The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30
View of the wreck of Fort
Douaumont.

their artillery. This time. despii. the
ralor shown by our troops. the village
remained in the cnemy's hands. hut they
could not dchouch from u The edge
Of Douaumont village was kept under
our rifle fire az n very close range. about
fftN yards.
On March 2. II was our turn 10 bo'n-
bard the ruins OF the Village. which
was crumbling 20 pieces and had be-
come nothing hut a heap Of rubbish In
which many bodies were scattered our
artillery having done It's work. two or
our picked batta!!ons made a strong
night a.tacl, agains, the German barri-
cades. Everything gave a before
their dash and the Germans had to
-vacuate the position. At dawn on the
fourth. however. they mad. a powerful
coun;er attack with resn:orcemcnts JUS
trought into the hsht.rg, The lighting
lasted till 2 O'Clock. and once more the
village fell into the hands OF the Ger
mans and our lines were reformed zoo
yards behind II. where they stll remain.
1.-THE Fighting On the Lett
Bank. From March q to 20.
The battering ram pounding on III:
positions on the right bank Of the Mouse
had not opened tina; central breach be-
tween Bras and Douaumont. ~ which
tn. enemy fully expected to reach YER
dun. The German units. especially the
Third Corps. had TO he withdrawn 10 the
rear TO be reconstructed with important
drafts from the depots in Germany. half
being recruits OF the 1916 class.
An order by the Crown Prince. read
about, March 4. to the troops At rest
behind the lines recommended tina; this
period OF res, should be put to good use
In order to prepare for "A supreme ef-
fort which would carry Nerdun. the
heart OF France"
Before beginning this fresh effort II
seemed necessary to the German COM
mand TO take possession Of the positions
OF lie Mort Homme and Cuinieres on the
left bank of the Mouse. as the French
artillery from thes, positions. could
take their adyersaries in The rear IN the
attacks planned on the right bank.
We occupied Immediately west Of the
Meuse FORCES village. the front slopes or
Eethincour, and M%alancourt our line
then crossed Malancourt wood ana
passed In front OF Avocourt. The
enemy. holding the heights of imoSncuA
and ChamHreuvliie. could carry out
further operations on the right bank Only
viii difficulty without being disturbed
bv our artillery. II al, acton west OF
the Meuse had been neglected w TO this
|, moment. 1t was because the enemy BE-
lieved that sweeping advance on Nerdun
would force us to a general retreat. .
ON the 9Th began the commandment OF
our positions from the Meusc TO Bethln-
court. with the same procedure as 'or
| previous attacks. Systematic smashlhg
by heavy artillery OF every centre OF
resistance. destruction of advanced
| works and wholesale shellinG of every
| crossroad and every communication,
! FORCES, the first objective. was sheIied
| by guns Of every calibre for more than
| twelve hours before being assai'ed 10y
! waves OF infantry. situated on low
! ground which our artillery had difficulty
TO cover. the FORCES brook was crossed
by the enemy. who to make
his way up the north slopes OF the Cote
de role.
our resistance grew tronger In order
TO meet the German effort directed on n
wide front against Cum!eres wood and
the Cote de role. They filtered slowly
| along the Regneville railroad. harassed
necessarily by our troops. For the as
sault on Hill eos on the day OF March :
they used no less than AN entire division,
which after fearful losses at length at
tainrd its object.
The French line, starting from the
crest OF the Cote de role, passed In front
Of the Corbcaux wood and the north
edge OF the scrub east OF Bethincourt,
which served us as points of support.
On the next day. the 18th, the German
artillery fire was concentrated with re-
newed intensity on the CorbeauX wood.
which the enemy infantry entered at the
same time that II gained n foothold on
the slopes of the Cote de role, \ hard
fought duel then began for possession of
the wood. parts Of the position changing
hands several times. Al the outset we
had the ADVANTAGE. While "A German
massed attack on our right against Beth
inCOurt failed. n counter attack, carried
out with magnificent lash, enabled us to
regain part of the CorbeauX wood and
the enemy was driven toward the east
| crn extremity, This first attempt to re-
capture the ground lost vas fruitless.
Several sOt lions were wiped out. We
extended our positions until on the Sth
we had recovered almost the entire wood
Once more the German command drew
large drafts upon its reserves. Forces
wiicn may Dc estimated al iiu-- iegi-
inents Of electives received the order ON
the 10th to carry rumieres wood at any
cost.
The first shells from the enemy's ar
t!llery killed or wounded the Colonel and
the Majors OF the regiment defending
corbeaux wood. and his loss threw the
defence into confusion, The troops
nevertheless did their duty heroically,
and II they had to yield that which they
had so brilliantly won the day before
they prevented the enemy from adj
vancing beyond the edges OF the wood,
and Lee Mort Homne remained intact.
ON the morning Of the 18th the Ger
mans began the task of wrestling from
our grasp i'ethincourt, I.e Nor, Hommc
and Cumieres. Their artillery from
10 40 4. NJ. played on the northsrn edge
Of Bourrus woods. the district Of Le