ON FRENCH FRONTIER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 28 August 1914, Page 5

ON FRENCH FRONTIER.

TERRIFIC FIGHTING. Allies Forced Back. BATTLE RAGING. ALONG FRANCO-BELGIAN FRONTIER. Received 27, 10 p.m. Paris, August 27 (morning). A battle is now raging between Donon and Maubcrge. ALLIES STILL RETIRING. BUT CONTINUE THEIR RESISTANCE \ Received 28, 12.56 ajn. Paris, August 27. An official message at midnight states that the Anglo-French lines have moved back a short distance, and continue their resistance. (The name of the place was deleted by the censor.) A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE. BATTLEFIELD BLOCKED BY KILLED AND WOUNDED. THE CAVALRY IMPEDED. A GERMAN REPULSE DESCRIBED. Received 28, 1225 am. London, August 27 (morning.) For three hours, four French mitrailleuses held up 2000 of the enemy who were coming into Oharleroi by the northern road. French infantry came to their assistance, but not in sufficient numbers to make pursuit possible. Later, a reinforcement of Zouaves arrived. Some disposed of German incendiaries within the town, while others, crossing the river Sambre at Thiun, pursued the enemy as far as Fontaine Levequc. At many points the battlefield can be described as being blocked with masses of killed and wounded, so that the cavalry found it difficult to charge, while tin- perpetual flight of shells and shrapnel, especially during the night, made a wonderful and terrible spectacle. TO PULVERISE THE BRITISH. FLOWER OF THE GERMAN ARM? AGAINST THEM. STUPENDOUS DISREGARD OF LIFE. VICTORY AT ALMOST ANY COST. GERMAN ARTILLERY DIRECTED FROM AIRSHIP. Received 27, 11.50 p.m. .Paris, August 27. Refugees and wounded state that 150,000 of the best of the German troops were brought against the British. The Germans' disregard of life was stupendous. Orders had apparently been given to forfeit, if necessary, "50 per cent, of the army to secure victory. As one German regiment was driven back its place was .taken by fresh troops. Their artillery fire, however, was less efficient than the British, whk-li occupied a position in the "hills behind Mons.

The German artillery was regulated by signals from an aeroplane flying over be 'British position. The British flowed marked supcrior,y in bayonet charges. HREK DAYS OP BLOODY FRUITING GERMANS SUFFER REVERSES. Received 28 1 a.m. London, August 27. Three days." bloody battles near Vise .jipciir to have closed in France's favor. The Germans also retreated near Viivrc. after desperate lighting for "'Vral days. FRENCH MAKING PROGRESS. TUKNViI FULL OF GERMAN" WOUNDED. Re-.-eived 28. '12..V. a.m. Paris. August 27. An ollieial bulletin has been issued which states that offensive operations between Nancy nnd the Yosgcs districts are making progress, though the French right has fallen back too quickly in the Saint Die district. The Hermans sustained considerable casualties. Fifteen hundred corpses were found in a small area. French shells mowed down an entire seetirin in one trench. UHLAN RAIDERS MEET THEIR WATERLOO. AFTER INHUMAN" TREATMENT OF NON-COMP.ATANTS. Received 28. 12.-t:! a.m. London, August 27 (morning). Uhlan raiders from Mons crossed th frontier on Monday evening. The; roundel up the women and childre and convalescents, with revolvers, an forced them to march all night tlrroug' French villages, 'striking terror into th peasants. They burnt the Town Ha at Somainj and tore np a lengfo of tt

