In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1915, Page 5

In the West

POSITION IN ALSACE. NEUTRALS ORDERED TO QUIT. FRESH TROOPS ARRIVING. t'IMBH AND BIDNHY SUN SIBVIOM. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 29. A proclamation lias been issued in Alsace ordering neutrals to leave Upper Alsace between February 1 and 10. enjoining them to spend a fortnight on the right bank of the Rhine before crossing the frontier, otherwise they will be liable to a year's imprisonment. Fresh German troops are entering Alsace. BLEEDING THE BELGIANS. TIMEB AND SyDNE? SUN BBBTIOII. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 29. A neutral declares it is unquestionable that the Germans have decided to defray the cost of feeding the army in Belgium at the expense of the Belgians. They pay the officers pocket money from sums extorted from the people.

A POOR BIRTHDAY PRESENT. Tihii and Stdnit Sun Snvuna. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, January 29. A correspondent in Northern France says: Monday's attack on Bethune was so furious that probably it constituted the famous birthday present to the Kaiser. Our men retired slightly, but a strong counterattack forced the Germans to withdraw with the loss of many prisoners and killed and wounded. The enemy's casualties are estimated at 2000. FIVE TIMES REPULSED. CERMANS' DETERMINED EFFORT TO PIERCE ALLIES' LINES'.

[United Prehp Association.] London, January 29. Router's correspondent states that the Germans on Monday, concentrating their important forces between La Bassee and Festbuert, attempted to pierce the Allies' line and capture Bethune. The Kaiser watched the preparations on Saturday and inspected the German positions at La Basse. The attack was supported by heavy artillery and an armoured train, which fired twenty shells into Bethune. The Germans planned to draw the Allies towards Festubert by a vigorous attack while two infantry regiments made a turning movement via La Basse and the Bethune road. The Allies were aware of the plan. The German infantry, advancing in close formation, received a murderous fire, being caught between the English artillery in the front and " the French artillery in the flank, and were literally mowed down. A couple of regiments, in endeavouring to outflank the Allies, advanced towards Annequin. They were allowed to approach within five hundred yards of the Allies' line. Then the French seventy-five cannon opened fire. Those escaping from death were made prisoners. Two companies were captured.

The enemy vainly renewed the attack live times, seeking to break through, the Allies' lines. They charged once and reached Givenehy church. The bayonets did deadly work in the plains and round Yermelles, Givenehy and Guinchy, which were strewn with dead.

A severe artillery duel continues throughout the district. Official.—Chiefly artillery duels are taking place. The position is unchanged.

THANN QUITTED BY CIVILIANS. Berne, January 29. The civilian population has quitted Thanii, which the German bombardment fired. (Thann is a town in Upper Alsace, 22 miles south-south-west of Colmra, the capital.) GUERILLA WARFARE IN THE WOODS. Paris, January 29. After the battles in Belgium and Luxemburg in August several small French detachments who we're unable to rejoin their corps, carried on a guerilla warfare in the dense woods lor four months, ambushing passing Germans. One force of 450 ultimately passed the German Hues and rejoined the French at Argonne. Other bands continue the guerilla war. SHORT-LIVED TRIUMPH. KAISER WITNESES HUMILIATING SITUATION. (Received 10.10 a.m.) Paris, January 29.

The Kaiser, early in the week, witnessed a fierce attack at Blayny. The French withstood a shower of grenades, but yielded to the German bayonets, and trench after trench was taken. The Germans exultingly paraded four abreast into the suburbs of Arras, but their triumph was shortlived. The French Territorial gunners ceased to retreat, and fortified a wrecked factory, from which they opened a murderous fire from cannon and machine guns. The nearest Germans were overwhelmed and others dropped their weapons and fled, which demoralised the rest, and the French recovered all the lost ground.

The Kaiser, who was riding a white iior.se caparisoned with purple, angrily stepped into a motor car and went to Lille. Add Groat Britain Imperial Conference