FIGHTING AROUND YPRES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2391, 22 February 1915, Page 6

FIGHTING AROUND YPRES

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT Tho High Commissioner reports to •. ' tho Primo Minuter: — London, February 19, 1.26 p.m. Sir John. French reports, that the enemy has. displayed; considerable aotivlty during tho past few days southeast of Ypres. Fighting on this part lof tie lino was at times severe. At one or two points the: enemy'succeeded in occupying some trenches, but were driven out by counter-attacks. In one placo, sixty German dead were left' on tho ground in one of his trenches, which Was biown Tip. A number of prisoners ivero taken. • ■ Our troop's made,-the counter-attacks with great gallantry, despite the difficulties entailed by the waterlogged ground in tho trenches and the Bad weather. On the night of February • 15 and 16 an : attack was made on our lino north of tho Yprcs Canal, and on : tho following night a similar attack took place near Neuve Chappelle; both ■ ' wore'easily driven off, with loss to the enemy-' All the ground recently gain- : fcd. by the Allies has been strengthened and held without difficulty. South of the Lys,. our guns dealt effectively with tho enemy's artillery, . whose, fire has increased somewhat lateu ]y. .'■■■ ■ • .•■■■■ Our aircraft have made valuable reconnaissances, and have also successfully engaged the enemy's aeroplanes., One of. our. aviators recently attacked two German machines in succession. Ho drove off the first; and left the second to be dealt- with by our artillery, which brought it to the ground in. the hostile lines. - - . ■ London, February 19, Sir John French's.bulletin states that ■ ■ '-the enemy has been very active during '-.-■' the past' -few-' days south-westward of K-.'iYpres, the; fighting . sometimes being severe. . Our .troops _ show great, gallantry . ' in- counter-attacking, and despite . the . waterlogged ground in tho. trenches iavo easily repelled the German' night. . - attacks. . . . ■ "Our aircraft engaged-and destroyed a "German aeroplane.-