South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-26
Was Regarded as One of the
Strongest and Was De-
Tended by Heaviest Guns
in French Army.
BERLIN SAYS CAPTURE
IS A MATTER OF TIME
German Lines Only Four Miles
From City-TroOpS Have
Advanced Six Miles
Since Last Sunday.
international News Service

International News Service.
BERLIN, Feb. 26 (by wireless). -
German troops have smashed a hole
i'm the ring of forts defending Yer
dun. capturing Fort Douaumont.
four miles northeast of the city it.
self.
Fort DOuaumont is three miles
southeast Of the ridge Of Louvemont
10 which position the French retired
on Thursday night 1t was cap
tured by storm.
The capture was made by the oath
regiment of Brandenburgers. who.
despite the hurricane of shells and
the calling fire Of scores Of French
machine guns. rolled forward in an
irresistible wave.
In a hand-to- hand combat in the
works the Germans drove their way
to victory with the cod steel
One OF the st. ongest.
Fort DouaumOnt was regarded as
one OF the strongest of the q forts
which guard Verdun.
1t was built Of steel, stone and
concrete and was defended with the
heaviest guns in the French army.
The capture Of the fort opens the
way for an advance against its sister
works, Fort Belleule, Fort St.
Michel and Fort SOuvilIe.
The charge which resulted in the
fall of Fort Douaumont was made
in binding snowstorm following a
hrr 1ra, 4 20
Is and 17-inch guns For hours the
monster howitzers Of the Germans
had pounded the fort. the shells
tearing gigantic ridges in the solid
concrete masonry and blasting the
steel turrets into kindlings.
French Guns Reply.
The French guns replied and the
duel of drum fire rocked the ground
and shook the air with its thunder
for nearly so miles.
The following official statement OF
the capture was given out by the
war office:
The armored fortress Of Douau-
mont, the northeastern pillar Of the
permanent main line fertilization OF
Verdun, was captured by storm yes
terday by the oath regiment OF
Brandenburgers. It is now firmly
in German hands"
This announcement was followed
by demonstrations of joy. Flags
were raised over public and private
buildings and the praises Of the gall
liant Brandenburgers were on all
lips. There was 2 procession through
Inter Den Linden and the national
anthem was sung before the palace.
The capture Of Fort Douaumont
means gain OF approximately two
more miles OF ground for the Ger
mans Most important still, it re-
moves the chief menace to an ad-
vance south Of Ornes. for the
sweeping plain south Of that town
vas under the guns Of the fort.
City Is StiIled.
Under cover Of darkness, follow
ing the victory. the Germans worked
feverishly bringing up fresh guns
and ammunition and now the big
mortars in the fort are smashing the
city OF Verdun itself Fires have
broken out and many Of the French
reserves which were held there by
Gen. Humbert, have been forced 70
retire to escape humiliation by the
Grman shells.
The sixth day OF the battle Of
Nerdun finds the German lines only
four miles from Verdun. meaning a
six-mile advance since last Sunday
when the drive against the French
fortress was resumed
1t is believed that the capture OF
the fortress is now a matter Of only
q fen dare