In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 14, 17 May 1915, Page 5

In the West.

GERMANS REPULSED AT YPRES. Unites Phebs Aspooiation. ; (Received 10. JO a.m.) London, May 16. "Eye-Witness" states: The Germans on the 10th bombarded the Ypres salient more violently than ever. They used poisonous gases and waited half an hour, and then attacked, expecting to find the defenders dead or stupefied, hut the British are now provided with counteracting devices. A strange scene followed. Through the scattered woods and 'across the clearings streamed a loose and disordered mob, some wearing British uniforms. . British infantry suddenly lined the parapets poured in a* rapid lire from rifles and machineguns. The Germans threw themselves on their faces, but British guns seized the opportunity and poured in shrapnel, the ground being strewn in a few moments with dead and dying Germans along the entire front. i The Germans used gas north of Ypres, near the canal, the fumes pouring from the nozzles for half an hour, bleaching the grass and sandbags. (The Germans did not attack, having probably suffered from the fumes, which forced them to leave their own troches. The enemy re-openei the |bombardment of :ne Ypres salient on ithe 11th. Two attacks failed and then 'every German gun and howitzer within range blazed at the trenches for three hours. Infantry swarmed forward, many wearing kilts, and occupied a short trench, but they were soon driven out. Many air duels occur, and invariably are in our favour. "Eye-Witness" relates that a British airman on the 10th, in a singleseater monoplane, pursued a German, who lost control of the steering gear when trying to reload his machine gun, and the aeroplane turned over and the airmen almost fell out. He grasped the strut and hung head down with his legs entangled, while the machine spun round like a leaf, dropping from a height of 8000 ft. to 2500 ft. Finally he disengaged his legs, righted the machine with h's fret, looping tlie loop, and regained his scat.

ALLIES MAKE PROGRESS. (Received 9.15 a.m.) Paris, May 16. Official.—We inflicted a reverse on the enemy northward of Ypres and carried several trenches before Hebas. We secured possession of part of Steenstraete westward of the canal and the bridge over the canal. We captured three machine-guns, and took 50 prisoners. We progressed northward of Arras. Our attack outflanked the sugar refinery at Souchez on the north and we approached it from the west. We repulsed a count-er-attack on the southern slopes of Lorette. We continued the conquest of Neuville and Saint Yaast and carried several groups of houses. BRITISH HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. (Received 8.55 a.m.) Paris, May 16. A Ipommunique states: The (Jerinans' extremely violent attacks at Steenstraete were repulsed, and they lost heavily, including six machineguns and mortar. The British between Richeborg and Laquique captured several trenches after fierce hand-to-hand fighting on the slopes. At Notre Dame De Lorette we progressed. The Germans endeavoured to retake Nueville, but failed. CERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (Received 9.15 a.m.) Berlin, May 16. Official.—We progressed on the St. Julien-Ypres road, and captured three British officers, sixty men. and a ma-chine-gun. Altogether 110 officers and 5450 men have been taken prisoners near Ypres since the 22nd April, besides five hundred wounded. We also took the trenches southward of AillV, making prisoners of fifty-two wounded and 166 unwonnded Frenchmen.