In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 42, 20 February 1915, Page 5

In the West

BELGIAN COMMISSION.

IVIDENCE OF ATROCITIES AND COLD-BLOODED MASSACRE.

Times and Sydney Sun Service (Received 8 a.m.) London, February 19

The Press Bureau says that at a sitting of the Belgian Commission, iworn testimony was given of eases oi rape, massacre, pillage, and odious profanation in the churches at service. Eighteen, men were placed in a row, including a number of hoys ol sixteen and seventeen years of age, md condemned to be shot. Amid shrieks from women crying: . “Shoot me with my husband!”'the men lined up, and the soldiers fired. Many were only wounded and were finished lif by their skiills being battered by the rifle-butts. The massacre over, the Germans plundered the corpses.

••ANOTHER FAVOURABLE DAY.”

Paris, February 19

Official Another favourable day. The Germans at Molincourt made live attacks to recapture the trenches taken yesterday,’ but they were all repulsed, leaving several hundred corpses. Similar efforts were made to recapture the trenches lost on the 16th and 17th. At Souaim, Perthes, and Beausejour the French drove back their assailants with the bayonet, capturing three guns and taking several hundreds pyisoners. The prisoners stated that some of their regiments had lost from a fourth to a half of their effective strength. We assaulted and captured the village of Norroy in Lorraine.

AN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.

Per Press Association,

Wellington, February 20

The High Commissioner reports: London, Fe ,1 ..ary 19th, 1.26 p.m. Sir John French reports that the enein} has displayed considerable activity during the past few (days south-east of Vpres. The lighting on this part of the line at times is severe, and at one or two points the enemy succeeded in occupying some trenches, but''were driven out by counter-attacks. In one place, sixty German dead a ere left on the ground. One of his trenches was blown up, and a number of prisoners iwere taken. Our troops counter-attacked with great gallantry, despite the difficulties entailed owing to water-logged ground in the 'trenches and had weather. On the night of loth and L6th an attack was made on our line north of Ypros canal, and on the following night a similar attack was made near Neuve Chapelle. Both were easily driven off with loss to enemy. All the ground recently gamed by the Allies has been strengthened, and held without difficulty. South of l,ys our guns dealt effectively with the enemy’s artillery, whose life has increased somewhat latterly. Our aircraft has made valuable, reconnaissance, and also successfully engaged the enemv aeroplanes. One of our aviators recently attacked two German mack, lines in succession, drove oil the iirst land left the second to he dealt with by our artillery,, which brought it |to the ground in hostile lines.