Fighting in France

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 118, 12 October 1914, Page 5

Fighting in France

FIGHTING ROUND LILLE. GERMANS HEAVILY REINFORCED. TRY TO CUT OFF ALLIES FROM BELGIUM. SEVERAL DAYS' FIERCE FIGHTING. THE ENEMY REPULSED. Received 11, 3 p.m. London, October 10. On tlio fourth two German shells fell in the centre at Lille, marking the beginning of the Germans' desperate attempt to escape the encircling movement. The shells, wliich did little damage, were fired by batteries on the extreme left of a new force which had advanced from the Belgian frontier and formed a crescent line lying roughly between Turcoing and Armenticres.

iA violent series of engagements fol

lowed, between about 10,000 of the enemy and the infantry garrisoning Lille. Savage fighting continued in the streets and on the boulevards on the eastern 'outskirts all Sunday until Monday, when the enemy was finally repulsed.

On Tuesday a gallant fight raged be

twecn the French and a big army stretching along the whole eastern, nor-

thern, and north-western suburbs of Lille. The battle raged all day and well into the night. Tlio French guns wrought terrible havoc, and the slaughter was of the ghastliest description. Germans were mown down in hundreds. Their infan- | try fire was feeble, though it sounded | incessantly. This is taken to indicate that their whole transport has broken down seriously along the northern Belgian lines of communication. I The day ended in the complete rout of the enemy. The French fought with magnificent dash and courage. The German army at Armentiercs and Turcoing, intended to cover the flank of the main body advancing on Lille and Arras, was driven back 13 miles.

On Wednesday the French artillery came within a few kilometres of Lens. They fired straight over the town, and bombarded the German positions near the village of Hoison and beat them back north-eastward with heavy losses. On Thursday the Germans evacuated the Lille district and retired from Bethune to the north-east.

I AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS. SUCCESSFUL FREXC'H FLANK ATTACK. Received 11, 4.30 p.m. London, October 10. Two French divisions, with a Territorial division, held positions at Arras for several days against overwhelming odds until reinforcements arrived, j though their losses were heavy. The Germans were soundly beaten. The French reinforcements, when nearing Arras, encountered a large force of Germans. The frontal attack failing, a large force of the French went to the (lank, while the centre was engaged, and rushed the trenches, making prisoners of 900. Fifteen spies masquerading as Frenchmen wero found in a factory near Lille. They took shelter on the lofty chimneys, and all were shot off, though screaming allegiance to France. j

IN THE ROVE REGION. SEVERE FIGHTING. Received 11, 4.30 p.m. Paris, October 10. A communique on the evening of tho

9th reports further severe fighting in the Roye region, where the Allies on Thursday ancl Friday took 1600 prison- 1 crs. Otherwise there is nothing new to report. , THE OFFICIAL UEPORT. NOT MUCH CHANGE. ****'• rJnr Received 11, 5 p.m. , Paris, October 9 (evening). An official communique states that the general situation is unchanged. Opposing cavalry forces are still operating j in,the north hills. The battle continues along the lino from Lens, Arras, BrayI ciiv.Snimne. Ohaulnes. Rove, and Lassig-

ny. There has been only isolated fighting in the centre. There has been an artillery fight all along the line at Woeuvre, but the position is unchanged elsewhere. GERMANS' TREATMENT OF TUE "IRREGULARS."

Received 11, 3.50 p.m. Bordeaux, October 10. A wounded Zouave survivor of a party of !)0 asserts that the Germans deliberately shot his comrades, declaring that they were irregulars. APPRECIATION OF THE ANGLOFRENCH. CFNERATJ JOFFRE'S ASSURANCE OF VICTORY. Received 11, 3 p.m. _ Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, October 10. | A Russian officer attached to French's army speaka in unbounded en-

thusiasm of General .Toffre, whose calm unruffled assurance of victory is a towcr of strength. They are delighted witu ' the Britishers, Baying: "They are immense. The nuiet and businesslike manner in which they face ft day e• is a veritable treat. The moment ti ■ is a lull in the fighting they start pla>- ? ing games. lie saw them many times break off a friendly encountei, Tusft "" back to the trenches, and coolly proceed 8 to pour volleys ftfc tho foe,'

FRENCH ARTILLERY PRAISED. A FEATURE OP THE OPERATION IN FRANCE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 11, 3 p.m. London, October 10. The Times' Paris correspondent sat the wonderful qualities of the Frenc artillery are likely to become an oul standing* feature of the struggle. A British soldier declared that "tli . French big guns arc just the last wore Ihe quick and cut way they are'tandlei lis a treat to see. Their snooting beat anything there. I saw them score a bul every time. The French soldiers speal with affection of their 75-centimetre can non and the Bkilfulness of tho gunner [ in liiding the whereabouts of the bat teries. For modern war is developini into a game of hide-and-seek. Whei the airman signals the position of th< enemy's guns, the battery places « as a pilot shot. The rest speedily get home, and the trenches or the battery arc decimated within six minutes." A German officer wrote that of a hundred French shells that lie observed only three went wide of the mark, GERMAN BARBARITIES. AN (AMERICAN REPORT OX ATROCITIES. Received 11, 4.30 p.m. _ Paris, October 10.

