THE BRITISH ATTACK ON NEUVE CHAPPELLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2408, 13 March 1915, Page 7

THE BRITISH ATTACK ON NEUVE CHAPPELLE

RESULTS OF THE ACTION IMPORTANT SUCCESS BY ANGLO-INDIAN TROOPs ByT#leerapi.—Prws isJooiftUtn—CosyiigM London, March 11. The High Commissioner reports:— "The British attack at the village of Neuve Chappelle resulted in' 2500 metres (3125 yards) of trenches being captured before arid in tho village. Subsequently the British advanced in the direction of Aubers to Piftre Mill, and south-easterly, in the direction of Bois de Riez, the distance covered being equivalent to two kilometres (1 1-omiles), beyond Neuvo Chappelle. The German artillery was little used." Later. "In th© region of Neuve Chappelle the British troops have repulsed two counter-attacks, with, considerable loss to the enemy."-COUNTER-ATTACKS ON NEUVE CHAPPELLE REPULSED. (Roc. March 12, 8.35 p.m.) Paris, March 12. Official.—"Fog has hampered the operations at different points. Two at- ■' tacks in the Ypres sector were repulsed, and tho British, repulsed two German . counter-attacks on Neuve Chappelle, inflicting considerable losses. "Our positions have been maintained elsewhere, and appreciable progress has been made west of Perthes. ■London, Maroh 12. A report from Berlin states that the German War Office admits that their position at Neuve Chappelle has been penetrated, but tho .fighting continues, GERMANS BUILDING BOATS BEHIND THE ,YSER. (Rec, March 12, 8.35 p.m.) Amsterdam, March 12. The "Tj id" states that the Germans are building 'a large number of boats behind the Yser lines. BRITISH SQUADRON BOMBARDS WESTENDE . . London, March 12, 2.5 a.m. The High Commissioner reports:— "A small British squadron successfully bombarded Wcstende, on the Bcl« eian coast, near Ostend, B (Rec. March 12, 3.25 p.m.) » . Paris, March 12. JDfijcial.—A British air squadron has bombarded .Wcstende. ENEMY FEARS A' LANDING ON BELGIAN COAST. Amsterdam, March 11. The paper "Maasbode" (published at-Rotterdam) states that the Germans are making active preparations to prevent a British landing in Belgium. The garrisons at Knocke and Hcyst (Belgian coast towns above Ostend) havs bqeu increased and strong reinforcements sent to Bruges. DESTRUCTIVE WORK Bl r : BRITISH AIRCRAFT. „ . . London, March 11. British aircraft 'destroyed the railway junctions at and Meniu, (Rec. March 12, 7.15 p.m.) London, March 12. Tho British Admiralty publishes a statement that a Sluis (in Holland) correspondent, from a reliable source, said that the British airmen on February 21, besides killing thirteen and wounding thirty-five soldiers, and badly damaging a submarine at Zeebrugge, several batteries along tho coast suffered, and largo numbers of guns were totally destroyed. At Knocke one officer and seven men were killed. The airmen's bombs did not kill civilians, nor did they touch the liousos. —("Times"- and Sydney "Sun" Services.) IMPORTANT ADVANCE BY BRITISH AND INDIAN TROOPS. London, March 11. The Press Bureau says the 4th Army Corps and the Indians advanced yesterday three-quarters of a milo on a front of four thousand yards; and captured all tho intervening hostile positions and tienchcs. They took seven hundred prisoners." FIGHTING IN THE CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE AND MANY COUNTER-ATTACKS, London, March 12, 2.5 a.m. The High Commissioner reports:--"In the Champagne district the Allies have made progress in the wood in which the Allies obtained a footing, five days ago, the enemy defended their pwitimi vleornucty. but, tho Allies few aisilmsineti ito- aumit, miU'UllbUili Uim; & very heavy bombardment-, Alia souatewUsskj."

COMPLETE SUCCESS OF; THE 'ALLIES, (Rcc. March 12, 11.20 p.m.) Paris, March 12. Official. —"Several weeks' operations in the Champagne district have been completely successful, compelling the. Germans to employ from 4 to pi army corps, which were forced to consume enormous quantities of ammunition, and prevonted the sending of troops to Russia. The French gained a front of seven kilometres (4 l-o miles) long by 2J (l-J- miles) wide, including somo valuablo Heights. "They annihilated two regiments of guards, found ten thousand German corpses, and captured two thousand prisoners and many machine guns. The prisoners, were extremely depressed." IB THE ENEMY'S MORALE WEAKENING J (Rcc. March 12, 8.35 p.m.) London, March 12. "Eye-Witness," writing from the British Headquarters,*, says,: "The accuracy of our ar.tillery is causing great nervousness to tko enemy at certain points on the left centre." . "Eye-Witness" warns the public against accepting the stories of the enemy's morale weakening." "The enemy's effectives m the West have been much reduced," he says, "but thoy still hold an enormous front, whilst carrying out at the same time huge operations in tho East. There are no._signs of niorale weakening, and we must not underestimate the enemy's fighting qualities. "■ HEROIC DEEDS AT THE FARM OF BEAUSEJOUR THRILLING STORY OF A GALLANT STAND, ' (Rec. March 12, 9.30 p.m.) Paris, March 12. The recapture of Beausejour was a brilliant exploit. French colonials had previously held the redoubt, and, the Germans delivored six massed counter-attacks. The fire of tho French wiped out a whole battalion: Another furious attack followed at dawn. Lieutenant Reynal leaped the breastwork of the redoubt to lead the charge, and fell. Lieutenant Gazeaux replaced him, and he fell, riddled with bullets. The Survivors retreated, Private Simon dragging Lieutenant Gazeaux's body into the redoubt amid a hail of bullets. Private Jouy killed seven Germans before he was sabred, but managed to crawl into the redoubt. Captain Poirier, heading another charge, was struck by a bomb-splinter. Seizing a rifle, he killed several Germans with the bayonet, but before lie was killed, Lieutenant Le Long, tho last survivor of the redoubt called out: "I'll show you how a Frenoli soldier dies!" and dashed at tho Germans. He killed before ho fell, pierced by bayonets. Reinforcements on February 23 recovered the Tedoubt. A special correspondent of the Paris 'Matin" gives a description of the country round about the farm of Beausejour, which has figured so often in recent communiques. Tho line of the trenches, when it comes out of the Argonne, passes by tho town of Ville-su'r-Tourbe, which lies in a marsh. Just to thfi east of it there are a couple of woods in which the ground was so wet that it was impossible to occupy them. West of Ville-sur-Tourhe ' the trenches run through tho- .village of Massiges, and then along a high ridge on which stand iip the fafm buildings of Beausejour. This ndgo is of great importance (on the map it is marked hill 190), and it overlooks the flat plain immediately to the north as far as Monthois and Vouziers. ■ |