GREAT ACTIVITY ON WESTERN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2411, 17 March 1915, Page 5

GREAT ACTIVITY ON WESTERN FRONT

FURTHER SUCCESSES BY THE ALLIES ! ENEMY'S COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED —■ — i A • it firrtv t) 1 ' Pal,l8 ' Jf arcli 15. A communique states:—"The Belgians continue to progress at the bend of the Yser; also south of Dixmude. "The enemy violently attacked and slightly pushed back the British at St. Eloi (3J miles south of Ypres), but_ the British counter-attacked and regained part of the lost, ground. Fighting continues. "The situation in the Neuve Chapelle region (north of La Bassee) is unchanged. "We repulsed a violent attempt to retake the trenches between Four de 1 Paris <ind the Bolaute Wood (in the Argonne)." [A similar report has been received from the High Commissioner.] WINDMILL FORT BLOWN UP BY THE BELGIANS. (llec. March 16, 11.15 p.m.) ' m , ~ , ■, - , Paris, March IG. 8 The Belgians have captured a windmill at Dixmude which the Germans had transformed into a fortress, bv means of reinforced concrete. The Belgians 1 mined the position, blowing the mill to pieces, and wrecking the thirty machine guns.

BRILLIANT ATTACK BY THE FRENCH

a THEEE LINES OF TRENCHES CAPTURED. ? (Rcc. March 16, 10.5 p.m.) Official: "French infantry delivered n brilliant attack, a/tllTresult which they captured three lines of trenches on a spur at Xotre T),ime ds Larette, (beyond Arras), and reached the edge of a plnwau, lakinj; 100 prisoners attd blon-inc up an ammunition store. "Our iiiFniUi'.r Imv* il»« wstUfn wtt »{ Uis. vllUst of VjmhUdife, C • making numerous Briwnjrs, '■ 1 .

The High Commissioner's report (dated London, March . 16* 2.55 a.m.), states:— "1 "Reports from Paris state that the day has been marked by a number of gains by the Alli?s. The Germans tried to recapture a Email fort, which was carried by tho Allies on Thursday night, but were repulsed, leaving fifty-five dead. "South of Ypres the British were compelled to fall back from a trench' which was taken yesterday, but they have retained the trench, notwithstanding many counter-attacks. "North of Arras, at Notre Dame de Lorctte, the Allies' infantry, in a ' brilliant attack, captured at 0110 bound three lines of trenches, and took a hundred prisoners and war munitions. "In the region of Curie and Hoclincomt, the Allies blew up several German trenches, and prevented the enemy from reconstructing them. "In the region of Albert, the Geimans exploded a mine,under the Allies* trench, and occupied the [wsition, but tho Allies regained it. "In tho valley of tho Aisnc, north-west of Ouvron, two German companies which came under fire suffered great losses. "In the Champagne .district the Allies have gained ground north-west of Souain, and 1 nortlirwest of Perthes. "In the region of Bagatelle (in the Argonne), the enemy's blockhouse was demolished, and the site occupied. "In the Le Pefcre Wood, north-west of Pont-a-Mousson, the Germans -destroyed by a mine four of the Allies' advanced trenches, but the greater part ■ of this position was. subsequently regained."

THE BATTLEFIELD OF NEUVE CHAPELLE

WHAT THE GERMANS SUFFERED IN DEAD AND WOUNDED. (Rec. March 16, 11.15 p.m.) London, March 16. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent, describing the British attack at. Nenve Chapelle. said that the battle proved that our troops had not lost their dash during the winter. _ They exceeded the commanders' highest hopes. This district is dotted with miners' little houses and occasional slag heaps. The Germans had converted the houses into strongholds, bristling with machineguns. The Germans left two thousand dead on the field. It is estimated that altogether their dead total five thousand, and at least 13,000 wounded. The fog is hampering further operations.