In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 4 May 1915, Page 3

In the West

SHELL'MG OF DUNKIRK. Unitkj) Pbbß> Association. Paris, May 3. A splinter of the first German shell at Dunkirk decapitated a girl and another shell fell on the Grand Palace, killing many civilians. The military hospital was partially wrecked and a number of wounded were killed. A shell fell in the suburbs and swept, away four small houses, the inmates of which perished. Another home was reduced to ruins. The bodies of a woman and lour children were found in the debris. ; British aviators recently blew up! an ammunition depot at St. Quiutin, killing 19 guards. They also destroyed the goods traffic lines. Four Taubes, despite gunfire, dropped twenty bombs. two incendiary, on Fpinal. Slight damage was done,, but there were no fatalities. Four others visited Remiermont, but were driven off by gunfire and French aviators. IH THE GAS AREA. "EYE-WITNESS" REPORTS. London, May 3. "Eye-witness" reports:—When the Frenchmen were retiring before gas clouds the British position was shelled by a high explosive for some hours. The Germans also fired poison shells lor an hour. Their infantry entrenched 120 yards away and evidently expected a result, for they looked over the parapet to see the effect and poured in rapid riile fire at intervals, when ; strong wind dissipated the gases. We suffered seriously. The enemy did not attempt to advance. On April L'-lth the Germans used gas on several occasions, but did not pressforward quickly, a prisoner explaining that many German infantry weri overcome by the fumes and could not advance. On April L'G the Germans massed near St. -Julian and made several assaults, increasing in fierceness. but reinforcements secured our positions. Further east our lines were pierced near Broodseine and a smal' body of the enemy occupied a portion of our trenches. The British and French made a counter-attack the same afternoon from Steenstraate to the eastward ol St. Julian, accompanied by a violent bombardment. Evidently this was tin turning point of the battle, for it caused a definite check to the enemy's offensive and relieved the pressure. A certain amount of ground was regain ed. During the attack guns on both sides were concentrated on a comparatively narrow front and poured out a great volume of fire. The infantry on our right stormed the German | trenches close to St. Julian and in the ; evening gained the southern outskirts ! of the village on the Centre and far- : ther west. A similar advance was i made for six hundred kilometres, ! though we could not maintain oui 1 gain. At all points opposite St. .Julian we fell back southward, the enemy making extensive use of gas and mac hinc-guns. hi the meantime the French r.e-captured Lizerne. Our losses were heavy, but those of the enemy were terrible. In close formation the o'nomy made an excellent artillery target.

There was a lull after April 2~th, the enemy being greatly exhausted after live days' lighting. There were many acts of gallantry. A machine gun on our left in an angle of trenche*. continued in action though five dead bodies lay around it. The sixth man took his place, though a brother of ono of the fallen men. The Germans pressed on and lie waited until they were only a few yards away and then poured in a stream of bullets. The advance was broken and the Germans fell back, leaving row.s of dead, while the gunner was wounded, An air raid at Courtrai cost us a valuable life. The aviator started alone, and on arriving at Courtrai he glided down to three hundred foot and dropped a largo bomb on the railway junction. Meanwhile he was a target For hundreds of rifles and machineguns, and he was severely wounded in the thigh. He might have saved his life by descending in the enemy's lines, Imt he decided to save the machine, and made for the British lines. Then lie was mortally wounded, but he carried on, landed at his own base, made a report, and (hen died in hospital. TIAIKS AND SVUNEY SUN SkHVICE. London, May 2. A medical correspondent in the north of Franco made an investigation ol asphyxiation germs from gases. After carefully experimenting on animals, the terrible suffering inflicted on our troops could be fully understood and measured beforehand. Thev caused subtle poisoning of the blood, like I patients in the Inter stages of diabetes, suffering agony, choking, audi scorching of the mouth and throat, lie was led to believe from the tarnished bottoms oT the bayonets that chloride and bromide were used.