MereButchery

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 29 August 1914, Page 5

Mereßutchery

The Great Battle

■BRITISH AIKET THE HAIN ATTACK, AltlilVE IX TJIIO XI Civ OF i I MX. TO .STEM THE OXRUSJI. HI T HAVE XO TIIEXOJES OR COVES AIAUMEJCENT CUT IXSUJ-TICIEXT ARTILLERY. A BRITISH BATTERY WIPED OUT. W HOLE II.AXKS OE GERJIAXS MOWN DOWN. Received 2!), 12.30 a.m. London, August 2S (morning).

Though the French troops ihad taken up their position on Thursday, the British only arrived in the nick'of time to stem the Germans' onrush. They prepared their liner, with extraordinary rapidity. The infantry and artillerv occupied points of vantage on the low'hills overlooking the vallev, le Britishers were strengthening | their positions when they were attacked on Sunday morning. Simultaneously other Britishers ordered out from Mon9 came under lire. They ihad no trenches or cover of any kind, and just 'ad to drop down and he still till nightfall, when they did i their best to make trenches. But directly the Biitish sought to entrench, the German shells began to burst. The' regiments tried new positions, with the same result, and fchev- fought all the afternoon for liberty to- make tranches. For a time the German artillery tried to explode the gasometer at Moils. Every time they missed the gasometer the Tommies cheered, though they waited anxiously enough for the'next shot. The big siege guns of the Royal Garrison Aitillery made excellent practice. One-half of the battery was exposed in a particularly galling position. Several German batteries made a combined attack, and silenced the British guns one b\ one, until but a single gunner remained, and he would have gone on until he dropped, but his officer called him away.

The English artillery was magnificent, but there was not enough of it in comparison with tl« enemv's. The shells of flic Allies hurst without falling, but the Hermans, who found the range smartly, failed to make the shells burst, while tliev frequently fell short. The Hermans bombarded the entrenched Bel !• ;i r > Regiment far 25 hours. Yen lev. casualties were reported. *

A (Jcrma,! uraplane came too cloie to the gunners, who brought it down when 2000 ft up. Three miles north of the canal were two clumps of forest, about five miles in depth. The Hermans advanced from Charleroi, through wooflcd country to the north-west of ifons. From their higher ground the British coiild iollow the whole of the Germans' movements, and when tliev emerged into the plain the artillery opened a devastating fire, echoed by rifle lire from the trenches when they came within range. Thousands of Hermans fell.

The Germans had made .no progress by nightfall on Sunday, but their 'dead and wounded wire scattered over tlx; hills between the canal and the forest. The Uritish loss was small.

The play of the German searchlights throughout the night was uncanny, accompanied by occasional artillery fire.

Fight in if was resumed with violence at daybreak, as the Germans liad been heavily reinforced. Received 29 1 a.m.

London. August 2S (morning) The British wounded from Mons have reached Rouen, though the worst eases were sent to the field hospital. The bull; were wounded in the feet and legs, and only a small percentage in the stomach. TIIO wounded rca,ehed Mons 011 Saturday.

Received August 20. 1.25 a.m.

During the mni'ninj; parties of (Jerman Hussars and I'-hlans tried to reach the canal, but most of them were killed by artillery lire. A few were taken prisoners. Then the advance t»u masse began, the Germans advancing four or tive deep, anil although whole ranks were mown down the main body managed to reach Hie north bank of the canal, and began' building bridges. The battle at this point was mere butchery. Tell times the Germans throw pontoons over the water. Ten times the British artillery destroyed tliem. Desperate lighting look ,pla.:-> al a colliery village on the west, of which the British held a seetion for some hours. Tin l Northumberland Fusiliers took part in tliis. Street lighting included a liavoliet charge by the South Luiicasliires. Piles of German bodies. mown down by machine-guns, blocked the streets to some places. Meanwhile, the sheer weight of Ui'ir massed batteries carried the Germans forward. Their infantry also advanced ill close order. Tlioy oilVrod a magnificent mark, and their losses were groater than the Allies, but so were their numbers: and tin".- came again and again. By two o'clock on Monday the British had begun to fall back. The Middlesex' Regiment sufl'ereil badly. Imt many of flic BritMi infantry w"i'e nut wiihiii range of lii ■ They had Jieen for I'l honrs in the trenches, and were very hungry.

(It may In- necessary to explain tliat Ibis is hut a fuller description oi the battle about which we have already had fragmentary information, and is not a second foreiug back of th" Hrilish column*.! W(U'XI)KI) AliHl\ I-: IX VSi:\AS\). Ken-ived 2S. p.m. London. August 2«S (morning;). The 'irst of wounded from Mons arrived at Folkestone, and wore conveyed to 11 u * KliornditiV Hospital. Kiijhty Belgian military cyclist-. survivors of the 210 who were vut lip 1)v 1 ht* (lennaiis, have also arrived at ShornclillV to recuperate before returning.

BRITISH IX STRONG POSITION. WELL SUPPORTED BY FRENCH. Received 38, S.-iO p.m. London, August 28 (morning). The IPi'ess Bureau states that British troops now occupy a strong line to meet the (serman advance, supported by the French on botli flanks. London, August 27.

