Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-19
TEUTONS IN ATTACK
IN LORRAINE REGION
Penetrate Advanced Enemy Posi-
ton, But Subsequently Are
Driven Out, Is Report.
BOMBARDMENTs ARE HEAVY
Artillery Action Particularly In
tense Near Dixmude, Noord-
schoote, Bois Bourrus and
Montzeville.

LONDON, March 1S. - Al
though the great battle around
Nerdun has materially slackened
in its intensity, both Germans
and French continue their infan-
try actions at several points. The
German plan to seize both the
village and fort of Naux evidently
has not been entirely abandoned,
several attacks in this section be-
ing reported by the French war
office.
1t is believed in London that
the present lull but prefaces
further intense infantry and ar
tillery fighting in the whole Ver-
dun region, for though the Ger
mans in their four weeks of fight
ing have failed to capture Ver-
dun, it is not believed possible
that they will abandon the effort
and admit of defeat.
French Communication.
| The following French official COM
| munication was issued by the war Of
fee tonight.
I'm Belgium our artillery shattered
singhe
Between the Disc and the Aisne we
shelled a German troop proceeding in
the direction of Vassens, northwest of
Soissons
barded quite violently the region OF
Bois Bourrus and Montzeville.
ION the right bank. after intense
artillery preparation, the enemy deliv-
of partial attacks between the viii
lage of NauX and the wood south OF
Haudromont farm. Arrested by our
curtain of fire. he was not able to
reach our trenches at any point.
Munitions Depot Exploded.
Our batteries were very active along
the whole front. particularly in the
Woevre, where our fire caused the ex-
ploson Of a munitions depot in the
Moranville wood
in Lorraine the Germans attacked our
positions in the region of 'Thiaville.
Some enemy detachments which had
succeeded in penetrating our advanced
trench were Immediately driven out
by counter attack.
About o'clock in the evening the
Germans fired two shells of large
ca liber in the direction of Belfort"
The Belgian official communication
reads: The artillery actions took on
greater intensity, especially in the re-
gions of. DiXmude and Noordschoote.
Activity of Canadians. ii
OTTAWA. Ont, March 1S.-Activity
by the artillery of the Canadian troops
in France is reported in communica-
tion from Canadian headquarters in
France received by Gen. Sir Sam
Hughes today.
ION March TO-" the report says, "our
fifty-third trench mortar battery bonn
barded an enemy strong point and sue
ceeded in preaching the German para
pet in several places. The following
day our fourth and fifth field artillery
brigades, in conjunction with our
trench mortar batteries, engaged in
combined shoot on the same objective.
The bombardment resulted in consid-
erable damage to athe eneny's works.
Shell German Trenches.
ION the night of March our bat
teries shelled the German trenches
heavily Our sixth field artillery bri-
gade more than once silenced enemy
trench mortars and machine guns and
demolished some German dug-outs.
ION some sections of our front there
was considerable development in rifle
grenade activity, but the superior
weight of the fire from our grenades
usually proved effective in silencing
the enemy :
"Our patrols were accordingly active
along the whole 'front.'.