In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 89, 17 April 1915, Page 5

In the West.

STORY FROM ”EY E-W ITN ES'S.” United Prkps Association. (Received 11.15 a.m.' Loudon, April 16. “Kyo-Witoness” states: We exploded a large mine on the 9th near Aruientieres, timber and debris being hurled two hundred feet in the air. An enormous crater was blasted in the enemy’s lines, of which a large poition was destroyed. The loss of life must have been considerable. A deserter states that the men go in positive terror to their officers, who are more like slave-drivers than leaders. THE FIGHTING AT LES EPARGES. FRENCHMEN DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES. Paris, April 16. An official communique tells the story of the capture of the crest at Les Eparges. The slopes were steep and slippery, and intersected with numerous springs. Rain storms were frequent. It was practically a mountain of mud. While the Germans held possessions they stopped all action on the south-western sections of the Woevre plain. The position was so important that the Germans protected the crest with several lines of trenches. Some with five teiers apiece, contained 16 hidden batteries to check the French advance. The defenders included a division of the best troops and five battalions of pioneers, many Metz ma-chine-guns. and numerous homh-throw-ers. The shelters for the fighters were caverns dug at leisure. The Germans constructed a narrow guage railway to bring supplies and ammunition, the decisive French effort commenced on April sth, when the western end of the crest was attacked. The infantry, covered with mud to their thighs, penetrated the Germans trenches by means of violent hand-to-hand fighting. Progress on the east was stopped by aerial torpedoes, which the Germans threw, a single projectile sometimes pulverising whole ranks. The Germans brought up fresh troops on the Ctli and counter-attacked. The French were finally driven hack, and had to begin the attack afresh. They started by capturing the trench at the eastern end of the plateau, and by the 7th had gained five hundred metres. The Columns delivered a series of desperate counter-attacks, fighting with great bravery, hut were stopped by shrapnel which often prevented the attackers debouching.

On the Bth two regiments of French infantry and a battalion of Chassems was ordered to storm \the summit. Their rifle magazines were choked with mud, and were able to only use their bayonets, but they captured the western crest and continued to advance eastward. After thirteen hours, uninterrnped furious fighting, the Germans retained only a small traingle at the eastern end/The French had captured 1300 metres of trenches, including a formidable bastion on the summit. The French then brought up a fresh regiment, which took fourteen hours to reach the summit. These reinforcements on the afternoon of the 9th were ordered to complete the capture of the crest. A hurricane was raging. The ground was honeycombed with holes, into which men sometimes completely |disappeared unwounded, and sometimes they were drowned in mud. It was impossible to rescue many of the wounded from the morass. The Germans were still fighting with intense energy. The officers chained the gunners to the machine-guns to prevent their being tempted to cease hre. When the French reached the edge ol the plateau, the summit was suddenly shrouded in fog, and the artillery was unable to cover them. The Germans charged, throwing back the attackers, but half an hour later a furious French charge re-won the ground. By ten o’clock at night, the whole ridge had been captured, and the enemy so crushed as to be unable to counter-attack. On the 10th the French position was consolidated.

As the ridge was definitely lost, the Germans characteristically re-baptised the crest giving the name Les Eparges to a spur further south, which the French never attacked. The result was achieved with half the loss inflicted on the enemy, and was proof of the growing superiority of the French army, which is now attacking, while the Germans are on the defensive.

ANOTHER BRILLIANT SUCCESS. Paris,April 16. Official, —Wo had a brilliant success in capturing the south-eastern spurs of Notre Dame do Lorette with the bayonet. We now hold the southeastern slopes to the borders of Ablain and St. Xazaie. DISTINGUISHED SERIVCE AWARDS. London, April 16. Colonel Havelock Hudson has been promoted to Major-General. Distinguished Service Orders have been conferred, including Major Gault, of Princess Patrica’s Canadians Twelve Military Crosses were awarded for bravery at Xeuve ('lmpede and Saint Eloi, including Lieutenants Colquolioun and Papieneau, of Princess Patricia’s Canadians.