WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

THE VERDUN TRIUMPH. OFFICIAL REPORTS Wellington, Oct. 20. The High Commissioner reports, under late London, October 2w, 10.30 p.m.:— A French official report says: Northwards ot Verdun the Germans twice counter-attacked the wings ot our new front, once at the quarries at Haudromont, where they were repulsed, the other time at Damloup battery. Our new conquests were maintained. A British official message states: On the Somme front yesterday there was heavy rain. During the night the enemy artillery was active north-east of Courcellette, also along the PozioresBapauine road. A FRENCH TRIUMPH ENTHUSIASM IN BRITAIN t A PILL FOR THE HUNS London, Oct. 25. The news of the briliiant French advance at Verdun was received too late for comment, but was fully displayed in the later editions. It means the regaining in a single day of almost all the ground the Germans won in the second Dattle of Verdun, lasting throughout May and June. The French strategy has caused the demoralisation of the enemy wherever he lias not had a marked superiority in numliers. General /Minehehw, who, with General Fayolle, under General Foch's direction, shares the honors of the Soinme offensive, has been promoted to Commander of the Legion of Honor. Tne Gazette says he was summoned to direct offensive operations on a diffi' cult terrain, and o'btained the most brilliant results, thanks to his profound grasp of the methods of the. present war and the vigor and confidence he communicated to those acting under liim. The 'Daily Mail says the splendid news of Verdun shows that tho Germans (craped together an army to invade Roumania at the cost of a dangerous thinning of the line elsewhere. It is a bitter pill for the enemy to have lost ground which was conquered at iucli a price in lives and munition?. A BRILLIANT DASH, ENEMY CAUGHT NAPPING. Paris, Oct. 10. Le 'Petit l'arisien says that General Nivelle, commanding at Verdun, carried out secret preparations for severfll. days, reinforcing the infantry and installing fresh batteries. Tho troops rushed from the trenches spiritedly, reached and passed the objectives on the left wing, seizing th? Thiaumont worlc and two redoubts, the farm and Haudromont quarry, reaching the Bras-Douaumont road without stopping. The offensive in the centre was carried out even more swiftly. The troops seized the Caillettc Wood, surrounded the Douaumont Fort, captured the fortified ruins of the village, and then a j fierce struggle ensued, the garrison refusing to surrender until three-fourths were annihilated and defence had become impossible. The right wing captured-a portioi. of the woods at Vaux Chapitre, Fumin, and Le Chenois. The extreme right captured the Damloup battery, and is menacing the Vaux Fort, which is invested on three sides, | CAPTURE OF DOUAUMONT. WITNESSED BY JOFFRF GERMANS TAKEN BY SURPRISE. 'Heceived Oct. 27, '1.20 a.m. iPnris, Oct. 2fi. General .Toffrc was an eye-witness of the triumph at Verdun. He vatched the attack from 11.30 a.m. till (i p.m., when a rocket announced that Fort Oouauinont had- been captured. The ground won represents the maximum of an entrenched hill and valley, which could. . have been thoroughly smashed by . a single operation. The. battle was a perfect example of the new style of a scientific mechanical offensive, supported by the best of troops. It was untrue to say that Fort Douaumont was captured at a single bound. The offensive had been prepared by many small advances for 2% months, whereof the most important was that on Fleury village, on August 18. Though the Germans had remarked on the heavy bombardments east of the M'euse for a week, nevertheless there wis an clement of surprise in the attack. BLAST FURNACES BOMBED. SEVERAL FIRES CAUSED. fleceived Oct. 27, 12.10 a.m. Paris, Oct. 20. Official: Eleven British bombardment aeroplanes, accompanied by five protecting aeroplanes, at midday on Monday bombarded the Wast furnaces at Ilagondnnge, wherein they threw l'/i tons of projectiles. Several lires were caused. Tlie aviators observed that a Frer.Oi aeroplane raid there on tin previous night had done much damage. FOUR FURNACES DESTROYED. Received Oct. 27, 12.33 a.m. Amsterdam, Oct. 2G. Four blast furnaces weie destroyed ut Metz by tho.last French air raid, and sixty, workers were killed.