Allies' Armies

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 25 August 1914, Page 5

Allies' Armies

HALF A MILLION MEN REST ON NAMUR Strong Defensive Positions Received 24, II p.m. London, August 23. The Daily Telegraph correspondent states that half-a-million of the Allies occupy a triangle of whic'li the. Apex is Namur, one side from Charleroi and Mons, and the other from Namur to Givet, the base running through to Phillippeville. To the east side it is covered by the River Meuse, and the west hy the River Sambre, while the base rests on Mons, the fortified line including-Mau-beuge. The position is excellent for artillery, while many roads make retreat easy in the event of defeat, but the eastern country will be difficult for German movements. The Germans advancing on Moils and Charleroi have no defensive positions for a beaten army. GERMANS SOUTH OF NAMUR. AN ATTACK DEVELOPING. Received 24, 8.10 p.m. London, August 23. There are indications that the German eastern wing has attacked the Allies' base at Rochefort and Ciney. (Oiney is a town in Belgium, 16 miles south-east of Namur, on the railway). GERMAN ADVANCE ON LILLE. I CUTTING ALL FLANK COMMUNICATIONS. Received 2-1, 8.20 p.m. Ostend, August 23. Later advices state that the Germans are marching in considerable force towards Lille (a first-class French fortress near the border, CG miles south-east of Calais, with a population of some 220,000), cutting all communications along their ilank, especially in the direction of Antwerp. 1 NEWS OF BATTLE. Ostend, August 23. It is reported that a big battle is progrossing in Belgian ITainault, following a sanguinary encounter at Little Amsterdam. A STRATEGIC RETIREMENT. GERMANS RETIRE FROM LONGWY. Received 25, 12.3U •». Paris, A : ;u-t 24. The Germans have evacuated the whole region of Longwy and Briey. An attempt to ire-capture Sohirnek failed. [Longwy and Briey are on the French side of the frontier, near Luxembourg.]