In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 97, 27 April 1915, Page 5

In the West.

ASPHYXIATING CASES. , — | MASSED ATTACKS BY THE ENEMY , _ - ( [UnITIJO PBKt>* ASSOCIATION.! London, April 2G. The Daily Chronicle correspondent ( states that three bayonet lights re- ( suited unfavorably for the Germans, _ many of whom were made prisoners. J The Germans continued their massed attack on the 23rd upon the Belgian Grenadiers, who performed many deeds of bravery, preventing the Germans from passing the French left wing, which was weakened as a result of the poisonous gas used by the Germans. By"midday on the 25th the Germans were driven back over the Yser. The Germans .throughout used many explosive bullets. THREE ARMY CORPS FIGHT DESPERATELY. •Dunkirk, April 26. The capture of Hill UU upset the German calculations. The Germans were forced to disclose their hand in a premature attack upon the French hues north of tiie British section. Three German army corps were flung on the Yser from lioulers with orders to gain the Ypres-Fumes Koad at any cost. A north-easterly wind was blowing on Thursday evening, and the circulation of the sulphur choride product resulted in a heavy gas of alout the same consistency as atterdump, and tiie acrid smoKe was singularly painful to the eyes. As the smoke arose in trout of the German trenches, the enemy evacuated their own trenches, giving the French the impression they were retiring. Many French sprang up and charged into the poisonous cloud, but were blinded and stifled by the fumes. Some regained their trenches, but the bursting shells continuing with the same fuses scattered the poisonous gases, ' and formed another wall of smoke behind which were the bewildered Frenchmen. At one spot the Germans themselves caught the poisonous cloud and fought until it was impossible to distinguish friend from foe. A French sergeant managed to escape, and told the Belgian commander of the gravity of tiie situation. The Belgians retired in good order. The Canadians had no time to get their 4.7 gnus across the water. The Germans brought up a quantity of ready-made bridges, thirty feet long, and despite the destruction of the first occupied Lizerne, This left the Canadians' .position untenable, but within four bonis they had turned and advanced. THE CANADIANS IN THE FUMES. The Canadians met with were retreating, being terribly sick, half blind, with weak limbs, from the effect of the fumes. Nevertheless, \ the Canadians faced the shrapnel, rifle-fire, and machine-guns in country lacking cover. The French assisted, and in the growing darkness retired to their positions on the canal banks. They were still disorganised. At dawn a large number of troops were still poisoned. Indeed, the men were being brought to Dunkirk on Sunday in a state of stupor. The main German attack was directed on the Dixmude-Ypres road, at a point where the road crosses the canal. Alter the Germans stormed Steenstraate they made a sweeping movement, to tin 1 left. The French valiantly defended, but were driven back, abandoning lour batteries of seventyfive guns.

The German engineers on Thursday night enlarged and strengthened the temporary bridge at Steenstraate, enabling reinforcements to entrench on the western bank before dawn, and supported by heavy artillery throughout Friday, the German infantry tried to capture Zuvdishoote, but were repeatedly repulsed! The attacks were renewed on Friday nignt, when they held half a mile west of the bridge head. The Belgians meanwhile had done their full share of lighting, holding the line of the Yser, the flooded a:ca, and the dunes. The German r.rtdlery everywhere searched their lines, but they fought with splendid courage and gallantry, co-operating with the French. The combined forces recaptured Lizerne and threw the Germans across the canal. After the Germans, poured over tho canal they attacked the Canadians in the rear. The Canadians, facing both ways, fought for their lives with their bayonets. ' -British supports, with Zouave forces, fell upon the tiermans and cut their Way to the Canadians. The whole mass then charged the enemy in a glorious inrush. Whole companies of Germans were wiped out. The Canadians lost heavily, but they drove the Germans from Pilkem in disorder by means of two bayonet charges, delivered with magnificent dash and spirit, regardless of rules or German textbooks. The Germans' excessive confidence helped the Canadians to establish the whole allied Hue. The Duke of Wurtemburg's anry with a number of Hungavan regiments, carried out the atticic. There are many rumors that General von Hindenburg was chief in command. The Germans are now burying their dead'near the battlefields, owing to the railways being congested with troop trains and preventing the conveyance of cremating furnaces. Great piles of corpses, mostly mangled and unrecognisable, are being collected west of Eoulers, where waggons bring them from the banks of the Yse»'. The burial pits are fifteen fast deep, dug by German civilians assisted »v the Belgians compulsorily drafted from the villages. "CLOUDS OF BLACK FOG." Paris, April 26. Witnesses of the German attach state that the Germans did not me special asphyxiating shells. They believe that the vapor emanating from the chlorine was projected from the German trenches by some unknown means, the Germans availing themselves of a favorable wind. The French were amazed at the thick clouds of black fog moving fcowir Is their trenches. Taking advantage of momentary confusion, the Germans came out, supported by their artillery, wearing masks, but, thanks to the numerous reserves and support of the British, the German advance was checked north of the canal. Official: The fighting north of Ypres continues satisfactory to tin* Allies. | The Germans attacked the British at I several points, but did not gain any [ ground. The French progressed on 1 the right bank by a vigorous counterattack. j (MASKED GERMANS TAKE POS- ' SESSION OF WEAPONS OF DEAD MEN. CANADIANS HAVE THEIR REVENGE. ! London, April 20. ■) The Daily Chronicle >-(.:>';>«- that •' after the gas had eseap'd for fifteen ■ minutes masked Germans tool; pos- , session of the arms of the dfiid men, •.but made no prisoner*. When they | saw soldiers whom the mines had not

