FRANCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 75, 18 August 1914, Page 5

FRANCE

FIGHTING IN' ALSACE. FRENCH CONTINUE THEIR ADVANCE. Paris, August 10. In ah engagement in the region of Blamont and Cirey (near Nancy), wln-ri-the Bavarians had gathered their fortes. the French occupied the village of Blamont and the neighboring heights at the bayonet's point. Many .Bavarian-; were killed and wounded. The French continue the advance from the heights of the Vosges, and the Germans are retiring on Alsace. The French have retaken Tsann and taken prisoner. General Deimling, commander of Two French airmen' made a sortie" from Verdun over the Zeppelin hangars at Metz, where they dropped bombs, and it is believed did much damage. .Five hundred Germans were captured at Blamont on Friday. FRENCH TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. Paris, August 10. It is officially stated that the French began the offensive, in force on Friday night from the Suarburg-Luneviile line. The. movements were s uecessful and were continued wi Saturday. A German flag was captured. 'THE BEAUMONT ENGAGEMENT. GERMANS IN RETREAT. MALTREATING CIVILIANS AS THEY GO. Received 17, 7.30 p.m. " Paris, August 16 (morning). A Bavarian army carps held a strongly entrenched position before Blamont. A iFrench division opened their attack on Friday night. Aft* rushing the German outposts back, they suspended operations till dawn on Saturday, when the infantry advanceel under powerful artillery fire, and soon drove the Germans out of Blamont and Cirey. The' Germans then occupied a "kill overlooking the villages from the northward, but the French advanced and the Bavarians withdrew towards Saarburg, leaving many dead and wounded on the hillsides. A French force four miles south of Gaarburg v occupied the Domm, one of the chief summits of the. Vosges, just beyond the frontier, and further northward in the Briey district. The retreating Bavarians pillaged houses and maltreated civilians. The retreatiag Germans in Alsace burned many houses and .shot a number of the inhabitants. ■SENSATIONAL WORK IN THE AIR. FRENCH AVIATORS HARASS THE ENEMY. Received ]". 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 10. Lieutenant Cesar and Corporal Prunsomineau, aviators, left Verdun on Friday evening in separate aeroplanes to reconnoitre at Metz. Cesar at 3000 yds high, and the corporal at subjected to a ceaseless rain of shots. Cesar's engine stopped at a critical mo- j ment. lie decided not to lose his life for nothing, and volplaned, and launch- : l ed a bomb over the fort. Then the engine started again. Meanwhile the j corporal had launched a projectile, but j was unable to state the effect. Doth j got back safely.