FRENCH SUCCESS IN THE LABYRINTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2487, 14 June 1915, Page 5

FRENCH SUCCESS IN THE LABYRINTH

i ENEMY'S GUNS CAPTURED ALL GAINS STRONGLY ESTABLISHED J (By Telegraph.—Proas Assn.—Copyright.) Paris, June 11. ! A communique states: There hare been fresh successes at the Labyrinth, ' the enemy being driven back. We carried some of the enemy communication ! trenches eastward of the Labyrinth, near the high road from Arras to Lille. » TREMENDOUS HAUL AT NEUVILLE-ST. VAAST. > (Reo. Juno 13, 2 p.m.) Paris, June 12. Official.—"The booty found amongst the debris at Neuville-St. Vaaat in- . eluded three seventy-seven-millimetre guns, three trench mortars, fifteen ma- ; chine-guns. We also buried or damaged by our bombardment thousands of > grenades. 800,000 cartridges, a thousand rifles, incendiary implements, shells of 105-millimetre calibre, an enormous quantity of engineering tools, boxes' of b explosives, equipment, and provisions. 1 "We took prisoner an additional 130 in the Hebuterne district, and counted hundreds of corpses. The ambulance.) collected numerous German wounded. "We captured three more machine-guns, pierced the German lines for a length of 2 kilometres (1 1-5 miles), and one in depth. A strong German counter-attack was completely repulsed. "Our trenches in the Guennestieres district, eastward of Tracy-le-Mont, r are strongly established, and in immediate contact with the enemy."- [ SHARP ATTACK ON THE BELGIAN FRONT GERMANS RUSH THE YSER AND ARE THROWN BACK. (Rec. Juno 13, 3.16 p.m.) Paris, June 12. Taking advantage of a north-easterly wind on Wednesday night, the Germans, using poisonous gas, vigorously attacked the Belgian advanced posts at Dixmude, rushed across the yser,, and captured three lines of Belgian trenches. ' The Allies brought -up reinforcements, including a British regiment, and a spirited counter-attack followed at daybreak, the British charging with great valour. The enemy was driven back over the Yser, and compelled to take up J a less favourable position than they had originally held. J Fierce fighting continues. Half the town is held by the Germans, and half l by the Allies. , The Belgians near Nieuport found that an island between small tributaries . of the Yser had been abandoned. They saw two bottles attached to a plank, ' inscribed: "Bottles contain photographa." The Belgians vainly tried to lift , the bottles from the water, and the enemy immediately shelled the spot, the ' bottles being a means of signalling tho Belgians' presence on ths island, which was reoccupied by the Belgians subsequently. The Belgians also captured German workmen who had beon employed on the construction of the submarine f at Hoboken, which had since been transferred to I'ola, the Austrian base. r. ; ALLIES PRESSING THE ENEMY 1 5 SIGNS OF GERMAN RETIREMENT ON LILLE. (Rec. June 13, 4 p.m.) London, June 12. The Allies are pressing the Germans so hard that the enemy apparently is ' preparing to shorten his line and fall back to his second line, with Lillu as a. formidable salient. In the event of a withdrawal, tbe Germans will oll'er a tremendous defence in the triangle formed bv Comtrai, Lille, and Tonrnai. Twelve big guns, very strongly emplaeed, occupy a semi-circle around Cou'rtrai. The forts at Lille have, been rebuilt with reinforced concrete, and electrified. Barbed wire, extending for an enormous distance, has been placed around. Guns have been eniplaeed al Mont. Saint Hubert, which, lying behind Tonrt nai, commands the country for many miles in all directions, and j ho roads from i Lille to Lens put. in a state of defence, extensive field-works suggesting that - these are intended to cover a relirement. 1 HIGH COMMISSIONER'S RKPOIIT. , The. High Commissioner reports:— London, June 12. 1.1,5 a.m. i "The French have mnsolidaiH tV peritiens gained at Vm* and tho firm a.t Toutveuu Among the Lpoils were three tuns, three mart M*.

and fifteen machine-guns; large quantities of ammunition at Toutvont; and 130 more prisoners. German dead were counted by hundreds. "At the farm of Beausejour the enemy's counter-attack was not. renewed. "The French remain masters of llic field of the recent fighting." London, Juno 12, -1.35 p.m. "Tho 'Allies have made fresh progress in the region of Fond do Duval, north of Notre Dame de Lorctto, and in tho Labyrinth." Tho High Commissioner reports: — London, June 13, 9.5 a.m. "North of Arras there was a violent artillery duel on the plateau of Notre Dame de L-orette. In this section tho enemy endeavoured to disturb the organisation of tho positions we had captured. "There was a lively artillery action cast of Reims."