In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 79, 7 April 1915, Page 5

In the West

CONTINUOUS BATTLE. FRENCH TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. United Press Association Loudon, April u. The Daily Chronicle slates that an almost continuous battle has raged in the Champagne district lor three weeks, the French taking the olfensive. T(ie lighting was the most violent north of Mesuil and Horlus. Nothing of M esnil remains but a heap of ruins. A perfect tempest of lire swept the ground for nearly a month, and not a yard escaped being ploughed up by shells. There were terrible struggles in the enemy’s trenches. The melee was indescribable. "Without room to lire, the riflemen fought with unfixed bayonets, pickaxes, iron bars, and their fists.

The French tenaciously hold the ground taken. FRENCH’S 81-WEEKLY REPORT. (Received 9 a.m.) London, April 6. Sir John French’s bi-weekly report states“ The situation is quiet. A change in the weather is limiting the airmen’s activities. We exploded a mine on April 3, destroying 100 yards of trenches. Our snipers’ superiority on the extreme left has secured comparative immunity in the fr'ont trenches. THE NEUVE CHAPELLE AFFAIR. London, April 6. A combatant at Neuve Chapelle relates that the final success was largely clue to the Lincoiushires and Berkshires’ clash in the primary assault. 'Hand grenades thrown into the enemy’s trenches caused many to surrender. The Germans were caught in a trap. The Lincoiushires drove them across a strip of water five feet deep stretching along the front. The Lincolns lost seven officers, including Colonel Macandrew (killed), and 298 men killed and wounded. ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT THE FRONT. London, April 6. An officer writes:—“St. Patrick’s Day saw a number of men sporting sprigs of shamrock in their caps. Irish flags materialised from somewhere, and were stuck on top of the parapet ai'idst a hurst of cheering. Shortly after die Union Jack was hoisted by the side of the green ensign. Everyone was wildly enthusiastic, and the whole trench hurst spontaneously into the National Anthem, quite unrehearsed. It sounded splendid. Thank goodness, it’s spring. Warm sunlight means movement, drying up the abominable marshes. and a great advance which will terminate this wicked war, with its great prospect line of two hundred miles on the west and double that on the east,sweeping irresistibly onwards until finally we crush the German armies between. 1 hope I may he there to see the end. It’s an enormous privilege to take part in this war. Apart from the question of right and wrong, the whole thing is absolutely an epic on everything colossal. Millions of men are struggling over the may of Europe, gigantic guns are hurling tons of metal at every shot, and hundreds of factories are feverishly pouring out supplies of munitions. Yet, when we are hauled out of bed in the morning these high-falutin’ views vanish, and all our feelings are summed up in ‘damn.’ ”

OFFICIAL. HIGH COMMISSIONTR’S REPORT. THE CASUALTY LIST. Per Press Association. Wellington, April 6. Tiie High Commissioner reports, under date London, April 5, 4.45 p.m.:— OFFICERS: Killed ... ... ... 1 Wounded ... .... 4 MEN. Killed ... ... .. IS3 Wounded ... ... 4IiC Missing ... ... 28 London, April 6 Paris reports that in the wood at Dailly, south-east of St. Mihiel, the Allies carried three successive lines of trenches, also obtaining footing in a part of the enemy’s organisation northeast of Reoniville. , HIGH COMMISSIONERS REPORT. ■‘WORK OF GREAT MILITARY VALUE.” (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, April G. The High Commissioner cables from London, April 6th (4.30 p.m.). Sir John French reports that early on Saturday morning we successfully exploded a mine under the German trenches in the neighbourhood of La Massee. and a length of 100 yards of trenches and part of a brickstack were destroyed; as a result, German activity in the immediate neighbourhood was quelled. The German artil-

lery, however, subjected our front in that quarter to a heavy bombardment. On our extreme left the local superiority of our snipers was rewarded by the comparative immunity with which the work of the front line of trenches was carried out.

I Although no communiques have been sent since March 22nd, owing to lack of any incidents worthy of special mention, individual activities of daily and nightly occurrences take place

along the whole front. The general effect of these activities, in which our troops continue to show their marked superiority, is cumulative and of great military value..