THE WAR IN THE WEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2760, 2 May 1916, Page 5

THE WAR IN THE WEST

THE BRITISH STRENGTH ON THE WESTERN FRONT By TeTeßraph—Press Asßociation-Oopyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) TI T> •-O W ' XT, <. L , . . London, April 30. The Pans Press states that men who have visited l the British front eulogise the development of strength and the organisation of the forces. The Potit Parisien" recalls that when the Verdun attack commenced Sir Douglas Haig wished to make a diversion, but General Jo fire requested him not to move. The Paris "Journal" says that Sir Douglas Haig is only waiting for the moment to throw his army forward. RESUMPTION OF VERDUN BATTLE FORECASTED. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) _ _ , London, April 29. Reports forecast an early resumption of the Verdun offensive. The Germans are rushing troops and munitions through Belgium. German deserters state that it is intended' to make the new offensive with half a million men in order to force a decision before Whitsuntide (May 27). ' FRENCH OFFICI A.L COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. May 1, 2.40 p.m.) it. , n. ■ , • Paris i April 30. A French official communique states: "We captured a trench northward of Mort Homme (Verdun front), taking prisoners. "We repelled three attempted surprises at Ban do Sapt, Tete de Fans, and southward of Largitzen, in tho Vosges inflicting losses a " our °™ aser pl ?'? es brou § slt down an Aviatik in the Bisne Valley, in the fiTgoime. The machine was intact, and its two officers "wero taken prisoner.' 1 FOR THE HONOUR OF "OLD IRELAND" IRISH DIVISION WINS ITS SPURS. (Rec. May 1, 8.5 p.m.) Mr. Philip Gibbs, the war correspondent on the British'front "in theVestern theatre, writes: — ( "While the Sinn Feiners wore besmirching the honour of Ireland, the Irish' Division m France was proving that there -was no politics in the army The Dublin revolt was hateful to these men in the trenches. The Irish were holding tlio chalk pit at Hulluch, and experienced a hellish bombardment on April 27, both day and night. The whole of the Loos salient was throbbing with high explosives. O fe ; "The officers rallied their men with the cry of 'Steady boysl' Then at 5 o_ clock in the morning came a sudden shout of warning: 'The gas I' The division donned their helmets amid remarks such as: 'I wish Casement could get a taste of this, 3 aud the men fearlessly awaited the oncoming cloud, behind- which followed the German infantry. ■ "The Dublin Fusiliers "fiercely replied to the attack. A German officer and forty-seven dead men were left entangled in the barbed wire at one point. In the second attack, the Germans, after more gas, reached a portion of the lull iskillings' and Dublins' trenches, but our counter-attack ejected them in half an hour. It was the first timo'thsit this Irish Division had been in action, but tho young soldiers were magnificently cool.'.'