The Crucial Conflict

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 27 August 1914, Page 5

The Crucial Conflict

Germans Held In Check I'lv KNOT, BRITISH AND GERMAN ARMIES FIGHTING. GERMAN DESCENT OX CHARLEROL MODERN GUNS MOW DOWN TROOPS. DEAD PILED IN HEAPS. ] EFFECTIVE FRENCH RIFLE FIRE. ; A TERRIFYING SPECTACLE. i Ostend, August 25. 1 Eye-witnesses of the fighting state 1 that the German descent on Charloroi was preceded by swarms of scouts. The 1 Utter reached the upper town at Charle- ' roi on Saturday morning, and owing to their khaki uniforms a detachment of 1 the Death's Head Hussars were mis- ' taken for Englishmen as cabled.

| The French had machine guns in the i Avenue on the viaduct commanding I the Genappe road, and others on the Portede and Waterloo Avenues, com- , manding the Fleurus road. The Germans captured ten miners wiio were coming from work and marched them at the head of the column, still carrying their safety lamps. Elsewhere they forced six civilians to march at the lead of the column. The German artillery was posted in the outskirts of the H ?per town and shelled the railway station and salient points in the lower town, trying to force a passage across the bridges over the Sambre.

(There was street fighting throughout Saturday morning at Charleroi. Many I were killed by quickfirerg and the bodies /were lying in heaps in the north of Charleroi. The French artillery opened fire on a wood and fresh forces of cavalry chargi J ed down and drove the Germans out ol 'Jtiu' wood to half way between i\amur | anil Charleroi. The battery of four i French guns shelled the Germans out |of the wood and when tliey came out opened riile fire from the right and left and shot them down. The whole column being swept down was a terrifying spectacle. The Belgian War Minister states that 30<i,(ffiG Germans passed "Brussels. Eyewitnesses state that ilalf went in the . direction of Ninove and Lille and half I towards Charleroi and Mons. The extreme rapidity of the advance from ! Brussels suggests that the fighting up to the present must be chiefly with the German cavalry and artillery.. The German line is nearly a hundred miles, spread out in af ormidable flank movement. They descended all the available roads east and west of Brussels, endeavoring to force a passage over the vSamlire at as many points as possible, with a view to penetrating France between Valenciennes and Maubenge. During the week the French cavalry, Chasseurs d'Afrique and artillery advanced north from Charleroi,. but were l insufficiently supported by infantry, and were forced to withdraw. Meanwhile the Allies prepared to meet tlio new .situation. It is officially stated that the third army from the region of Chimay moved forward to attack the German right between the Sambrc and Meuse, supported by the English army,, which set out from the region of Mons. The German movement, which sought to envelop the Allies' left wing, has been followed step \ :,y step. Tile German right is now bciug attacked by the French left and I tiie English army, which lias been as- | signed a role of the highest importance.

Kye-witnesscs state that the Germans wore -held in chock at all points to .Sun,liir ufteriioon, wlien the cannonade ceased, while it was renewed with increased violence in the evening. Many wounded continue to arrive at Miiubeuge and Vaiencienne3, near Cliarleroi. Ouring a fierce flight, terminating in favor of the French, other <Ol- - attacks in tile direction of Andcrlues and Jumet were repulsed. The British were engaged between Binehe and Mons throughout Sunday I afternoon and evening. Messages state that the advance on liille is expected to exert a most important influence on the battle. London. Augn.-t The Press Bureau states that the Germans, with S.trassburg as a stronghold, have established themselvitemporarily in strong force within a tiijngle of which the line between Dieulonard and (wales forms tlio W. \i their success is pursued it is po.-sihl« r!.e Fieneli will have to abandon Nancy. j which is unfortified and cannot be .vesoJutelv defended against an advance in b.rgt- numbers, but Toul, Koiiiul and Jli'llort. are regarded as imprcguabh. Owing to the considerable force* wjin i Mil- (lerroans have massed, toe luinh u.mniander-in-Ghicf decided to withdraw to the original line of delenee. where be is firmly established. 'J wo Krencli divisions sufTered somewhat verely, but the main body wa- not u-uehrd. The German losses v.eve coii- ; ..jderable, particularly lunonji the