SIR JOHN FRENCH’S REPORT

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 162, 13 March 1915, Page 5

SIR JOHN FRENCH’S REPORT

(Reed. 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 12. Sir John French's bi-weekly report, states that success at Neuve Chapelle materially altered the situation at Armentieres, and La Bassee. The losses in proportion to results were not sjres t. We have established ourselves 1200 yords behind the enemy’s advanced trenches. The enemy repeated attempts on the 11th to recover lost ground, but they were repulsed with heavy losses. We are steadily progressing'. The fourth corps and the Indian corps repelled several counterattacks on the night of the 11th, and early in the morning cf the 12th, with heavy less to the enemy. The British third corps captured the village of Lepinitte with slight loss. A PARSEVAL WRECKED. PART OF CREW SAVED. (Reed. 9 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, March 11. A Parsevai wa s wrecked in a wood at Ghent. Par t of the crew were saved, two were injured. LLOYDS POSTINGS. WERE EITEL FRIEDRICH’S VICTIMS. (Reed. 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 12. The names posted at Lloyds were of ships sunk by the Eitel Friedrich.

A BRILLIANT EXPLOIT. HEROIC FRENCHMEN. MANY GALLANT DEEDS. (Reod. 10.30 a.m.) PARIS, March 12. The capture of Beausejour was a brilliant exploit. THe colonials held the nedoubt, on which the Germans made six massed counter-attacks. The French fire wiped out a whole battalion. Another furious attack followed at dawn. Lieut. Reynal leaped on the breastwork to lead a charge, and fell. Lieut. Gazeaux replaced him.and fell riddled with bullets. As the survivors were retreating Private Simon dragged Lieut. Gazeaur's body to the redoubt amid a hail cf bullets. Pte: Jouy killed seven Ciermans before he wad ; sabred, and then managed ip crawl to the redoubt. Captain Poirier, heading another charge, was struck by a bomb splinter. Seizing a rifie, he killed several Germans with the bayonet before he was killed. Lieut. Lelong, the last survivor of the redoubt,, called out, "I'll show you how a French soldier dies." He dashed on the Germans, killed several, and fell pierced by bayonets. Reinforcements on February 27th recovered the redoubt.