ALLIES DRIVE GERMANS BACK AT ARRAS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2279, 13 October 1914, Page 5

ALLIES DRIVE GERMANS BACK AT ARRAS

HARD FIGHTING IN NORTH OF FRANCE SOME PROGRESS MADE NORTH OF THE AISNE t . ■ ■ Paris, October 11. A communique states:— "German cavalry who seized passages on the Lys River, east of Aire, were expelled on Saturday, and retired into the Armentieres district; "The Germans attacked very vigorously between the areas of the Oise, but made no progress. The Allies progressed somewhat north of the Aisne, especially north-west of Spissons; • "German night attacks between Canone (P Oraonne) and Reims were repulsed. "The Germans attacked violently in the Apromont region, and captured Apremont. The French, however, retook the, place, and still'hold it. "There is nothing fresh to Teport regarding operations at Reims, on the Meuse, or in Lorraine or the Vosges." Aire is 20 miles west of Armentieres. > Craonne is seventeen miles' north-west of Reims. Apremont is east of the Meuse, 26 miles south from Verdun. 200,000 MORE GERMAN TROOPS FOR FRANCE. Romo, October 11. An official message from Berlin states that the fall of Antwerp haß released two hundred thousand troops; who will be transported forthwith to France with siege artillery. > GENERAL OPERATES SATISFACTORY. .(Rcc. October 12, 9.20 p.m.) ■ Par!/!, October '12. ~ A communique issued at midnight states that there is nothing fresh to report except that a flag was captured at Las'signy. The general operations of the day were satisfactory. . . ■ . GENERAL ADVANCE OF ALLIES PENDING. (Reo. October 13, 0.5 a.m.) ".■'". ■ ■ London, October. 12. . The Press Bureau reports that a communication from French headquarters mentions that there is a lull'in tlin operations on' our immediate front pending a. g'eriefal advance. At _; Arras the Germans are well supplied with artillery : and were particularly violent on Tuesday and Wednesday, but met with-no success. Tlie only place where they gained ground .was near Rove ■whore.the gains were not worth a tithe of the cost in men and material. The towns on the battleline are now scenes of black destruction. Arras is wrecked, I Albert has no existence, and Douai is half-Surned down. , j. "■'■ GERMANS'DRIVEN BACK THIRTEEN. MILES. ■ (Reo. October 13, 1.20 a.m.). ; , -.;••' London, October 12. j,.,.-' The "Daily: Mail's" Paris correspondent reports that a desperate battle was fought on Friday north of Arras, resulting in a brilliant success; The Germans were driven back thirteen miles losing twehve thousand in killed and wounded. The Allied cavalry was greatly hampered* by miles of hop gardens. . • . - v ' ' ' ' \ PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE THE BRITISH FORCES AND THEIR WORK. The Prime Minister has received the following message from the High Commissioner:— ; : , . London, October 11, 10.40 p.m. " Official.—The following, communicated from • headquarters, continues and supplements the .narrative of the movements of the British forces and the French in immediate touch, with, it: —-The comparative calm on our front has continued. During the past six days misty conditions favourably assisted aerial reconnaisance. A bright moon militated against night attacks. , .On' October 3 practically nothing' happened. Each side shelled the other towards evening. On the 4th there was a similar absence of activity. The enemy's bands played patriotic airs and the audiences which gathered gave a chance for our waiting howitzers. The Germans have gramaphones in the trenches. ' . . ■ ; . On the 6th there were three separate duels in the air between French and German aviators. Two were indecisive; in the third, the French airman was victorious and ! brought down his opponents, both of whom were killed. Ten Laridwehr taken prisoners by'us were in very poor condition. They wept copiously when captured, and explained that th'ey believed they would be shot. One of- our infantry _patrols. discovered one hundred and fifty dead Germans in a wood. We sent out a party to bury them, but were fired upon and had to withdraw. On the 6th the enemy's guns were active in the afternoon. The 7th was uneventful. On the Bth shelling was continuous. Opposite several points the Germans attempted to gain ground by sapping, with a view secretly to passing forward machine guns in advance of their trenches. At one point the French drove a mine gallery fifty metres long under an emplacement and blew up a German gun. , Our Maxims are. doing excellent work, and have proved most efficient weapons, Against us the Germans are not now expending so much gun ammunition as before, but continue to fire at insignifioant targets.