In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 32, 8 June 1915, Page 5

In the West.

COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL, /. FRENCH MAKE CAPTURES. (Received 9.5 U a.m.) Paris, June 7. A communique states; There was an artillery duel of extreme intensity at Lorottc, Ablain, and Cabanftrouge on Sunday and Monday. The enemy’s counter attateks completely failed. We attacked tne enemy’s position near Kebuterne, and captured two lines of trenches along twelve hundred metres of front, and several quick-firers and.a number of prisoners. The Germans’ violent counter-attacks north of \Aisne failed. Wo maintained our gains of the 6th. • BRITISH CASUALTIES. London, June 7 (2.50 p.m.) ARMY OFFICERS. Killed ... 8 Wounded ... ... H> Gas Killed BATTLEFIELD PANORAMA. WITH THE BRITISH PREMIER AT THE FRONT. FOUR DAYS’ TOUR E^DED. Times and Sydney Sun Service. (Received 8 a.m.) London, June 7. Mr Asquith’s four-days tour at the British front was denuded of ceremonial functions. He drove to Pop-, ringhe, and from a hill enjoyed a wonderful panoramic view of the ground where the fiercest fighting occurred. Par away to the south lay the ridge at Notre Dame De Lorette, making a thin blue line on the horizon; a halfturn to the left brings Fumes, Dixmude, and Dunkirk into focus, with the dunes gleaming white through the haze. Between these two extremes lay the British front as it has existed with I certain minor alterations for eight months. In the centre of the landscape lay fthe shattered remains of Ypres. A murky, dusky, red pall of smoke arose thickly while Mr Asquith climbed to the top of the Ip 11, the Germans again shelling the town and trying to demolish the remains oi the Cathedral and Cloth Hall, and sev oral houses were burning fiercely. Puffs of smoke to the north also showed that the enemy were still shelling Steenstraate, while at intervals shrapnel was seen bursting near the British lines at W/tschacte and Mes.sines. Clear daylight enabled the visitor to distinctly trace the opposing trenches within a few yards of each other these looking like the white weals on an old wound upon a man’s sun-tanned face. The hospital for convalescents, to receive men run down by the strain of trench delighted Mr Asquith. One thotiißhd 'three hundred beds have been provided since it was started, and thirteen thousand cases have been treated, nearly a regiment being returned to the firing line in full vigor. Mr Asquith drove through the men who carried out the great push to Neuve Chapelle. He chatted with his ex-colleague, Colonel Seely, examine'! the wire entanglements, dug-outs, and weapons of trench warfare returning to headquarters through an interminable stream of motor vehicles of every conceivable description carrying supplies to the front,

THE ENEMY’S GUNNERY. Dunkirk, June 7. While the British are building up reserves of high* explosive ammunition before they attempt another advance the Germans are pouring an unending stream of metal about our lines. German sappers are tirelesly boring day and iiight, despite evidence that their infantry is not strong enough to launch an attack in force. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the strength of their machine-guns. The gunners lurk in cellars until the Allied advance have swept past, and then they open fire and work the guns to the last. This courage of the cornered rat is curious when contrasted with the fact that they display no such quality in an open fight. Machinegunners are often bolted and barred within cellars, where the only alternative is to sjell life as dearly as possible. This is particularly so in fighting round Arras. BRITISH CASUALTIES. London, June 7. Record week-end lists include 5500 casualties in the ranks, of which 2160 were at the Dardanelles, where HI Ist Lancashire Fusiliers were killed, 18-1 wounded, 58 missing; 157 Ist Dublin Fusiliers killed, 43 wounded. The Ist Scottish Borderers, the 2nd South Wales Borderers, and the 4th Worcesters also suffered severely. \ THE HORRORS OF CAS.

London, June 7. Major-General Stuart Wortley, commanding a British corps in France, describes the horrors resulting from the use of ga s at Ypres. The public cannot have the slightest idea of this last damnable effort on the part of the Germans, who disregard all laws of humanity and civilisation. He'had'seen our men in the hospitals after they were brought from the trenches. There was no need to inquire the number of their ward, as the groaning was sufficient direction. In one ward there were 18 cases, and the men were sitting bolt upright or swaying backwards and forwards, gasping for breath. Their faces and hands were a shiny black color, their eyes were glazed, and they were unable to speak or feed themselves. During the two days it takes these men to die they suffer the most acute agony. If by the slightest chance they recover, the probability is they will be useless for the rest of their life, as the effect of the gas turns the tissues of the lungs to liquid. It is the 1 most hopeless, helpless, gud sickening sight imaginable.

FURTHER FRENCH CAINS.

Paris, Juno 7

Official: We secured further gains eastward of the Aix Xoulette-Souche/, road and in the Neuville lahyrinth. We now hold two-thirds of the latter. We captured, eastward of Tracy-le-Tont, on the Aisne in a single rush two lines of trenches and several works, and repulsed three violent counter-attacks. We took two hundred prisoners and captured three 77millimetre guns.