WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1292, 3 September 1914, Page 3

WAR NEWS.

A great battle commenced on Sunday and raged with terriffic fury along a line apparently from Amiens towards the French ring fortress of Fa Fere. The German Army, in a desperate effort to break the Allied line along that front, hurled their massed bat talions upon the British line, which bore the brunt of the attack like a solid wall, against which the fury of the Germans spent itself with appalling losses. The attack was renewed, and the British line, after again inflicting terrible punishment, withdrew to its next line of defence, a manoeuvre according with the general scheme to draw the Germans as far into hostile territory as possible before the Allied counter-stroke is delivered. The Franco-British line is still unbroken, while the French, after a sustained resistance, costly to the Germans, have vigorously counter-attacked. This desperate encounter has not been without loss to the Allies, but the casualty roll pales before the huge losses of the Germans. Indications point to an important movement of British troops from Ostend, and this, in conjunction with the reported fortifying of Brussels by the Germans, and the activity of the enemy’s transport service in Belgium, suggests a development to harass the enemy’s transport operations from the rear. The recent battle in Galicia is stated £o have resulted in the overwhelming defeat of the Austrians by the Russians, with huge losses. Disaffection is rife in the Austrian army, and according to accounts whole regiments with their officers are crossing over to the Russians. In the Balkans, the atmosphere, pregnant with military possibilities, is still simmering, but there are no fresh developments. The British casualties during the war, so far recorded, total 5,127, made up as follows: — Killed—36 officers, 127 other ranks ; wounded —57 officers, 629 other ranks ; missing—9s officers, 4183 other ranks. Totals —IBB officers, and 4939 other ranks.