The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-05
CHECKED BY ARTILLERY

failed with heavy losses to the Ger mans.
 CHECKED BY ARTILLERY The French artillery fire was so fierce that in the evening the Germans were unable to push their attack on any point of the Douaumont plateau. The profited of the night. however. in which they brought up masses of reserves. and the fighting began with renewed fury on Thursday.
 During the morning and the afternoon, including three onsIaughts which were made by POmeranian and Brandenburg regiments. they held their positions. In the second attack the assailants, who fought with great bravery, reached the French barbed wire but so fierce was the hail of bullets from the machine guns and rifles that the gray-coated legions melted away rapidly.
 The officers rallied the soldiers again and again until no more were left to be rallied. The third attack began about 8 o'clock in the afternoon. It was even more violent than those which had pre- ceded For more than an hour the Ger mans came on in serried ranks, hurling themselves regardless of cost against the ridges held by the Frenchinen. DEFENDERS WAIVER At last the defenders line wavered at two points. but only momentarily, and
 
 bayonet drove the Germans back to the shelter of the Chambrettes of the Har-. da umont ravines. The Germans then re- sumed the bAmbardment, ploughing up the ground and pulverizing the rocks with hundreds of big shells. The fourth advance was made after dusk by fresh Prussian brigades who had replaced the troops engaged in the morn ing and afternoon attacks After des- perate fighting they managed to get o footing on the extreme edge of the plateau, whence they pushed forward into the Hanks on the north side of the vil- lage.
 The Germans now hold Douaumont vil- lage, but the French dominate them from commanding heights. AS both sides there are fairly evenly matched, 1t is likely that the village will change hands more than once before the battle ends.
 The experts say that German possess sion of 1t is only temporary, and that the technical advantage remains with the French. whose lines continue unbroken.
 BARS WAY TO FORT
 The determination of the German at- tacks on the village of Douaumont is explained by the strategic advantage of the height to the south held by the French barring the way to the bastion and fort. The village itself. composed of about 50 houses. now Is only smoking IL lH uOLnSudtcus tO&eLu6T Wlkn the ravines at tho foot of the advanced bastions of the fort by the French bat teries massed on the plateau and heights in the rear, so that the instant the Ger mans come to the clearing from the woods and ravines they are immediately exposed to a galling fire.
 There is no official news this afternoon regarding the issue of the struggle for the village. but there are indications that the French have 1t under control. It is explained that after the furious onslaught of two days the attacks of the German infantry were suspended dur ing the night the possession of the vil- lage itself being of no advantage without occupation of the heights to the south which command it and make 1t untenable for hostile forces.
 MUST TAKE PLATEAU |, Possession of the plateau of Douau-