Mr. Asquith stated in the House or Commons that General Fivnoh reported that the prospects of the British m the impending battle Were satisfactory. GERMANS' SUCCESSFUL TACTICS. AT ENORMOUS COST. Received 2S, 8 p.m. London, August 28. lhe Times, in a leader, says: "We may be certain that a battle is now raging upon a line further south tlian was supposed. The Germans liave successfully invaded Northern France, sacrilicing troops in a desperate effort to strike swiftly and irresistibly at Paris.'' OVERWHELMING FORCE OF THE Enemy. ASSAIL THE BRITISH (POSITIONS. DEFENDERS SLIGHTLY WITHDRAW. Received 28, 11.45 p.m. Paris, August 2S.

A communique issued at 11 o'clock last night states that in the north the British were* attacked by a greatly superior force, and were obliged, after a biiliiant resistance, to withdraw slightly.

Our armies on the right maintained their positions, while in the Vosges the French troops resumed the offensive and repelled the Germans with 'heavy losses south-east of Nancy. Over a front of three kilometres 2500 dead were and over anotiier front, of four kilometres, 4500 dead.

GENERAL JOFFRF/S PRAISE.

BRITAIN'S STIMULATING 'EXAMPLE

FRANCE WILL PROVE WORTHY.

Received 28, 7.40 p.m.

l.omlon. August 28 (morning)

General .loll'rc, in a message to General French, said the British army had

not hesitated to throw their whole strength against forces having a' great numerical superiority. By so doing they 'had contributed in the most effective manner to securing the jeft flanl:. To tile. French army, it had exhibited devotion, energy, and perseverance which would be shown again to-morrow, and make certain a trjumpH in the common cause. The French would never forget the service rendered. The French army was inspired by the. spie s-erit of selfsacrifice and determination ' - • i-nquer and make good its debt of -vtitude to Great Britain in the battles of the •near future.

PIiAISF, FP.OJt THB FIRST LINK. Received 2S, 0.5 p.m. London, August 2S. Admiral Sir J. R. Jellicoo, in a mrssage, to General French, say;; the navv expresses admiration of their comrades* magnificent stand against great odds. OSTI'XI) OCCUPIED BY BRITISH. TO BLOCK THE GERMANS. lieeeived 28, S p.m. London, August 28. Til the House of Commons, Mr Churchill stated that the British 'marines, have occupied Ostend to prevent the Germans getting a foothold on the Channel. AXOTIIKR BRITISH FORCE LAXORi>.' OSTKXI) OCCUPIED BY FRIKXDS. London, August 27.

Mr. < inn-chill, in the House of Commons, fuUl a strong force of murines had been landed at Ostend, and occupied the ' town and surrounding districts. "TilM MY ATKINS'-' WANTS FIGHTING. Til K RETIREMENT IIiKSOiIK. Ills PLUCK STIFFENS UP THE FRENCHMEN".

London. .Anynst ->7. Tiit- J'litish resistance to the (!erlimns has (iiatl a great mora) effect on the whole of tlic French Jim-. It the Allies" L'lt ha:l been iunuMl. the retreat might readily have ■been converted into a lout. It was dimc-ult to Ml I In- Tommies back from piij-.miiny the retiring Hermans. hut tin- commander decided tlia*. a forward movement would lie highly dangerous. The order for a general withdrawal intensely in'itated the !!ritish, bill, they showed their coolness ami steadiness in the retreat. I The Tnrcos were next to the P.nlisii I in {ln- liring line.

.\ CAVALRY SMASH. i.Mi'jorroi's britishebs tjoct fIKBMAN SKIRMISH KUS. Times nnil Sydney Sim Services. Lomlon. Anoint '27. Describing a cavalry skirmish !ictwci'ii th« British and Germans, a part ici|ia tor savs tlmt they came, plump ii|ioii 111■ • Herman Cuirassiers round the corner o: a little village. It was an .absolute I sui-prise to both. "Before one could ' wink we flew at each other. TW,. iva«

/no firing. It \v;ts absolutely a cavalrv jvlmrjjc like tilie pictures, the liofscs goI ing hell for leather, every man .sitting hunched up, hoping tliat lio would not' . get liis knees crushed by his fellows alongside. Lighter though we were, we went at a .pate which more than compensated for our inferior weight, and smashed them." I.VCREDIBLE IN'Iir\!AX:TV. MINERS IiPRIED ALIVE.• I BRUTALITY OF THE UIILAXg. Received 28, 11.45 p.m. Paris, August 2S (morning).Miners at Fremaries report that the Germans reached the village on Sunday. The first thing they did was to close tin; mouths of all the pits, despite the fact that a number of miners were stiH working, and th 6 unhappy men were buried alive.

The villagers took refuge in cellars, where the German soldiers stabbed them with lances. Refugees state that the Uhlans sometimes drive hundreds of villagers before them. The Germans at Tournai demanded two million francs, and threatened to shoot the Burgomaster if tli; money were not forthcoming. Tiio inhabitants were able to save the Burgomaster's life. The Germans imposed a levy of £OO,OOO on-C'harleroi.