Official
6 WITH THE BRITISH FORCES {Pub Pbkbb Abbooiation.J Wellington, October 11. The I'ollowing, war news has been received by the Prime Minister, dated London, 9th: — An official communication from the general headquarters, describing the movements of the British force and French armies in immediate touch, states: — September 30. —No activity beyond slight attacks by the enemy, with artillery tire at intervals. The Allies’ airmen succeeded in dropping nine bombs, some falling on the enemy’s (rolling stock on the railway near Laon. The enemy’s trenches were found empty in the night. They frequently evacuate in this way to preventt-the men in the back lines from tiring on their comrades.
October I.—The most peaceful day since the forces were engaged on the Aisne. Only desolutory gunfire. A .French aviator dropped bombs on the railway station amongst massed troops. October 2.—The Germans were driven from the mill, which they occupied as an advanced post. Their machine' guns were destroyed by the Allies. At night the enemy attacked our lines, hut were repulsed. The battalion commander states that German officers are skilled in leading troops forward under cover. Once the latter deployed his men, but they declined to face the, heavy fire as pinning them to the ground. In one instance, in an attack oyer open ground against an equal force of infantry they sheltered in a sunken road and ditches. The British lost ten killed and sixty wounded, .while four hundred of the enemy-sur-rendered after fitly had been killed. •Each side had the support of a battery, hut the real tight for superiority ■. was between the infantry tire. This took place at a range of, 700 yards, and lasted only an hour and a half. The Germans wavered. Some put up itho white flag, but others continued firing. Our men continued alsd. Eventually a large number of white 'flags were 1 exhibited all along the German line. Latterly the attacks are becoming more , half-hearted. The enemy never close with the bayonet against the British. , Tire War Office denies the statement that the Canadian troops have arrived.
The following communique from headquarters continues and supple-: ments the narrative of the movement of British forces and the French, who are in immediate touch with it: Comparative calrp on our front has continued during the past six days. Misty conditions favourably assisted aerial: reconnaisance, but a bright moon militated, against night attacks. Off the 3rd practically nothing happened. Each side shelled each other, and towards revolting on the 4th there was a similar absence of activity. The enemies’ bands'played .patriotic airs and the audiences which ..gathered gave a chance for our waiting Howitzers. The (Hermans have gramaphones in the trenches. On the Stir there were three separate duels in the--air between the French and German aviators. Two were indecisive, and in the third ilie Ffe;ich airmen were victorious and brought down their opponents, both of whom were killed. 'Ten of the Landwehv w'ho were taken prisoners by us were in a very poor condition, • and wept copiously when captured, and explained that they believed they would be shot. One of our infantry patrols discovered 150 dead Germans in a wood. We' sent out a party to bury them but were fired upon and had to withdraw. On the 6th the enemies’ guns were active in the afternoon, bull tbe 7th was uneventful. On the Bth, shelling was continuous. At several points the. Germans attempted to gain ground by sapping, with a view to secretly passing forward a machine gun in advance of.their trenches. At one point the French drove a mine gallery fifty metres long under an emplacement and blow up a German gun. Our Maxims are doing excellent work and have proved most efficient weapons. Against us the Germans are not now expending as much gun ammunition as before, but they continue to fire at insignificant targets. The general situation in France is stationary and the positions are unaltered, despite violent combats, particularly near Hove. Desperate fighting raged round Arras' from the Ist to the 4th October. The losses on hotli sides were terrible.
At the village of Rlouvain five German regiments were under devastating French fire. The whole five regiments broke and fled! The Germans continue to bombard Rheims daily, and half the town is destroyed.
The Russians captured an outpost fortification in the chief position at Przemysl. It is reported that the Russians occupied Lziget after a sixjdays’ desperate conflict. Attacks by 'fresh German troops from Zirballen acre repulsed with great loss. The occupied Bialla, across the border of East Prussia. The Japanese have occupied Tsi-nan-fu, capital of the Chinese province of Shantung. China has requested Japan to withdraw from Tsi-nan-fn. The Japanese Foreign Office lias informed Washington that Japan intended to relinquish the Marshall Islands and Yap to Great Britain at an ealry date.
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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 47, 12 October 1914, Page 8
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803Official Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 47, 12 October 1914, Page 8
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