quite killed they threw Lheir rifles into the Yser, and ironically advised the asphyxiated men to \i?. down, and thus die better. When reinforcements arrived, the French opened a terrible lire. Simultaneously the Canadians thrust in a wedge, oil many Germans who bad advanced too Par.

In order to play an infamous ti:eK on a party of Fiviciim '<i. a German cohimn that was thiva-a-ied with decimation owing to the French fire. held their vifle-hutts and .vaved in the air a white flag, calling out; 'We surrender." When near the French trenches they opened lire, killing; many Frenchmen, whom ihe Canadians were able to avenge.

Floods north .-f the ferryman's house prevented he use of chlonne, as the terenehes were toe. far apart. Here the Germans,. 1 uir ;.hrea-t, pieceded by three machine-guns, advanced on the road, crossing the Hoods regaidless of the Allies' big guns. The Germans did not s'sfl fiir-ir machine-guns until they were WO?e to the Belgian trenches, when 'hey poured in a hot fire and chare -d with Hie bayonets. They were able to cross owing to their great number. The Belgians fought gallantly until reinforcements a'rived and enabled them to throw back the Germans at several points over the Yser. Germans north of Oixmudo attacked many times in serried ranks, {a'ticularly at Chateau Decogne, which is a small country house aid garden situated among a numbe: of peasant cottages. FICHTSNC A SCOURCF. London, Apr:! 26. The Daily Chronicle considers that the Allies are no longer fighting a nation, but a scourge like a cholera curtain. The asphyxiating gas advanced like the yellow wind in northern China. It rose, to a height of sixteen feet, and evidently the Germans had placed big reinforced bottles of gas, compressed by high pressure, on the top of the trenches. These bottles were opened when the wind was certain to carry the erases in the direction of the enemy's trenches. Many of the French troops, not knowing the danger, attempted to escape, but died at their post. The corpses turned black, and those who escaped spat blood owing to the chlorine attacking the mucous membrane. ] These effects were felt over six kilometres by two. Elsewhere the gas was too diluted to kill, though it suffocated many. A CERMAN COMMUNIQUE. Berlin, April 25. A communique states: "We, in further successes near Ypres. maintained the ground captured on the 23rd. and continued the attack eastward. We stormed the Solaert farmhouse, west of St. Julien. which is three miles north-east of Ypres. also Kerselwere, and advanced victoriously against Grafeastafel, taking a thousand Englishmen prisoners and capturing seven machine-guns. We repulsed the British counter-attack on our position west of St. Julien, the British suffering most severe losses. British attempts to attack Westmill were stifled at birth. The French suffered a severe defeat south-west of Kombres. We broke through several lines. Nightly attempts to recapture the ground miscarried. We captured twenty-four French officers, 1600 men, and seventeen guns.

