at the Metz-Sablon .station, and other aeroplanes dropped ten bombs on the Aerodrome at Dieuze, and caused a fire at Armavilla station. ENEMY ATTACKS FAIL. •• Received March 20, 12.53 a.m. Paris, March 19. A communique says: A series of partial enemy attacks between Vaux village and Haudremont farm were stopped before they reached our trenches, ' - THE VERDUN FIGHT. GERMAN WASTAGE OF SHELLS. - Received March 20, 12.55 Paris, March 19, It Is estimated that the Germans at Verdun employed three thousand guns, including a dozen lOiu. howitzers throwing projectiles of a ton weight. Five million shells were fired during the first fortnight, including 100,000 on Douaumont in ten hours. ?. FRENCH WAR MINISTER, : Paris, March 17. General Gallieni, Minister of War, has resigned owing to ill-health and General ißoques litis succeeded him.