Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-06
French Version Of
 Battle Ot VGrdun
GERMANS HAVE NOT ADVANCED
 IN PAST TWO DAYS
EIGHT ATTACKS FAILED
Semi Official Statement Tells of Bodies of 10000 to 5o,ooo Teutons Lyina Before the French Lines.

Paris, March 5. 10.3O ?. mt is stated semi i-oficially that the battle at Nerdun continued yesterday through out the day with the same intensity ana without causing any changes in the respective positions of the oppos- ing armies. Fighting is stir going on for definite possession of the village of DOuaumont.
 The situation as a result of this second phase of the German offensive is regarded as altogether different rom that of the first days of the hat tie. The only progress made bv the Germans was during the first two days of the second attack. For the last forty-eight hours they have not ad- vanced.
 The comparison also is in favor of the French because the Germans have now lost the advantage of surprise and also because the ground has been so torn up that it cannot be organized properly.
 45,oco Corpses of Germans. This information from semi-official sources points out that it must be de- moraHzing to the Germans to see 4O.- 0o0 to 45 coo COhpSes of their com l rades lying before the French lines.
 Half Million Teutons in Battle. ! Achievements brought up by the Germans since the inauguration of the sNN'AAN F'lielNt ''A All' NlLllt on W NeOneS- day are estimated here at 25O 900 raisings the total forces utilized bv the assailants to more than half a million Estimates of losses show wide varf- ance. From details of local actions and the size of the reserve forces brought up. French observers deduce that the GermGns have paid a very ! heavy price for the six square miles l of ground they have gained.
 Eighth Unsuccessful Attack. Tn front of the village of vaux alone | 4,OO0 German COrpses were counted | after the eighth unsuccessful attack | This part Of the battle, though over. | shadCwed by the fight for DCuaumont | IS regarded in Paris as a serious check | for the attackers. The Germans car. ! ried on the assault with great courage | until the dead lay thick on the field | Then the officers, it is said. were com. pelled to urge on the troogs as thel | fallen comrades for the last assaults.
 Tried to Envelope Vaux. | The attack on Vaux began on tn, | evening of March 9 after a furiou, | smelling and continued until the fol. | lOwin" night. Columns of Germans | advancing simultaneously from tn, | north and northwest, tried to envelort 1 the village. French artillery immedi | atCiy opened a heavy fire which sep arated the first wave of Germans iron | their endorsements. Nevertheless, | the fresh troops came on and oh=erv CTS saw plainly the tragic spectacle O | lines of men plunEinr into that storr | of steel and emerging thinned to hal | their strength. Some contingents los six out of every ten men before firinl a shot.
 Hand-to- Hand Fighting.
 The survivors. undaunted. resolutel, | stormed the French trenches ant l fought hand-to-hand in fierce melee at the outskirts of the village. Tn
 most bitter f"hting was for possession Of road leading 70 Douaumont, the ad I vantage of which was obvious Tn Germans charged eight times theme The supreme effort was carried ou by six regiments, advancing in clos formation.
 French Guns Did crueson1e Execution
 French machine guns did gruesom execution in the mass and French in fantry held carefully under cover un til the advancing force approached in | trenches. leIped out to meet the on
 rush with cold steel. The fghtin|
 was finished in a few minutes. Tn Germans retired. leaving hundreds O
 unanEled and torn in the barbed de lenses and thousands laid low by ma
 chine guns and bayonets.
 Strategy of French Commander.
 As the battle proceeded the strate gy of General Petain. French com mander at Nerdun. is being compare
 more and more carefully with that O General Castelnau in the battle 0
 Nancy. Central Petain's withdrawa
 to the DOuamOunt plateau was lilI General Castelnau's withdrawal to tn
 plateau of AmanCe away from tn | heaviest blows of the adversary to
 dominating position. whence he coul
 not be dislodged. French officers pre- dict General Petain's strategy wi
 have the same result, so that the Ger mans will be compelled to seek a de
 cision elsewhere on the front