The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1915. A YEAR OF WARFARE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 October 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1915. A YEAR OF WARFARE.

'1 he review of the iirst year ol' warfare t.) "vvliioli we referred in our leading article of yesterday will bear further reference. The review appeared ui the London Times weekly edition of 13th August. Alter tracing the progress of events from the clash with von Knnniclfs force near Liege on 7th August, und the sanguinary .battles on The 'Mouse and The Manic, the report shows how the Aisne combats wore undecisive and how filially the Allies (after the fall of Antwerp) won a desperate race to the sea. by a- narrow margin, the offensive movement, they had hoped to develop having proved impossible. The twi battles of Ypres'are summarised in stirring language, and a largo measure o! comfort and pride remains with ail true .11 ritons through the knowledge that in the first fight at Ti'pres, ■which lasted neatly a month, ('he Allies op|x)S(xl numbers which were never more than lo(),000 against some half a million Germans. For the better pai l of two days the 7th Division held a front of eight miles against three Army Corps. For the next three months both armies of the west settled down to a war of positions, ;ind the trench lines wore established which with ■small modifications have continued to the present moment. This winter fighting hac been called a war of attrition, since tlu aim of the Allied commanders was to wear down the Gorman man-power by n series of actions in which the German losses should he disproportionately greater than those of the Alftes. The chief episodes were tho light near l/i JJasseeTjy the Indian Corps in the middlj of December; the fight at Givenchy from January 25th onward; the battle at Soissons from January Bth to 11th. when the French lost some ground while inflicting heavy losses on tho enemy; the long struggle in Northern Champagne during February and March where the French iirst made use of artillery on a grand scale; and considerable actions in the neighbourhood oi Fontamoussons and the south-eastern valleys of the Vosges. In March the Allies began what may be willed a tentative offensive. At Iv.euve Ohapelle, between March 10th and I'ith, alter a' great artillery preparation, the liritish advanced more than a mile on a front

three miles—a substantial gain, though weather and other mischances prevontC'l us from realizing to the full our strategic purpose. which was directed to Lille. Early in April the French carried the heights o*l Lea Eparges which commanded the main communications of the Woevrc. This action led to the belief that the Allied offensive in the summer would he aimed at Metz. If this plan was ever entertained it was relinquished towards the end of April, ivhen the perilous positton oi Russia in Galicia nut do it imperative to create a diversion in that area where the effects would be speedily f«U<. I3ut before the French attack could mature the British at Ypres Trad to lace a serious assault. On April 17th tliey carried a small hill—Hill 00, a mound south of Ypres close to tlic Lille railway. On April "20th t'lic Germans began the shelling of Ypres to prevent reinforcements entering the salient, and on the evening of tflie 22nd they delivered their firat attack . poisonous ga-s between the Dannl and the Pilkein road. 'Hie French were driven in and the left brigade of tfieT/anadians on their right was forced back in a sharp angle. The gap was filled some time next morning, Hut for four days under attacks by gas and artillery the northern side of the salient was steadily pressed in. On May 3rd we Daintiest anr . oeei? lu evening shoes for ladies. Quality shoes of ea*e -ad elegance, smart, stylish and dnrao's, for town or oonnlry -wear, are to t obtained from F W. Pink, l*Tin.

shortened our line liy nearly three .miles; on tlie Btli and 9th wo had to. make further withdrawals, mid on the 13th the Cavalry Divisions •which formed our centre were heavily pressed. On the 2-lth came the Jinal gas attack which may be regarded as the close oi the bailie. Tiie second battle ol ipres lasted practically as long ms the linsl battle, tJioiigii the lighting 'wa.s loss continuous. It was t>Lie first prooi tliat we had ol the new German policy —to hold their lines with iVuer men and more gnus, keep, our intant ry at a distance aiul light a long-range battle. The great French attack in the Artois begain on May 10th. It was aimed at securing Lens and the communications ol the Valley of the Scheldt. At lirst :i, went smoothly. A terrific artillery bombardment flattened tho whole countryside, and the Krencli ecu tic south oi Oarency advanced thro.- mile.s with little difficulty. J>uring the lirst week's lighting the towns of Ablain, Oarency, Xeiiville, St. Vaast, and most ol .Soiichoz were taken, and the whole plateau of Lorette lel 1 into 1* roiieli hands. Aftor that, difliculties began. The Germans had prepared a number oi lortins, and tlicso had to be captur o< before any genera! advance could be made. l ( 'or nearly three months this task has been engaging the Kronen Army in the Artois. It is a iorm ol lighting which enables a numerically interior enemy with 'ample munitions m hold up for a considerable time the most resolute attack. Germany in the w.st aims at holding battle, while in Galicia and Poland sho strives desperately lor a decision. And unfortunately nbc seems to have succeeded for the nonce.