four o'clock in the morning they met a j French artillery regiment, and a four ■hours' fight ensued, which annihilated the Uhlans. Some. British wounded were taken to the base hospital near Boulogne. ■' The French wounded states that the Germans at Charleroi always used the same methods. They mounted Maxims on ridges, with deep trenches. The French carried these aeath-trops at the point of the bayonet. KAISER'S NEPHEW A PRISONER. ANOTHER OUTRAGE AVENGED. Received 28, 12.55 a.m. Paris, August 27 (morning). A German column marching upon Valenciennes, under threat of instant shooting, compelled a number of women and children to walk before them. A lottery of artillery concealed in * wood ambushed them, and all were killed or captured. A band of Uhlans was captured at Courtrai, commanded by Count von . Schwerin, the Kaiser's nephew. The latter's sword, a present from the Kaiser, has been presented to the wife of the officer who captured Mm. ALLIES IN NEW POSITIONS. GERMAN FORCE REPULSED. Paris, August 26. It is officiary stated that the Allies 1 movement to new positions has been completed. .The French command the Ardennes forest outlets and are vigorously on the offensive towards Virton, in which the Germans were repulsed with heavy losses. General Joffre i stopped the pursuit. NAMUR TAKEN. j GERMANS ENCOUNTER LITTLE DIFFICULTY. BELGIANS EVACUATE THE TOWN. ' Paris, August 26 (morning). Simultaneously with the attack on Charleroi, Namur was subjected to a, furious bombardment, so well regulated that the first few shots silenced the Marchovelette fort. On the north-east the Maizerct Fort and Andoy Fort were almost out of action. The forts of the north and Forts Dave and St. Heubert continue their resistance. Despite barbed wire entagleinents, through wl':h an electric current of I;*} volts -■•■; passed, the Germans entered Namur without encountering . lur.ch resistance, by eight on Sunday e\oning. Three thousand Belgians evacuated the town in order, removing liie rolling stock and motor-ears. THE ALSACE WITHDRAWAL. NOT DEFEAT-JUST STRATEGY. FIGHTING CONTINUES IN LORmNE : Paris, August 20. Count Zeppelin commands the German airships. The War Office states that tlie abandonment of territory in Alsace is necessary. The withdrawal does not indicate defeat, but a strategical movement. Fighting .has been renewed in Lorraine and continues. GERMAN CAVALRY IN FRA>C|. DESIGNS ON THE FRENCH LEFT. London. August 26. The. German cavalry penetrated to Tonreoing, in the Eoubaix 'district, v.hich is only defended by Territorials.Possibly this force is the advance guard of a large foTcc which is destined for a tunring movement against the French left at Lille. The cavalry yesterday Taided French territory towards Conde. The French artillery intercepted for a turning movement against the near Bouehain. Two German acropUnea flew over Cambrai. One was brought down and two aviators were killed. GERMANS DEFEATED AND RETREATING. London, August 26. The Press Bureau states that the Germans in force attacked the French on the southern frontier on the 25th and wire repulsed, and retreated all along the line. CARNAGE 'JNPHSCRIBLE. STUBBORN BATTLE. AT CHARLEROI. THE TOWN TAKEN BY GERMANS. Ri'-CWIVKKI) NE.M' DAY BY HE FRENCH. ' THE ROADS .IAMBEH WITH ' ' DEAD. ' THE CITY DEVASTATED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright 3 Paris. August 2(> (morning). s Mons is surrounded bv canals in evcry dircction except Hi the south, whore there are woods. All the bridges that '" had not been blown up were commander by machino «uns and barricaded, by interlocking of'huge cable drums. By six on Saturday morning a '.arge- German force bad'taken up a position at Tournai, and bv ten o'ebrk Gc.Min machine ffiras were firing on the Pout Emorci near the railway station, the •'" first German attack was repulsed, 'bitt later they entered the town. ■ The Germans at Charleroi bombarded the upper town, and the French made a sortie, 'but the strength of the. ene.mj comp'lled their retirement. 'I he. Turcoio then debo'iehed from the. i-iwn ant charged bavonetting the gunners. O ' y the tattalion onlv a 'hundred rrtumei >u unscathed, the-losses exceeding those o id uie Light Brigade. Their bravery wa,i, useless against the oncoming Geifimaiis I who crept through the. outskirts to, th> ll0 ' veiw heartof 'Charleroi;' Litbi nstrroi til streets the c&rnage -was indescnbiiibb he The French infantry, dew-ibingl .«!>' .. ■ tamcioua street, fehting, mW'Ss'sm

that the killed Mimained! standing up i where they wore shot, resting on their dead comrades. The French made, a last stand Where the canal parses clo.se to tlie railway station. The German* fought for the bridge for two hows and captured it after Heavy losses They then gained ground all along tin line, capturing the villages '>f Macchi enne, Landelies, Montigny, and (the coim try to WaJcourt (10 miles south o Oharieroi). Later in the day tin Trench artillery opened fire upon Charle roi, shelling the lower portion of tlhi city, while the French infantry ad-vancee slowly, retaking several villages aw again becoming masters of the line be tween xhuin and Mettet. The fightinj ended at six o'clock in the evening, hot! sides being completely worn out. The battle reconmneneed at dawn !\vhen tho French again bombardet Charleroi. Again the French swa/rmec down the slope towards the lower town recapturing Chatelet, Bouffioux, Farcienne and Oouillet. There were terrible losses on both sides. The French', in the slag heaps iof the mining district, found an admirable vantage ground for theii (mitrailleuses, while tllie Germans, as in Upper Alsace, mounted mitrailleuses in every steeple. Despite a withering fire the Frencn again entered Oharleroi and drove the Germans in confusion across | the Sambre. The city was devastated, ! littered with dead, andi shattered by i shell fire In every jpart. The house's were Smouldering or in flames, and every cellar was occupied 1 by terror-stricken iii'habitants- Outside an inn was the dead body of a German officer, with his l haad bowed over a basin of soap and the lather dTy upon his face. Another lay across a table with a coffee' cup, wJiitlii he. was raising to his lips, woken. \*EW DEADLY EXPLOSIVE SHELLS. TEKKIBLE EFFECT OF MELINITE. Times and Sydney Smi .Services. London, August 26. Accounts of the fighting received in Paris confirm the superiority of the French artillery. ' The melinite shells have a terrible cll'ect. When one fell a German company was annihilated as if a giant had struck it with a titanic axe. Those hit were directly pulverised, whilst others were killed by shock from the explosion. Letters seized on the enemy testify t>; the havoc and panic caused by the French guns.