DUELS OF ARTILLERY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 739, 23 January 1915, Page 5

DUELS OF ARTILLERY.

ALLIES GAIN GROUND. Wellington, Thursday. The High Commissioner reports from London, under date January 20th:— Paris reports that artillery duels have been general. Between tho sea and tho Somme, in the region of Nieuport, there was a lively duel. The enemy vainly attempted to destroy a bridge at the mouth of the Yser. The* Allies succeeded in demolishing a portion of the defences, also some auxiliary works, and a farm near St. George's, which the strongly organised. In the La Grurie woods the enemy violently attacked one trench. The Allies' troops recoiled for an instant, but recaptured it by two energetic counter-attacks, and subsequently took the whole position, which they are no w holding.

North of Pont-a-Mousdon, in La Petre wood, in the Woevro, the Allies are now established a hundred metres beyond tho trenches taken on Monday. At St. Hubert the Germans blew up a salient on the north-east of the Allies' trenches, but tho troops rushing into the connection between the outlets prevented the enemy from gaining access. BRITISH GUNS ACTIVE. DESTRUCTION OF FRELINGHIEN London, Thursday. The Daily Chronicle's Calais correspondent says that tho Britiah on the 15th inst. captured Frelinghien, near Armentieras.' The Germans had massed a considerable force in Frelinghien with the object of nEsaulting the British trenches. British observers signalled the news to the batteries at Arrnentieres, mid the latter immediately commenced demolishing Frelinghien, sowing death and confusion among the German troop?, who hastily retreated. Tho British then shelled the German trenches, forcing the evacuation of the first 1 ine. Frelinghien is now practically non-existent. A great inundation of the river Lye is imminent.