In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 11, 13 May 1915, Page 5

In the West

A SANGUINARY STRUGGLE GERMANS FIGHT DESPERATELY. THE BRITISH AT LA BASSEE, RINGS OF ENTRENCHMENTS AT LILLE. Unitfd Pbjcm AsaOOIATTOK. (Received 9.15 a.m.) London, May 12. The fighting from Arras to the sea ,is developing into a sanguinary struggle. There is no official news, but there is too much evidence that it is terribly costly. All the news is entirely favorale to the Allies, and hopes are running high that the Germans will be checked along the Yser, although flood will no longer stop their advance. The enemy resumed their attacks on Ypres on the tenth, with reckless disregard of life, and everywhere there is appalling slaughter. The British renewed their attack on Auers llidge, and have driven out the Germans from the villages of Aubers and Fromeeles and gained a footing on the ridge, where they were checked. Furious fighting continues. The Germans have have extensive and successive earthworks,with masked machine guns, and ingenious concealments. They are fighting with desperate courage, carrying out bayonet charges with unusual dash. The British, with aggressive courage, help the French in the southward, where the Allied forces have already established a ridge. Owing to the French capture of the villages of Vermilles, which was lost in December, the battle at La Bassee threatens to be bloodier than Ypres. It is reported that during the desperate struggle of the last two days, the British several times penetrated the suburbs of La Bassee, both along the Bethune and Festubert roads i A large squadron of aviators succeeded in blowing up important works behind the enemy's line, and destroyed a large quantity of .supplies This created a panic, of which the British immediately took advantage. It is reported the Germans were driven back to Hourbourdin along the Lille road, but re-formed and captured part of the lost ground. The Germans have completed twelve rings of strongly fortified entrenchments sutside Lille facing the Allies. GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Paris, May 12. A communique states: The Germans during a counter-attack last night recaptured from the French part of the Loos-Vermelles trenches which were taken yesterday. We maintained all tlie gains elsewhere.

FROM ARRAS TO THE SEA. Times and Sydney Sun ServiceLondon, May 11 A correspondent on the plains near Flanders reports that Artois is aflame and there i,s fierce fighting on the whole front of seventy six miles from Arras to the sea. The final and most desperate battle of Calais caused heavy losses to both sides during the first two days. The Germans attacked Ypres on Friday with redoubled fury. They were beaten off at heavy cost. The artillery fire was the heaviest and most terrible of the war. Massive guns bombarded East Ypres with a tornado of shells and high explosives, pulverising every yard of ground and smashing the trenches. The troops withstood the bombardment with amazing courage and resolution. They were unable to live in the zone of hie, and retired to a second line in good order, though with lamentale losses. The enemy advanced to drive them out of the town, but the British ponied rifle and mac-hine-gun fire and shrapnel on the dense formations of the advancing Germans. The Germans were slaughtered, whole battalions melting away. Some came on, but were driven off with bayonets. In a successful British counter-at-tack ground was gained towards Fromelles. FIGHTING EAST OF YPRES. Paris, May 12. Official: The British east of Ypres again attacked. An asphyxiating cloud approached, but they allowed it to pass, using masks. Then, with machine-guns and rifles at point-blank range they annihilated the Germans advancing in massed formations. The French successes north of Arras are extending. As' the result of engagements of extreme violence, we captured an entire system of trenches along the Loos-Vermaile.s road. We also assaulted a large fort and chapel at Notre Dame de Lorette, which had been defended with ardor for months. We invested the position and rushed it in the afternoon after a desperate conflict. Without stopping we drove the enemy out of the trenches south of the chapel, where there were several hundred German corpses. The Germans are debouching at Aldame and St. Nazaire. The Germans counter-attacked, but were broken at the outset, and we resumed the offensive and gained ground in the direction of a sugar refinery at Souchez. After a violent engagement we seized a cemetery at Neuville St. Yaast, which the Germans had strongly fortified. We have now reached the fourth line of the German trenches in the district, and continue to take many prisoners.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports under date London, 12th May, 12.5 a.m.: The success was vigorously followed up and the 'enemy were driven hack to the trenchesi k- Captured prisoners declare they were ordered to hold the chapel and fort at all costs. MEETING THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE Dunkirk, May 12. It is reported the German offensive at Nieuport will be commenced on the 9th. The wind has recently been so strong that it would have dispersed the asphyxiating gases. The Germans finally attacked amid blinding whirlwinds of sand, bkhvh.g upon the Allies' trenches. In accordance with a pre-arranged plan the Allies' centre yielded while the wings held their ground. The Germans followed up their success and established themselves in the abandoned trenches. Then the wings doubled in and enfiladed the Germans on both sides. A most fierce struggle was carried on to the beach The 'Germans were forced to retreat, leaving their wounded . MISCELLANEOUS. London, May 11. A Belgian communique states that some of our troops crossed to the right bank of the Yfser north of Dixmude yesterday. A wounded officer from Flanders when giving a description of the fighting told an ' interviewer that when he emerged from the fight everything seemed like a rod-hot earthquake of blood and death. Nobody could tell which way it was going. Wo were making mince-meat of the Germans and they wore making a hash of us. He could not have believed that such fighting was possible if he had not been in it. Tiueh and Stdnby Hun Sebviok. London May 11. Toronto reports that the latest Canadian casualties at Vpies are 2776.