France

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 49, 14 October 1914, Page 5

France

CAVALRY COUNTRY. ACTIVE OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH-EAST. United Press Association. London, October 12. .Cassel is a particularly important position, owing to a series 6f six or seven hills rising above the plain. The guns are mounted on a precipitous eminence. Cassel dominates the country tor miles around. The plain between Dunkirk and Lille is excellent cavalry country, delighting the Allies, who hold in contempt the German horsemen and continually seek opportunities of fighting at close quarters. . )ne troop a day or two ago rode through two Gorman "squadrons, charged back, and rode through a third time with hardly a saddle empty. The British horses have had two or three weeks’ rest, and arc in fine condition, some of the riders have been having i turn in the trenches. So enamored Are they of the bayonet that they have idopted them in several squadrons. In every regiment it is no secret that ohe Germans have been withdrawing men from the Aisne, though they have kept up the appearance of undiminish?d strength by continuous rifle fire and i daily “concert,” a trick the Japanese often played in Manchuria. Near Soissons, the French managed to get a battery into position and eniladed some German trenches on the plateau. In order to turn out Germans in the tunnels on the Nouvreon olateau, north-west pf Soissons, which protected the German siege guns five rules away, the French carried on mining operations for 11 days until obey were within a mile of the tunnels, whereupon the commander ordered the trenches to be taken with the bayonet. The dash was successful. THE BRITISH MARINES AT LASSIONY. i United Press Association. Paris, October 12. ( 1 An official communique declares that during the 24 hours’ engagement at Lassigny on Friday a brigade of British marines killed 200 Germans and made prisoners of 500. The French loss was 49, of whom nine were killed, AFTER AISNE. ALLIES TAKING THE INITIATIVE AND ADVANCING. London, October 13. The Amiens correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says;—“The battle ol the Aisne ended without anyone knowing it. The new battle front forms the letter ‘z,’ beginning at the sea, passing north of Lille, through Compeigne, and ending at Verdun. The Allies are taking the initiative, because of the possibility of the German army corps from Antwerp reinforcing von Kluck’s right. Not only have we recovered every foot of ground we lost in a long series of heroic actions at Roye, but have developed advances to the north, where the German cavalry is operating north west of Lille, seeking to mask another enveloping movement.” GERMAN CAVALRY ATTACKS REPULSED. Paris, October 13. An official communique reports that several German cavalry attacks in the region of La Basse, Estaires, and Hazelbrouck w T ere repulsed, especially between Lassigny and Roye. The Allies ’ made progress along the plateau on the right hank of the Aisne below Soissons, and alsp to the east and south-east of Verdun. A German night attack on Bundeept, north of St. Die, was repulsed. GERMAN ACTIVITY. UNDOUBTED EVIDENCE OF MAIN BODY’S RETREAT. United Press Association. (Received 9.45 a.m.), Calais, October 13. There Is a great movement of Gormans from Lille in the direction of Comtrai. They are also increasing in activity between Lille and the seacoast. Strong German columns are passing Bailloul and going in the direction of St. Pres, where the Gormans J are concentrating in large numbers. There is no doubt the main body is i retreating east to north-east. Civilians who passed -through the Ger- j man lines repeatedly passed columns moving in the direction of Railleul and Armentier.es,.-who acknowledged they were retreating. BRUTAL UHLANS. NO COMPUNCTION IN USING THE BAYONET. Times and Sydney Sun Services. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, October 13. A story is told of fifty Uhlans with bicycles who Ifbarded a train at a wayside station. The driver at the bayonet’s point was compelled to take the train to its destination. The Uhlans were courteous to tho passengers till they readied Hazebrouck, (busy railway centre) when they leaped on to tho platform and bayonetted tho officials at sight. They rushed the driver, , who immediately (started the train, left tho Uhlans, (who wantonly slaughtered tho in- [ habitants. They thrust a bayonet 'through a baby girl who was sleeping in her mother’s arms and inflicted a 'taping wound in the mother’s thigh. Tho French pursued the Uhlans from’ the f e— r > killed the majority, capturing fifteen*

THRUST BACK. OUT OF FRANCE AT THE POINT OF THE BAYONET. (Received 9.1.') a.m.) Paris, October 13. Messages irom Northern France on Sunday state that the Germans were heavily massed in a triangle (I)onai-Bethune-Arras, but the force was hopelessly scattered. Germany’s vaunted cavalry army between Armentieres and Tourcoing, which has to insure military promenade into Lille, has been thrust back chiefly at the point of the bayonet out of France past Warneton and Merin. A confused mass of Germans between Arras and Douai is being slowly shepherded, and in a north-east-ern direction the forces menacing Harebrouck are being driven northwards. krupps made eight of the BIG GUNS. (Received 10.25 a.m.) Paris, October 13. Le Matin’s Rome correspondent states that Krupps constructed only eight -12-centimetve guns. ALLIES GAINING GROUND. (Received 9.0 a.m.) Paris, October 13. A communique says: There have been violent attacks on the front on many points. We gained ground and nowhere lost any“PUTTING IN THE BOOT!” THE RULING i PASSION STRONG IN WAR. Times and Sydney Sun Services. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, October 13. The Press Bureau states that a British subaltern was cut off by lorao men and hid in a wood. Shortly after he saw an unsuspecting arm'd German soldier patrolling the '•oad. He could have shot him .vithout warning, .but he felt it would be actual murder to kill him in cold blood. In order to instil a little spirit into the combat lie crept behind the German and gave him a ferocious kick. Instead of showing fight, heng startled and pained, the enemy united a yell and ran for dear life, leaving the subaltern laughting too lard to* he able to shoot.