BATTLE AT LA BASSEE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 741, 30 January 1915, Page 5

BATTLE AT LA BASSEE.

BIG GERMAN EFFORT. London, Wednesday. A s Paris communique states that the Germans on Monday, east of Ypres and at Givericby lost at least two battalions. We repulsed violent attacks near Perthes, and destroyed the enemy's new pontoon bridgeß at Saint Mihiel, on the Meuse. An earlier official communique from Paris states: —"The British re-occu-pied their former positions at Givenchy, n«ar La Bassee. Hot fighting took place on the Bethune and La Bassee road. The Germans, penetrating the Allies' trenches West of Graonne, north of the Aisne, were thrown into complete confusion by aerial bombs. We then counter-attacked, recovering a portion of the ground.

"We recovered trenches near Saint Hubert and Fontaine Madame, in the Arognne." THIRTY-TWO HOURS' FIGHTING. BRITISH RECAPTURE TRENCHES CLUBBED BY RIFLES AND BAYONETS. London, Wednesday. Twenty-five thousand men on both Bides were engaged in the action at Givencbv, near La Bassee. An officer states:—■ "After 32 hours of fierce fighting we retook the trenches. The first indication of an attack came from a Hanoverian soldier, who had deserted, and who toppled into a British trench. He announced that the Germans would attack in force early in the morning. Ha spoke the truth. The Germans quitted their trenches and advanced in a dense mass. They reeled under a Withering rifle and machine-gun fire. Those who managed to get, unscathed within 15yds of our trenches threw grenades, which wrought death and destruction in our ranks. "The Germans swept into our advanced line by sheer weight of numbers. A mortal combat at close quarters ensued. Meanwhile the Germans swept space between our firing and a support trench with shrapnel. We lost heavily in retiring. Two companies of a famous Scottish regiment were badly cut up. The German side rushed on two points for 400 yds before they Were shattered by a crack British corps. The Hanoverians were no better than the Bavarians and Prussians in a hand-to-hand fight. The Britons with clubbed rifles and bayonets fell upon what remained of the Germans, who crumpled up and surrendered in groups."