WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

A GERMAN CLAIM. BIG AMMUNITION DEPOT BLOWN UP. Received Nov, 9, 11 p.m. Amsterdam, Nor. 9. A Berlin oflicial communique claim*, that an aerial night attack 011 Cerisy, tile centre of the French ammunition supply, resulted in the blowing up of the station and a big ammunition depot, ACTIVE ARTILLERY WORK. ENEMY GATHERINGS DISPERSED. Received Nov. 9, II pffli London, Nov, !). General Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is hostile artilierying upon the whole front south of the Aucre. Paris Nov. 9. Official: North of the Somme the enemy gatherings were dispersed. South of the Somme there is violent reciprocal bombardment, also a particularly lively artillery engagement in the region of Damloup and Douaumont. TERRIFIC OFFENSIVE. l HEAVY CASUALTIES. New York, Nov. 8. A Berlin wireless says that the Allies began a terrific, offensive on the Somrae. and the casualties on both sides were heavy. French and Australian troops charged time after time across fields covered with dead. London, Nov. 8. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy heavily shelled us west 0i Beaumont Hamel and unsuccessfully attempted to raid our trenches. It is stormy. A Paris communique says: The enemy merely bombarded our new positions in the Ablaincourt sugar refinery sector. Eight of our aeroplanes dropped a ton of bombs 011 the aerodrome at Fraseatty and the military railway station at Chiinbley. - THE FOUR VALLEYS ON THE RIGHT OF THE MEUSE. HOW THE BATTLE SURGED ROUND FORT VAUX. The evacuation by the Germans of the ruins of Fort Vaux carries a stage further forward the French counter-of-fensive on the Verdun front, which was brilliantly initiated a week ago by the capture of Douaumont fort and village and ITaudromont quarries. In a few hours the French regained the strategic points on the right bank of the Meusi. which it took the Germans months to capture. The eastern face of the heights of the Meuse is lined with a succession of valleys running down to the plain, and in the intervals between the hill spurs jut out like so many bastions. There are four of these valleys and three bastion spurs between Douai.mont and the Verdun-Metz railway line. The first and most northerly of the valleys is that of Bczonvaux, up near the head of which lies the village of Douaumont itself. The second is the valley of Vaux, where the village of that name is situated, and 011 the crest of the ragged spur between the two are the ruins of the old fort of Douaumont. A little south of the Vaux Valley is another gully, much shorter and steeper, which shelter.-, the village of Damloup, and tho hill between in this case is surmounted by the ruins of the fort of Vaux. About a mile and a quarter further south is the valley through which the Metz

railway runs 011 its way to Verdun, but the intervening hill is practically only a continuation of the spur upon which Fort Vaux stands. Vaux was unceasingly hammered for a week before it surrendered 011 June (i last, the Germans losing heavily before they finaPy compelled the surrender of the 700 men who garrisoned the position. The village, a one-street hamlet, was heavily attacked in the early days of March as part of the movement against Douaumont. Already the village had been hammered to ruins, and 011 March S the German momentarily carried the village, but were driven out the same day with the bayonet. Next morning the enemy attacked again with great resolution, advancing against both fort and village, but without success. On March 10 large reinforcements eamc 011 again, but were' caught by the French guns before they could get to close quarters. Saturday, March 11, saw the final effort. In the early morning the Germans swept up the vavine and took the east end of the village and the ruins of the church. They pressed up the bill towards the fort, but were stayed by the wire entanglements and beaten back, the attack thus ending in failure. Vaux then had a few days' vest while the tide of battle swung round to the other wing, but 011 March 15 annth'V heavy attack was made. It was broken up by field and machine-guns, but was twice renewed at night, when the village was p.gain penetrated, but the fort proved impregnable, After that the ruined fort was taken.