THE ALTKIRCH ATTACK

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 70, 12 August 1914, Page 5

THE ALTKIRCH ATTACK

j 1 A FURIOUS CHARGE. j "INTO THE MOUTH OF HELL." Paris, August 10. I It is officially stated that a French | brigade reached Altkirclx at nightfall. ' The town was defended by strong earthworks. The French immediately made an assault with adnnrable pluck. One infanti\y regiment with a furious charge carried the entrenchments at the point of the bayonet. The Germans fled, even abandoning the second line of works which they might have held. Altkireh rang with shouts of joy when the French entered. Old men who had seen 1870 embraced the French dragoons, who followed the flying Germans towards Wiilthei'm, Tagolsheim, and 111furts, inflicting heavy loss, The French losses were not excessive., considering the result. : Mfcuilhansen, which was not fortified, was occupied in less than an 'hour, the cavalry (lashing through at full gallop and pursuing the German rear-guards, - who set fire to many buildings, especially the provision stores and fodder stores, The Germans are now at Neufiriesach, wfltich is permanently fortified and commands the Rhino Vallejy. Other accounts say that the French, with bayonets, dashed forwards like ipadmen to the very mouths of the guns and shovelled the Germans out of the trenches. During the advance on Altkiroh, a French aeroplane was riddled with bullets and the aviator wounded in the t thigh, but lie reached Belfort. A German hotelkeeper in Paris lias been shot on account of a wireless equipment having been discovered on the roof of (his hotel. t FRANCE SETTLING DOWN. INDUSTRIES RE-ORGANISED. Paris, August 9. The first military mobilisation is over and more trains are available for civilians, The. Government is setting about organising agriculture and industries to enable the national life to proceed with the least inconvenience. There are abundant offers of male and female labor,' which will be distributed lo the communes according to the applications from employers. The Minister of Labor is increasing the transport of foodstuffs by requisitioning horses and : vehicles not requisitioned by the army. M. Schneider, the Creusot gunmaker, recently agreed to furnish 26 batteries of 105 millimetre guns. When war broke out, M. Schneider forfeited 1 is contract deposit, and presented the batteries to the French Government. Fifty German spies have been captured. It is stated that they have been ordered to be shot. The French garrison at Grand Popo, 1,1 Dahomey, acted in conjunction with a British cruiser in taking possession of Togoland. A German major was surprised at .1 ours blowing up a. railway bridge. He was courtmartiallcd and shot. FRENCH CAPTURE MOUNTAIN I PASSES. Received 11, 8.20 pm. Paris, August 10. The French on Saturday night captured the passes at Bonhomni and St ! Ugh . the Vos S eB > an * also told the summits commanding the St - -Maneux mines.