The sun., 1916-10-26
CAUGHT MAPPING.

Preparations fer French Drive
Were Unseen by Foe.
Special Gable to Tus Sun from the Losdor
LONDON. Oct. 26.-The special corre-
spondent Of the Times In Paris tele-
graphs as follows:
The French offensive on . the right
bank Of the Mouse is a magnificent
crushing Of the Germans. who by their
showing had selected Verdun as the
likeliest battle ground on which TO par
alyse the vitality Of our ally and bring
her to her knees. In q few hours the
efforts OF as many months, sustained nj
ruinous cost. have been cancelled. The
French army noW holds practically the
position It held at the end of May.
a couple Of months ago at verdun a
distinguished French General p~rophesied
that as soon ~ they were reinforced
and had more heavy guns the poilus
would have their revanche and go
through the German lines a. II they were
butter His words have come true.
Prepared for Weeks.
Ger. Nivelle. commanding the Second
army. and Gen. sMangin. commanding
the section. had been silently ~preparing
the great coup for weeks. Some days
ago they were reinforced by several d.
visions. and fresh batteries were posted.
The b~ombardment Of the enemy began
ten days ago. but when everything was
ready bad weather delayed the oper-
atoms. 1t is remarkable that despite
this warning the Germans should have
been caught mapping.
q mi out at midday, and
at 4 o'clock the German defence had been
mastered. At s o'clock Douaumont fort
was surrounded by Gen. Mangtn's troops,
the very men who held the fort for q
brief space in May. A rocket announced
that the poilus had forced an entrance
TO the village and at the same time were
swarming around Douaumont fort. .
There was n struggle that continued
until dark around the DouAumont fort
and here at least the Germans resisted
to the bitter end. Not Until three.fourths
OF the garrison had been killed or
wounded did the survivors surrender with
their commander. The French have thus
onset the capture Of Major Raynal. the
heroic commander Of vaux fort. Vaux
fort 10 now pressed on east, south and
west.
German OASeP Kills Himself.
"A Zouave non-commissioned officer de.
scribinG the storming Of the fort said
The boches seemed stupefied when they
saw us rushing toward them. We en-
tered Thiaumont work In twenty min
utes. killing or taking prisoners the
whole garrison. Not one ecaped. An
officer who appeared to be the com.
.nander shot himself In the head with
a revolver when he. recognised thai re-
distance was air
THE heaviest fighting was at Douau.
mont fort. which the Germans defended
desperately. but soon the village was
taken n the fort exposed and we were
able to surround It. Still the garrison
fought. refusing to surrender ntil al
6 o'clock the 400 survivors holsted the
white nag and laid down their arms.
Ten minutes later the French bugles
rang out as h tricolor Was run up by
the northern giacis OF Douaumont fort.
How cleverly the German high COM
mand was hoodwinked 10 evident from
the following fact: For the last three
weeks the Germans have been holding
divisions at the rear Of their Verdun
front ready TO reinforce the troop. In
n sector attacked. Last Wednesday,
believing that our allies had r~enounced
their offensive At verdun, the German
command despatched the two divisions to
the Bapaume front, thus missing the
critical day"