ENEMY PENETRATES ALUS' FIRST LINE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2677, 25 January 1916, Page 5

ENEMY PENETRATES ALUS' FIRST LINE

FIERCE FIGHTING IN MESOPOTAMIA HEAVY CASUALTIES THE MONTENEGRIN MYSTERY 'PEACE OFFERS DENIED To-day's, news from the Western theatre reports a heavy attack by tlie Germans on the Allies' line at Neurille St. Vaast, delivered with such evident weight of numbers that its impetus carried the attackers through the first line of the defence and on to the supporting trench. The counter-attacks which followed ousted the enemy from the best part of his gains, but a small portion still remains in his hands. Aylmer's force in Mesopotamia has been In heavy fighting, in most 'atrocious weather, in its heroic efforts to reach Kut-el-Amara to the relief of General Townshend. The casualties: 011 bpth sides are reported to be heavy. An interesting note on this theatre mentions the fact that Russian operations in Persia are co-operating with those on Kut-el-AmaTa. The Montenegrin mystery remains more or leßs befogged. The capitulation lie is denied in one- official quarter, while ot,Ker explanations,' also official, seek to 6how that the suspension of hostilities and parleying for terms of surrender were stratagems designed to delay the Austrian advance, and to afford the Montenegrins an opportunity of consolidating their line of retreat.