"WORSE THAN HELL!" CHOCKINC TREATMENT OF WOMEN." "LEAVE NOTHING IN DINANT." Times and Sydney Sun Service. (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, April 2(5. A speaker at a recruiting meeting at Fulham road an authenticated lottor in regard to tire treatment of British prisoners in Germany. The writer stated : "We are being starved here, llice and water and horse beans are the only solid food we get. We had one loaf of bread during sixdays. The guard hayonetted several of the prisoners, and others were flogged or tied to a barbed-wire post for six hours, with their toes just touching the ground, and with hardly anything tr> wear; the captors having taken it. It's worse than being in bell. The diary of a tJelgtan lady who has since died in ICngland states: The Germans on entering Dinant were mostly drunk. They tired the houses and pillaged shamefully, and engaged the French with bayonets in the streets. When the bombardment commenced, the women and children lied terrified, nuns holding up their bands to hearten them. Hundreds who worn in the extreme terror and fatigue, were lying on mattrasses. Babies in their cradles were left on the streets. A barefooted wonnm who was expecting !,i child and was chid only in a chemise and petticoat was among those compelled to watch her unarmed husband being shot. .Many women took refuge liii hill caves, where several lost their 'reason, as the result of their infants dying. The Germans discovered them, and compelled them to march in front of the army, and the French cannon ceased liring. Heine; lined up, facing the German riflemen, they appealed for I mercy to an officer, who replied: j "Dinant tired on our soldiers. \ am ordered to leave nothing in Dinant." Heart-breaking farewells were taken, but an officer rode up at the last moment and spared them. Thtfn he marched them to camp, where they saw immense braziers full of corpses. They were made prisoners, being locked un in a church, and in response to the appeals of the priests, they were un.re kinllv treated.

ALLIES CONTINUE SEVERE FICHTINC. (Received 1.50 p.m.') Loudon. April 29. The Press Bureau states : KieldMnrshal French reports that severe lighting .mil heavy casualties continue ;>l Vpivs. The Germans captured St. Julieu. An aviator destroyed Courtrai Junction. i 2500 CANADIANS AGAINST 7000. MOWED DOWN LIKE SHEEP. ALMOST SURROUNDED. (Received 11.5 a.m.) London, April 20. ; A Canadian states: "Alter the line had been broken on the left, we were 'sent to the northward of Ypres without food or water and in wet equipment, eacli with four hundred rounds. We waited from early day until nearly midnight, when two battalions were ordered to charge the enemy, who was 500 yards away. Their artillery mowed us down like, sheep—2soo Canadians 'attacking 7000 Germans, who were in a wood full of maxims. Before the attack, some few shells were fired thi-• ther. and we expelled the enemy from the trenches in front of the wood. Then wo went right through about five hundred yards to the other side, were then almost surrounded, and re-i tired to the captured trenches. Wo dug ourselves in, and remained there overnight, the enemy shelling us with shrapnel." (Received 11.35 a.m.) We filed out to make roosa for reinforcements. In our advance, and we were enfiladed by a heavy fire from both sides. The Prussian Guards were fronting us, but they RAN LIKE COWARDS. We recovered three French howitzers, which we blew up, and next recaptured our 4.7 guns, being surrounded at that point by sixty Germans, of whom wo bayoneted forty-five. The officer blew out his brains. We were unable to estimate the numbers of German slain, but their searchlights were busy the whole night picking up the dead.

PRAISED BY FRENCH AND KITCHENER. CALLANTRY APPRECIATED BY THE ENGLISH. (Received 9.25 a.m.) London, April 20. Sir John French informed General Alborson that he had reported tho Canadians' splendid behaviour to Lord Kitchener, and the latter replied that their gallantry and determination in a difficult position was highly appreciated by the English. THE CANADIANS AT HOME KEENLY WATCH COMPATRIOTS. United I'rkbs Association. Montreal, April 2(i. The exploit of the Canadians on the Yser was bulletined at the newspaper offices. The public rushed .special editions, and were delighted with the unusually warm language of the War Office despatch. The GovernorGeneral (.the Duke of Connaught) inspected the Montreal Home Guard, and congratulated the officers upon the gallantry of their brothers in arms in Itaking the guns, which were specially welcome, lie recalled the exploit in South Africa, when Major Hollard won the Victoria Cross. There is great anxiety over the casualty lists, a s the Canadians had already a thousand casualties at Hill (50 and around Ypres. The Toronto Star says it was no [fault of the Canadians that they yielded ground. Annihilation or retreat was the only option. They did well to extricate themselves without more serious loss. Such a situation was the severest test of discipline.