So the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 59, 12 March 1915, Page 5

So the West

GERMANS IN BELGIUM.

DEFENSIVE PREPARATIONS TO MEET THE BRITISH.

(Received 8.30 a.m.) Amsterdam, March 11

The "De Maasbode," which is published in Rotterdam, states that the Germans are making active preparations to prevent the British landing in Belgium. The garrison at Khocke Heyst has been increased, and strong reinforcements have been sent to Bru-

BRITISH ATTACK ON NEUECHA-

PELLE.

STEADY ADVANCE REPORTED.

(Received 8.30 a.m.) Paiis, March 11

A communique states: The British attack on Xeuechappelle resulted in the capture of 2500 metres of trenches in and before the village. Progress in the direction of Auhers Boisdelbicz amounts to two kilometres.

BRITISH AIRCRAFT ATTACK THE RAILWAYS. (Received 11.50 a.m.) London, March 11. The Press Bureau states that aircraft destroyed the railway .junctions at Courtrai and Menin.

ADVANCE ALONC 4000YDS FRONT CAPTURE OF HOSTILE TRENCHES AND 700 PRISONERS. (Received 11.50 a.m.) London, March 11. The Press Bureau states that the Fourth Corps and the Indians advanced yesterday three-quarters of a mile on a front of four thousand yards, captured all the intervening hostile positions and trenches, and took seven hundred prisoners.

BOMBARDMENT OF NIEUPORT. United Press Association. Paris, March 11. Official.—Xieuport was vigorously bombarded by the 42-centimetre guns. The British, supported by our heavy artillery, secured an important success, carrying the village of Neuvechapelle, eastward of the road from Estaires to La Bassee. We advanced north-east-wards towards Aubers, and south-east towards Bois de Riez, capturing a thousand of the enemy, including several officers and some machine-guns. The German losses were very heavy. We consolidated our position in the Champagne area, and inflicted heavy losses, repulsing counter-attacks. Our artillery demolished a number of trenches on the heights of the Meuse.

HEROIC FRENCH ONSLAUGHT.

Paris, March 11

Details of the fighting at Notre Dame de Lorette show that the Germans mined and blew up the French advanced trench and then charged. They fell in large numbers before a fierce French fusilade. The German officers pitilessly urged their men forward, and a terrible hand-to-hand struggle followed, converting the breached trench into a charnel house. The French fell back to enable them to operate their artillery, which quickly demoralised and swept out the Germans from the second and third lines of trenches which they had occupied when the French evacuated them. Under cover of artillery, the French made a heroic onslaught, and after terrible carriage recovered the lost trenches. In the confusion the Germans fired on their own men, and retired to their original position, losing three thousand men.

GERMAN VIEW OF FIGHTING IN CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT.

1 Amsterdam, March 11. A German communique states: — "With a view of relieving the Russians iu East Prussia, the French, regardless of sacrifice, attempted to break through the line in the Champagne district. Fighting has been continuous since 16th February. The enemy hurled six army corps and enormous masses of artillery at our front, which was successfully held with two weak Rhino divisions. We took 2450 uuwounded prisoners. Our losses exceeded those of the Masurian Lake battle, but the enemy's were three times as heavy, being estimated at forty-four thousand."

CERMAN ATROCITIES IN FRANCE Paris, March 11. The second report of the Commission inquiring into German atrocities in France states that civilians of all ages were carried off,lmsbands often separated from their wives, and parents from their children. Nineteen inhabitants were despatched to Germany, and four were killed in route because they fell behind, exhausted. They received only two meals in four days, and were frequently struck with lists and sticks. Two thousand men were marching to Gravelines for medical examination when the Germans attacked with mac-bine-guns. Several were killed. Women were imprisoned for a month in a church at Combes, sleeping in the pews. The sanitary conditions were terrible. A workman was bayonetted and killed for breaking a pane of glass. The report of German atrocities also deals with ten thousand French women, children, and aged men, who recently returned to France from twentyeight German concentration camps. All were subjected to much brutality, and were kept without food for long per-

" iods. Sumo wore wilfully exposed to Krencli artillery five, and several massI acred for slight offences. Nearly all were infected with vermin, and nothing was done to prevent sickness and death.

The report also accuses Germans oi scientifically spreading consumption germs among them.