THE CAPTURE OF STEINBACH

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 106, 7 January 1915, Page 5

THE CAPTURE OF STEINBACH

A DESPERATE AFFAIR. FIERCE BATTLE CONTINUES TILL DARK. FURIO US HAN D-TO-H AND COMBATS. GERMANS BADLY WORSTED. Press Association —Copyright. (Reed. 8.45 a.m.) PARIS. Jan. G. The German commander at bteinImcli, replying to a From li I’arliamonfaire on December SI, said ho did act regard himself as surrounded. The road to Germany was still open to possible retreat. In any ease the Emperor’s troops might be killed, but they would not surrender. The French approached the village in open columns. At noon a mitrailleuse in a church tower swept the edge of the woods where a farm was approached by crossroads. It was neceafinry.to capture this .point d’appui at all costs. The enemy used civilians to shield them, including a woman with her hair waving, and her hands tied at her back. The sight inflamed the French, who, with bayonets, captured the farm despite heavy fire. Ventilation holes in a granary wall formed perfect loopholes, from which crack shots picked off Prussian gunners one by one, enabling the principal line to make a new advance. The infantry tried to lake the fallen gunners’ places, but through lack of knowledge lost valuable time, and at the end of the afternoon the Frea&h column turned the enemy’s right along a break. The enemy’s desperate counterattack north of the village completely failed. The, cavalry, who counter-at-tacked on foot, were thrown into the stream, numbers being wounded and drowned. The battle continued till the evening. Every lane was an ambuscade,and evedy cottage a fortress. The pohhesssion of a wall or a door became the object of a furious hand-to-hand light. The exasperation of both sides increased till night terminated the battle. i A French volunteer, taking his life in his hands, ignited a stable where Germans were sheltering. The flames enabled the mitrailleuses to be used with deadly effect on the flying Germans. The latters’ incendiary bombs blew up their own ammunition reserve. .FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE. (Reed. 8.45 p.rn.) PARIS, Jan. 6 Official; We captured a quarry on Monday night neav the junctioou of the Rouvras-St. Hihiel-Mai'/.ey roads, also trenches in the vicinity. There was no fighting elsewhere. The weather is bad. 10,000 GERMAN DEAD BURIED. (Reed. 8.45 p.m.) ROTTERDAM, Jan. G. German sappers buried 10,000 dead near Duffeed. THE DEFEAT COMPLETE. NINTH ARMY CORPS ANNIHILATED. HUGE CAPTURES BY THE RUSSIANS. (Reed. 12.15 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Jan. 6. Official: The Turkish defeat at Sarykamysli was complete. The Ninth Army Corps was annihilated. The commander (Iskhan Pasha), over 100 officers, a large number of men, guns, machine guns, ammunition and supply columns wore captured. The Russians are pursuing the reranatns of the Tenth Army Corps, When capturing Ardagan, the Siberians sabred two Turkish , companies, the Turks falling back in all directions. EXPLAINED. The mystery surrounding several bombardments of Femmes, when exalted personages visited the town, Is explained by the arrest of a railway official, ■ whose signals were detected in connection with an aeroplane raid on Dunkirk. The traitors were shot. PROJECTED AERIAL RAID ON ENGLAND. (Reed. 12.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. 6. The “Times” correspondent, interviewed the chief of the German aeroplane squadron, who are eagerly awaiting orders to raid England. The correspondent states that the German aeroplanes carry forty and twentypounder torpedo-shaped bombs, the Germans also using steel darts, similar to the French. A DISLOYAL INDIAN. DELHI, Jan. 6. Khan.; of- the' Gunput-Roy Company. Calcutta, has been sentenced to 18 months’ rigorous punishment and lined 5000,rupees for selling mica to Germany via London.- Eleven cases of mica were seized at Marseilles.