New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-14
GERMANS PREPARE
Sd VERDUN DRIVE
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Yards. The men cleaned up the saps.
and after having inflicted some losses
on the enemy. they returned to our
lines with about twenty prisoners
German losses in the fighting
around Fort VauX on last Friday and
Saturday are declared b. French Off
GERS returning from Nerdun 10 have
been simply appalling. All previous
records in this war were broken IN TINS
slaughter.
Time and time again and with eI-
traordinary courage the Germans. IN
columns four deep. rushed from their
trenches. only 20 melt away under tne
fire Of the French rs. $50 and 10
millimetre guns. which rsined shells
with deadly accuracy into the marching
companies. When the smoke and aust
cleared nothing was TO be seen Out
heaps OF bodies.
The spur on which the fort is situat-
ed is almost perpendicular IN certain
places. The German lines were forced
10 halt. but many Bayarian reseryists
climbed up on one another's shoulders
and struggled up the slope, clinglng 10
angles OF rock and grasplng TUFTS OF
grass. Again and again these human
pyramids collapsed into shapeless gray
masses. In the places where the in
cline was easier and the attacks there
fore more concentrated, the ditcnes
below ran red with blood. Al the low
est estimate the attackers lost two
thirds Of their electives.
The fighting also was DESPERATE IN
the extreme when regiments from the
18th and 18th German Army Corps at
tackled the village Of Naux on Friday
Dawn was Just breaking, and over the
country hung a heavy white .llst, max
ing everything invisible beyond hun
bred yards. This enabled the Germans
10 get within rushing distance OF ms
French front trenches. but. although
they outnumbered the defenders SIX 10
one, it took four distinct assaults be-
fore the first column OF Germans won
the shelter Of a small group Of houses
beyond the church Of NsIx.
They then organized an assault
upon the church, and the French, beng
unable 20 bring up reinforcements on
account Of the German curtain or hre'
withdrew their advanced elements
which were in danger OF being sur
rounded.
Five times the North Prussisn regi-
ments rushed 20 attack the church, out
every time they left the shelter OF the
ruined houses they were beaten BACK
by the fire from machine guns and the
ghrapnel from the French 5S-mllll-
metre mountain guns. In the mean
time in their rear a curtain OF IRE was
kept up by the French los and 2los'
so that Il was impossible for munitions
and reinforcements TO be brought up
for their benefit. and the light died
down on Friday night from sheer eN-
haustion.
The German statement, which does
not even mention the Nerdun sector IS
The weather has been favorable for
observation purposes and there mas
been very lively artillery activity on
both sides over a great part OF the
front The activity also increased on
both sides OF the Meuse and as far as
the Noselie
Apart from some patrol fighting on
the Somme and the failure Of a minor
French attack in lie Pretre forest there
were no events
Paris, on the other hand, reports in
creased activity north OF the AlsEe, IN
Champagne and in the Argonne:
North of the Aisne our artillery
shattered at several points enemy or
CARNATIONS on the plateau OF Nauclerc.
in Champagne well regulated nres
from our heavy batteries were directed
against the German works at Maisons
de Champagne and in the region west
OF Nsvarin.
we carried out destructive fires on
the enemy shelters. railroads and or
CARNATIONS in the eastern Argonne.'