HOT FIGHTING IN CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2406, 11 March 1915, Page 5

HOT FIGHTING IN CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT

CAPTURE OF A REDOUBT

SUCCESS IN THE ARGONNE FOREST

(Rec. March 10, 9 p.m.)

, , , Par ' 8 i March 10. Official.—'"We an. attack east of Steenstraate, in Belgium (six miles north of Ypres), . The .fighting at Notre Dame De Lorette (north of Arras) continued all day. The positions are unchanged."

The High Commissioner reports (London, May 10, 3.30 a.m.) Reports from Paris state that very hot fighting has occurred in the Cham, pagne district, with results favourable to the Allies.

■ "Between Souain and Perthes (on the Reims-Argonno front), two counterattacks were repulsed, and further progress made. Over a ridge north-east of Mesnil, yesterday's gain of 450 metres was increased by two hundred (an aggregate gain of slightly over 810 yards), Tho Allies have carried a German redoubt and taken guns and prisoners. The enemy's organisation was of an extremely stroiig character, and included armoured shelters, with revolver guns and very deep subterranean chambers. ' : "In the Argonne, between Four de Paris and the Bois de Bolante the Allies haye delivered an attack -which has made them masters of the. first' German, line over a length of 200 metres(2so yards)."

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. The High Commissioner repol'ts:— Sir; John French reports' The situation on'our front is unchanged. Tho mastery over the enemy's snipers, reported on March 1 acquired iii the neighbourhood of La Bassee is maintained. Similar conditions have been produced on other portions of the front, notably in .the region ot Ypres. This result is primarily due to local individual initiative, materially assisted by successful mining operations. , On the night of March 5-6, a mine exploded under a German trench south-east of Ypres, and several of tho enemy were killed. A mine, crater was temporarily occupied by our troops, an enemy's trench on each side being rendered useless. On several sectors of our front the enemy's artillery is more active than usual, but-tile effect is slight. [A similar message, in briefer terms, has been received from the Press Association.] 1 '

PETULANT FURY OF. DISAPPOINTED ENEMY.

(Rec. March 10, 9 p.m.)

ri,. • ~, „ f , London, March 10. . The /Daily Chronicle's correspondent at Dunkirk states that the Germans, realising that it is impossible to force the Anglo-French lines at La. Bassee and Bethune, are bombarding factories, without military justification .arid similarly are bombarding collieries at the Novxles Mines. ' ■ i

GERMANY CALLING UP HER WEAK RESERVES.

(Rec. March 10. 6.15 p.m.)

London, March 10. , Reports from Geneva assert that Germany is calling up the balance of the Landsturm which had previously been exempted because of unfitness for the fighting-line.—("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

THE BRITISH LINE IN FLANDERS,

(Reo. March 10, 6.5 p.m.)

London, March 10 "Eye-Witness"' states that the British line is divided in two equal portions by the River-Lys (which forms part of the boundary between France and Belgium). ' North of the river the ground is broken by several commanding heights. To the south, the country is a water-logged plain. The line runs from tho river—a little,south of Frelingheim—through Le Touguel, Le Gheir St. Yves, turns sharply'westward round the foot of Hill 63, then runs about a mile to .the northward again, circling Wytschaete and Messines, a position which represents n great wedge driven into the centre of our line, whereby the enemy has placed himself astride the direct road from Ypres to' Armentieres —"Times" and Sydney "Sim" services. 1