ENEMY'S ATTACKS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2470, 25 May 1915, Page 5

ENEMY'S ATTACKS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSSES BATTLE OF FESTUBERT DESCRIBED The High Commissioner reports: — London, May 23, 5.20 p.m. "Last night there were several enemy counter-attacks between the sea and Arras; everywhere these were repulsed with heavy losses. "In the Argonne the Germans, exploding several mines near our positions; tried to occupy with forces the cavitics made, but our infantry threw them back on their own lines, inflicting heavy losses with a shower of bombs and granades. The repulse of the enemy was complete." London, May 24, 12.40 a.m. "North of Arras, following the checks experienced by the Germans, fighting has continued at all points with extreme violence. "The British have progressed at Festubert. . "North-east of Notre Dame de Lorotte the Allies advanced more than 100 metres (about 125 yards), taking several prisoners. "North of Neuvillo Saint Vaast a series of the enemy's trenches were taken. The Allies have now reached the junction north\of the village." FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE ATTACKS REPULSED NORTH OF, YPRES. Paris, May 23. 'A' communique states: —We repulsed several attacks last night north of Ypres, east of the Yser Canal, north-east and south-east of the plateau at Notre'"Dame de Lorette, and in the village and cemetery of Neuville. We inflicted very heavy losses. , The enemy gained a footing in an advanced trench at Neuville, but was driven out, leaving many prisoners. THE BRITISH SUCCESS AT FESTUBERT "EYE-WITNESS'S STORY OF THE FIGHTING. London, May 23. "Eye-Witnoss," describing the driving out of the enemy from the entrenchments in the area between Richebourg and Festubert, says that on this salient the British pressed them on three sides, and subjected them to crossfire from several directions. Through the continuous bombing, the position became untenable, and over 300 surrendered. The British joined hands and pressed the enemy further eastward, forcing them out of one post after another. E ntiro groups surrendered. Meanwhilo the British on the front at Festubert progressed to a point south of Festubert, where they met with strong resistance, and a series of desperate hand-to-hand combats with bayonet and hand grenades took place. A Fearful Spectacle. As the Germans were outflanked and enfiladed at many points, their losses wore very heavy. There was no room lor escape in the narrow trenches: it was either death or surrender. It was a horrible sight to see tlie trenches heaped with German corpses. Many had been blown to pieces by the initial bombardment. The Germans on the extreme right were pressed -back in such largo numbers that tlioy formed an excellent target for our machine guns, which were posted north of Givenchy. and which did great execution. By nightfall we held the whole of tho lronfc trenches from Festubert to Richebourg. Among the strangest spectacles of the war are the masses of Saxons who desire to surrender, standing amid the dead and. dying with hands raised, being butchered by their own comrades before the llritishers' eyes. THREE WEEKS' FIGHTING REVIEWED A 0 IT IX ITK JIASTKHV OY'KE' TUK ENK.MY. London, May S French officii not", reviewing lighting from April ?4 to May 1?. states (1,,! tj,,. in rli-it-iti: nf ».b« <?!i*m,v *1,8 evMiinf, of the l/tb our offenuve. by. continual pressure, had established a

definite mastery over the enemy, whose losses were truly formidable. Our losses wore more of wounded than of killed. It can bo asserted that before this decisive engagement we had obtained a moral ascendancy. Summing up a series of violent actions, the Note says:—We carried by storm threo villages, four linos of fortifications, and three powerful redoubts. Wo killed a thousand Germans and destroyed at least three regiments. The abandonment of advanced positions was singularly expensive to Germany.— ("Times'' and Sydney "Sun" Services.) GERMANS WITHDRAWING TO THEIR SECOND LINE REPORTED EVAOUATION OF BRUGES. 1 (Rec. May 24, 11.5 p.m.) London, May 24. Telegrams from Holland and Paris agree that the Germans are preparing to withdraw to their second line, on a shorter front, in order to release troops to act against Italy. It is reported that Bruges has been evacuated.