Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-03-15
GERMANS Renew
HEAVY ATTACKS
Redouble Fire From Heavy
Artillery and Strike
Fiercely
FRENCH NOW COLUMNS
kaiser's Soldiers Thrown Back by De-
Tenders, Leaving Field Covered
With the Slain

London, March 15-German troops
have driven a wedge in the French
front between Bethincourt and Dead
Man Hill, according to Berlin dis
patches transmitted through Amster-
dam today.
Bethincourt, Berlin asserted, Is near
ly two thirds surrounded and slight
German advance will force its evacua-
ton. The French positions on Dead
Man Hill, according to the German
report, have again been put in peril
in the resumption of the Verdun
lighting.
The German claims are contradict
ed in the latest official dispatches
from Paris.
The French war Office admits that
Germans arc making heavy attacks Or
this sector. following an intense bom-
bardmcnt, but claims the repulse ot
all German attacks except at two
points between Bethincourt and DeaG
Man Hill.
There is every indication that tie
German assaults on this front MAJ:
the beginning of great battle that
may prove the last phase of the great
struggle for Verdun.
The crown prince, it is now believed
, hopes-by one brilliant stroke 70 break
the French front northwest Of the
citadel. This movement, if successful
would trap the French army on the
cast bank of the Meuse and mean the
surrender of enormous supplies of al
tillery and munitions and probably Il
large number of prisoners.
That French experts are awake to
the danger of such blow is evident
from Paris dispatches today.
at is significant" said one dispatch
that the bombardmcnt which is Il
necessary prelude to an infantry at
tack has been confined almost entire
ly to ne west bank of the Meuse
northwest of Verdun. French mill
tary experts and staff officers conclude
that the battle for which the Germans
have been preparing will rage with
greatest fury between Bct!iincour:
and Goose Hill.
"If the Germans force those French
positions, their next point o. attack
! will be the Bourrus forest. two ard
onc-half miles northwest O. Vei;iun
ard Charney, three miles north OF
Terdun.
Were the Germans to leak
through to Verdun by way Of Douaut-
mont and Vaux on the east 5an!; Of
the Meuse, it would be an emty
victory. They would lose S0r,09a mere
rIen for the sake of an empty hulk.
! Paris March luxurious fighting
has been renewed on both banks Of
the Meuse, north, west and northeast
of Verdun. The Germans, by heavy
assaults following the unprecedented
bombardment of the last seventy-two
hours, broke through the French lines
at two points on the front between
! Bethincourt and Deadman Hill. The
gain was made, the War Office md
night report asserts, at the cost OF
heavy losses to the Kaiser's forces.
Four attacks in all were launched
yesterday two on escn bank OF the
Meuse. Early in the morning east
of the river the artillery cannonade
against the French positions attained
its climax. For more than two hours
the Germans kept up the mighty ef-
fort of their heaviest guns, and then
long lines of infantry in close forma-
ton surged from. the German trench
es and assailed the French positions
in the wood of Haudremont.
The furious barrier fire of the
French and storm of machine-gur
bullets and shrapnc moved down tht
gray columns of Germans as the!
swept time and again to the attack
] The Germans, leaving hundreds O
dead on the field, were forced to fal
! back.
! This attack failing, the artiller.
;. fire west Of the-MAuse redoubled il
j fury, according to. the midnight Wa
!. Office report, and in the afternoon {