ARTILLERY FIRE AT NEUVE CHAPELLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2415, 22 March 1915, Page 5

ARTILLERY FIRE AT NEUVE CHAPELLE

A SHELL EVERY TEN YARDS BRITISH ATTACKED WITH DASH & GALLANTRY London, March 39. "Eye-Witness" at Headquarters says:—"Prisoners have stated that they uever experienced a bombardment similar to that preceding the assault on Neuve Cnapelle. Many took refuge in their dug-outs. When the British reached the trenches a wounded Prussian officer of a truculent type exclaimed: 'You don't tight; you murder. My regiment never had a chance from th« first. There was a 6hell Avery ten yards, and nothing could live under, such a fire.' "Th 6 Germans are still confident and optimistic. "The British attacked with the greatest dash and gallantry, and after a day and night's incessant fighting displayed little signs of the strain. One battalion was .greatly indignant. The me, had settled down to eat their dinners during a lull in the battle, and a ru m ration had just been served out, when the Germans attacked with bombs and forced them to evacuate their trenches. The fury of the counter-attack a few" minutes later was unequalled. The British re-took the trenches and made a large haul of prisoners. There was little left of the dinner and none of the rum/"—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. FIELD-MARSHAL SIR J. FRENCH'S REPORT. London, March 19. Sir John French reports : The general situation is unchanged. An isolated attack at Saint Eloi. by two hundred men, was easily repulsed. Two-thirds of the assailants were killed or wounded. The gallantry and dash of the troops during la6t week's operations in the vicinity of Neuve Chapelle, under General Haig's able and determined leadership, proved conclusively that four months' of sedentary work in the trenches ■ have m no wise impaired their original fighting qualities. ' GERMAN LOSSES, AT NEUVE CHAPELLE. (Rec. March 21, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 20. The German commander at Neuve Chapelle has been removed. The Germans represent tlieir losses at sis thousand. FRENCH TROOPS CAPTURE A SALIENT. Paris, March 19. A communique states: —"We captured and destroyed the enemy's com--munication trenches near Notre Dame do Lorette and towards the village of Ablain, killing or capturing the defenders. We progressed a. distance of 150 yards, after a violent fight, between Four de Paris and the Bolante Wood, and also carried a salient at Les Eparges eastward of the position held by tho enemy since February. We repulsed three counter-attacks." [Notre Dame de Lorette is a village about six miles south of La Bn-ssee. Four de Paris is in the Argonne, .a few miles east of Vienne-lc-Choteau. Tho Bolante Wood lies on the east side of the Argonne forest. Les Eparges is south-east of Verdun, and throe miles south of Frcsnes.] GERMAN ATTACK REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSS. CRec. March 31, 3.30 p.m.) Paris, March 20. Official.—We repulsed a German attack on Hill 176, inflicting heavy losses. GROUP OF HOUSES CAPTURED BY GERMANS. CRec. March 21., 5.5 p.m.) . . Berlin, March 20. We captured a group of nouses at Saint Eloi, and drove the French from Cnvsy and, Notrs I)anir> d* Lorrtt.o, and c»pttii'»d their tranches »t Bwimimir. wuulscd attacks In the Howe and Cambras, ivjlh lieavjr f'reiicli losses,

ATTEMPTED NIGHT ATTACK REPULSED. The High Commisfioner reports:— t, . London, March 20. 1 aris reportsAt La Boisselle an attempted German night attack was Ju P " nr' ? ne ? ny s } lffenn S heavy lossses. At Eparges progress continues, tne Allies capturing the greater part of a German position which was in dispute ror two days. The enemy left a large number dead 1 , and some prisoners were taken. 1 i