In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 304, 22 December 1914, Page 5

In the West

VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT OF AR-

MENTIERES.

Unithd Pkebb Association. Boulogne, December 21. The German bombardment of Arnientieres is violent. A thousand shells and many incendiary bombs were thrown into the town for ten hours, but the fatalities were small. THE SWEEPING OFFENSIVE. THROUGH FLOODS TO OSTEND. AT THE GATES OF LILLE. (Received 8.5 a.m.) London, December 21. The Chronicle says the week's successes for the Allies were followed by the resumption of hostilities. Roulers was captured after fierce assaults. Kloods occurred between Dixmude and N'ieuport, which were passed, and the Allies joined forces on the north-east-ern side of the flooded area. Bayonet attacks were pushed home, with the result that the Allies' patrols are within a few kilometres of Ostend. The sweeping offensive was no less successful in the south. The French and British arrived at the gates of Lille, and the German withdrawal of the main ground force to Tourcoing and Roubaix is reported.

FLIGHT FROM BELGIUM.

Rotterdam, December 21

A great stream of Belgian refugees is flowing across the Dutch border without reason, beyond a vague feeling that something dreadful is about to happen in Belgium. it" is believed that the Germans' nervousness has communicated itself to the refugees.

PARTICULARS OF FIERCE ARTIL-

LERY DUEL.

Dunkirk, December 21

A fierce artillery duel preceded the Allies' offensive at Arras. The Germans tried to destroy the French advanced works with trench mortars, while the aviators dropped bombs. The French shrapnel silenced the mortars within two hours. The Engineers mined the enemy's entanglements, which were blown up as the French infantry advanced over the muddy fields. They rushed the gaps pell-mell, and hurled the Germans from their dug-outs. There was a great fight round one machine-gun, where a huge French cuirrasier sabred and killed those trying to remove the gun. The Allies captured the trenches on a front of two kilometres.

As a result of a recent Allies' bayonet charge, seven of the enemy's trenches were captured. The trenches had been flooded and the Allies were .waist deep in water. They repelled desperate counter-attacks. Many of the prisoners taken on the Yser were hunger-stricken, and numbers surrendered without resisting the Franco-Belgian bayonet charges.

ALLIES IRRESISTIBLE IN WEST FLANDERS.

Amsterdam, December 21. A correspondent at Tyd reports that the English and Belgians carried out furious and irresistible attacks in West Flanders. The Flemings, singing their National Anthem, dashed down upon the Germans at Dixmude, where the bridgehead was captured by a bayonet attack, supported by artillery. An advance was made northward of Dixmude. The Germans evacuated strongly-fortified trenches at Nieuport, leaving many deadj Hand-to-hand fights occurred at Saint Georges. The French cavalry made splendid charges, but the Germans, despite great losses, were fighting with tough tenacity.

ATROCITIES IN BELGIUM.

SIXTY WOMEN SHOT FOR REFUSAL TO BURY DEAD.

(Received 8.5 a.m.) London, December 21. The Evening Standard's Paris correspondent states: Fresh stories of German atrocities in Belgium are daily coming to light. Of sixty women at Lattour on refusing to bury German dead, thirty were shot, after which the commander asked the survivors: "Will you obey?" They crossed themselves, and all were immediately shot. Forty women were shot at . Rossignol.

FRENCH REPORT OF PROGRESS.

AN ALL-ROUND ADVANCE.

(Received 8.5 a.m.) Fa ris, December 21

A communique states: The only important occurrence in Belgium yesterday were that some progress was made in the Lombertzyde and Saint Georges district and south eastward of Bixschoote, also at Zwartetem and to the south-eastward of Zollebeke, and the enemy's bombardment of Ypres hospital. We carried a wood and occupied the first German trendies near Notredame, and de Loietee, wrecked the German trenches, and shattered two guns south-east-ward of Carnoy, which is eastward of Albert. Our heavy artillery had clear advantage at Aisne and in the Rheims district. We won twelve hundred metres of German trenches at Beausejour and Champagne, and progressed at the remainder of the fronts.