In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 15, 19 January 1915, Page 5

In the West.

THE BATTLE OF SOISSONS. ENEMY'S ACCOUNT OF THE HEAVY FIGHTING. i Lnitid Pbbu Association. Amsterdam, January 18. The German account of the battle of Soissons states that General von Lochow was in command of the Germans. Prior to the battle tfie opposing trenches were facing each other at tlie top of a wooded height overlooking Crouy, and were also entrench. . ed in quarries forming the western spurs of Vregny plateau. The French artillery was well posted on the edge of the plateau. Officers sitting in the trees behind armored plates directed the French firo. The worst execution was done on Christmas Day. Some German machine guns were buried by the bombardment of the trenches on 7th January. The French then charged and occupid the trenches. Heavy fighting occurred, man against man, from daylight until the 11th. The Turcos ‘ fighting bravely with rifle, bayonet, and knife. The Germans on the 12th, instead of attacking the wooded heights, - stormed the observation posts. The French fire immediately slackened, and the trenches were captured. The French then occupied a fresh position half-way down. They apparently

expected further attack from the German right. The French brought strong reinforcements by rail and motor cars. The Germans on the 13th, however, attacked Yregny, and completely surprised the enemy. The attack commenced at noon. The first line of. trenches was taken in three minutes, the next in ten minutes later, and the whole plateau was captured late in the afternoon.

The position of the French advancing against the German right was now desperate, and they surrendered on the 14th. Finally the French were driven back by from two to four kilometres upon a front of fifteen kilometres. , The Kaiser was on the battlefield, and decorated General von Lochnow with the Order of Merit. O'U: ' ■ irtctbft Vn) ’ .!« * ■ ; •■■:■■■■ >•,!: THE SOISSONS CATHEDRAL. Loudon, January 18. Refugees state that the Germans in their bombardment of Soissons did not spare ambulance or hospitals. Seventy-five big shells struck the Cathedral. ________ _ THE CORDON HIGHLANDERS. DARCAI WAS A MERE FLEA-BITE. London, January 17. Sergeant-Major Hands, of the Gordon Highlanders, in the course of a letter, narrates that the Gordons were ordered to storm a trench that had been loop-holed and fitted with barbed wire entanglements, while the Royal Scots seized a wood. After a hellish fire from 270 British guns for fortyfive minutes the Gordons charged through a hail of machine gun and rifle fire. Men dropped in heaps, but the tartans kept on, and after a bloody struggle won the front line of the German trenches. When the Gordons mustered in a dip within twenty yards of the main German position they found that 55 per cent, had fallen. The retreated, carrying their wounded. Field-Marshal French and the ■ generals who witnessed the charge said: "The Gordons have made history, and accomplished more than we expected." Screeant-Maior Hands adds: "Bar.. gai was a mere llea-bito.”

STIRRING NARRATIVES, 10,000 ALLIES V. 40,000 GERMANS. (Received 8.31) a.m.) Paris, January 18. Wounded men give stirring narratives of the Rattle of Soissons. Ten thousand were lighting 40,000 Germans. Some bridges .at Missy and Veuizel were swept away on the 12th and engineer?}, while subjected to the fire of long-range artillery, worked day and! iiight. Several were drowned, hnt the bridge at Missy was repaired at dawn. On the 14th, when the general force retired, the Germans attacked in close formation, two battalions being annihilated by the bridge-head defence, which was conducted from behind a wall of glass works. Some of the Germans seized the rifles protruding from the loop, holes. The French riflemen were almost at their last cartridge when the (ire of the mitrailleuses forced the Germans to fall back, thus enabling a rearguard retreat. Four guns remained on the northern bank, and when the last shot was fired a. woundmi officer ordered the guns to ho dragged to the edge and flung in the mud. Six of the gunners ran over the bridge and escaped.

FRENCH PROGRESS REPORT. (Received 8.35 a.m.) Paris, January 18. A carmminique says: We repulsed two attacks near Antreches and captured the German works at Rois le Pretre. The situation at Soissons and elsewhere unchanged. HEAVY ARTILLERY BATTLE IN PROGRESS.

London, January 18

The Times explains that the British success Bassee is unconfirmed. Mud is rendering the trenches a. quagmire. A heavy artillery battle is progressing. GERMANS ABANDONED LA BASSEE. (Received 9.0 a.m.) Paris, January 18. Le Matin publishes a message from St. Omer, stating that owing to their position becoming untenable under the fire of converging artillery, the Germans abandoned Le Bassee. THE POSITION AT LA BASSEE. (Received 11.40 a.m.) London, January 18. “Eye-witness” denies the capture of the German positions at La Bassee. No attack was attempted. Although the enemy’s artillery was increased, our artillery destroyed an important bridge at Frelinghien, below Arrnentieres.