ENEMY FEVERISHLY FORTIFYING LILLE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2465, 19 May 1915, Page 5

ENEMY FEVERISHLY FORTIFYING LILLE.

Lontlorii Jfav 17 Amsterdam reports thai the Germans are feverishly strenfiUieninf rim l.ille fortifications. ■ ■ t. "» 'lite Germans have constructed three torpedo-boats at 'Antwerp One Inc proceeded to Zecbrtißge via tho Scheldt. and the canals. " Rni K es telegrams report heayj- fightinjr at Vpres. and lhat tlio stream of Ucnnan wounded is practically incessant. A rn-cat number of niM„ni houses have been turned into hospitals. P " val ° DRNSK SMOKE PALL OVER YPHES. (Rpo. M.'iy IS, fi.35 p.m.) on ■»-, »» , London, 17, , . ' **V" N" 1, l , (l " rP is 3 <fcns» «nf>l(e IV) II nrrr Ypff? Th=r-, luva been many, fi'riro fires, hi lino lfiult of imwndiarr shells, A (.imiKr

bardment in November synchronised with tho Germans' abandonment of their ell oris to capture \pres, and this has possibly tho same meaning tollio tiritei gives a typical act of horiosm of a machine gunner reniain- '! ,s ln ,^v" 011 ,V 10U ",'/i 1, ? detl . b >' f »mcs. He dial tho following day.—("limes" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

BATTLE HONOURS FOR THE BLACK WATCH THRILLING GALLANTRY AT LA BASSEE. Tim Black Watch led tho latest success northward Basse* were compelled to out barbed-wire under a terrific enfilading machine-gun !? re ; ». » v u,n « t' l '! {"« nrnrnl oi supports, and then cut through to the first line oi trenches, which wove- taken after a severo hnncl-to-hniir] strmrgle. Tho second line was taken with the bayonet, and the third yielded after a ieclile resistance. • '

"Remember the Lusitanla!" A corporal of the Black Watch who was wounded, narrates that for bitter hand-to-hand fighting that nt La Bassee was unequalled. Tho use of gas and the Sinking of the Lusitania have driven out all false sentiment, and the men went into the battle crying: ''Remember the Lusitania!" During the eight hours fighting the Black AVateh rushed a German trench seven umes. and finally threw themselves upon the enemy like madmen. Britons and Germans lay in heaps around the blood-soaked parapet. Some of the Sli I s r ,??" upon toe growd, hurling gibes and curses with the r dying breath. ''This was indescribably terrible, and it was hard to believe that Christians could show such hatred. The Black Watch, after the seventh charge, held their ground and the Germans ran, but we were too exhausted to iollou. Jlui.y of us slept beside tho dead."

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT The High Commissioner reports:— n c J • 11 n 1 , London, Mav 17, 5.20 p.m. r™, r! il eVe '?K 16 ? r fr h tOOC ?n, house stro »Sl.V fortified by the T,? ast . ba » k ? f . the canal. They advanced beyond the first est fonr «— rnJ'S 10 ? r?ry ™n nt arti %* . dnel in the region of Notre Dame de ul™ ta - "" «+•«<°™ """» b » "On the Oise, near d'Ailly, the Germans placed in view of the French lines a green Ottoman flag,. with the crescent. The Africa droops answ" red promptly to the provocation, subjecting the fla" to a fusillade A tirail leur then went to secure the flag, and broifght it into the French lines

"On Monday the British First Army of ° Ue ' Ge ™an trenches on two miles of front were "Several bodies of Germans surrendered voluntarily to our t.rnni* wlm continue 10 fight with great gallantry and determination.' One of these bodies mhilated° surrender > "' as cau e llt; Gemau artillery fire and practically anl "Tho exact number of prisoners taken has not heen ascertained hut <tfn have been cleared to the lines of communication. ascei tamed, but 550

"In Belgium, the enemy, threatened bv Ithotf'witt, Mond 1 °' f I' 3 Bilss ? e 9'° |, Bn p sl ' notoriously continued the and on Monday carried several of the German trenches. The enemv's"losses were veiy heavy. Seven hundred were exterminated bv a cross-tirA*Af orf-in,,,.. i mitrailleuses, and one thousand prisoners were taken. ' S _ "In the Bois d'Ailly the Allies carried severil (i 0™,,,, ± i • mitrailleuses and two hundred and fifty prisoners,"

FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. „ * l H,t s "—■SVWlosses 0 '" Gel ' man attacks nt Notre Dame de Lorette were repulsed with heavy GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE.

A Berlin communique states: We gave up our Steenstraate and Het Sas to avoid losses by heavy artillery. The English "still hold nnrt of our advance treuchcs south of Neuve Ohapolle capture! tn Sat-