GENERAL FRENCH'S DESPATCH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 747, 20 February 1915, Page 5

GENERAL FRENCH'S DESPATCH.

FIERCE TRENCH FIGHTING. SEVERE WINTER CAMPAIGN. London, Wednesday. In his dispatch Goneral French commends the Second Coldsteams and Irish Guards for their indomitaDle pluck in-storming two sets of barricades, capturing three trenches, and killing or taking prisoner many of the enemy on February Ist, at Guingh.y. The Flying Corps covered a hundred thousand miles through weather uniformly bad, and only on 13 days was no reconnaissances made. The principle of attacking hostile aircraft ut every opportunity v#as continued, and resulted in the German machines .immediately retreating whenever chased. BRITISH TRENCHES BLOWN UP. On the morning o£ Janvary 25th a strong artillery attack developed south of the Bethiine Canal. The British line near the canal formed a pronounced salient, which the Scots Guards and Coldstranma were Holding. The trencheß t)f the salient were quickly blown in, forcing a retirement to a partially prepared second line, which was strengthened by the construction of a keep half way between the canal and the main La fiasseeBethune road.

The London Scottish were sent up to 1 support, and counter-attucks were organised north and south of the canal, resulting in the Germans being driven .back. Our First Guards Brigade, which suffered severely, sent reserves. Meanwhile, an equally severe attack was made on Givency, after a heavy bombardment by high explosive' shells. Despite the fact that our artillery was hampered by constant interruption of telephonic communciation between the observers and the batteries, our fire forced the Germans to crowd to the north-east corner of the village. Finally we broke through the centre of the village to the keep. • The Germans lost heavily. A well-timed local counterattack by Welsh Reserves vpaa completely successful, and after about an hour's street fighting all the Gorrnan3 at Givenchy were cautured or kliled, and the original line established. SEVERE GERMAN LOSSES. Part of the Fourteenth Gennafi Army Corps, on January 29th, after severe shelling, made a violent attack with scaling ladders upon the keep. The Sussex regiment within inflicted serious losses, the Germans leaving 200 dead round the keep. The troops were aubjepted to the severest trial it waa possible to impose on a body of men. The desperate fighting o£ the last dispatch had hardly concluded when they wero called to face a rigorous winter campaign. Though everything that science or medicine suggested was employed to mitigate the hardships, the sufferings were very great. Nevertheless the men now present a soldier-liko and splendid, though war-worn, appearance. Their spirits are high and their Health iis excellent. The condition of the British battalions from India is particularly fine. Princess Patricia's Canadian regiment is a magnificent set of men, who have done excellent work in the trenches.

The dispatch commends the Royal Engineers and Medical Corps who are treating 11,000 daily. Ttaero have only been 500 cases of enteric since the commencement of the war.

PRAISE FOR TERRITORIALS. The Army Corps commanders are loud in their praises k of the territorials, and they say that they are fast approaching, if tbey have not already reached, the standard of efficiency of regular infantry The Artists and Actors' Training Corps is a great success, and is turning out a hundred officers a month. The training includes a 48 hours' tcur of the trenches and visiting "the observation posts. General French concludes by gratefully acknowledging the help and support of Generals Focb, Dubai, and Maudhuy.