M. Choetirn ; a Snn Francisco lawyer, who visited villages in Vosges, lias furnished a terrible report of German barbarities inflicted on civilians of all ages and sexes, and abominable atrocities on women. Nearly all the villages were sprinkled witii petroleum and burned. BETTER NEWS FROM PARIS. WE SECURE "REAL ADVANTAGES."

Received 11, 11.20 p.m. Paris, Ooliobcr 11. An official communique says: "The battle continues in our favor, and our

whole front is maintained, despite the enemy's violent attacks at several points. Fighting between lopposinjg. cavalry forces ! b somewhat confused, owing

to tlie nature of the ground. We have secured real advantages at several points north of the Owe, and have appreciably progressed in ,lihe at. Michiel region. ATROCITIES IN BELGIUM. COMMISSIONERS FURTHER REPORT. Received 11, 9.36 p.m>.

London, October 10. The Press Bureau issues the report of the Belgian. Commission, which states iliat. tlie excesses at Aerscliot were due to the regular army and ilihe Liuidstiurn equally. Murders, looting, rape, and attacks on persons and property closed only when the Belgians re-entered Aerscliot. A wounded Belgian, soldier affirms that ho, with twenty-seven other prisoners was forced to walk in front of tile Germans along the road and the banks of the Denier. The Gorjnans fired, killing many. The narrator feigned death. Tho Uermana discovered hinv, and were about itlo shoot ihim, when an officer mi id, "He's not worth a bullet. Throw him into the river." This was done, and the Belgian escaped! after remaining in the water for a day, only his ihead emerging. Onljy one other escaped. There is corroborative evidence of the inhabitpnts flhat the 'bullet which killed the Genntin. general eaune from the Germans, and not from the Burgomaster's ] son.

VERITABLE GERMAN DEBACLE. DIG BAATLE IN NORTH-EAST FRANCE. TIIE ENEMY FORCED BACK. BRITISH SUCCESS AT SOISSONS. GERMAN CAVALRY SLAIN BY THOUSANDS. Paris, October 9. Desperate fighting raged round Arras from October 1 to 4. and the losses on both sides were terrible. For the week preceding the Germans developed a furious counter-attack from Valenciennes on Lens and from Cambrai and Bapaume on the Allies position, south and east of Arras, causing the Allies to fall back on Lens and Donai. Fighting stubbornly, the enemy occupied Bethune. Though German shells fell in Arras, the main force swept round the town and cut J,lie line between Arras and St. Pol, seeking to junction with the Bethune force. German troops went to Lille by

train, firing from the windows' as they went.

On October 2, when the Allies fell back, five German regiments were cut up and the horses of their company stampeded. As they advanced on Arras, at the village of Plouvain, they came under a devastating French fire, while other batteries enfiladed them. The whole five regiments broke and fled' in a veritable ,debacle. Nevertheless, the Germans maintained vigorous counter-attacks. On October 3, the battle, which had

hitherto ranged over the Arras, Douai, Cambrai, Bapaume square, moved' north and east on the Arras, Lens, Douai triangle, and the enemy was forced back five kilometres (three miles). A fortnight ago the Germans occupied Forte Condc, east of Soissons, an excellent strategic position. The trajectory of the British guns was too flat for siege purposes, and, after ten days' vain shelling, 6in howitzers were brought up anil Fort Conde became untenable within four hours. This was the beginning of the end. German counter-attacks continued until Friday, when they made a supreme effort. Tho Germans, deceived by the British inactivity, advanced upon tha trenches. The British withheld their fire until the enemy were very close, ami then with rifle fire, the bayonet, an.l cavalry charges slew thousands. The British have now thrown forward great wedges into the enemy's lines. Tlie Germans continue to bombard Rheims daily. Half the town is destroy-

od and the remaining population is suffering terribly, living in cellars. The bombardment has now lasted 28 days. The pocket-book of an officer in a Saxon regiment has been found, containing particulars of outrages. tA cyclist at the village, of Guydoshus pretended he had been shot at. For this the village was fired and all the inhabitants thrown in the flames. At Leppes, 200 were killed. The writer states that the commander was responsible, and could hare prevented the pillaging and destruction. London, October 9. Tho Paris correspondent of the Express states that General von Kluck is still being heavily reinforced by troops rapidly conveyed from East Prussia. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, October 9. ' A war correspondent observes that 1 German shells fall like hail ■without a i military object. He gives as exampes I tlie bombardment of the evacuate

towns of Tiriemont, Louvain, Dinant, Malines and Termonde, and the wreekS ing of isolated farmhouses and cottage* with scores of heavy shells, where a few sticks of dynamite would have sufficed. Another correspondent says that tile countryside of Aisne wag turned into a vast rabbit warren. Tie Allies were screened to perfection from the German ® trenches,, and are content meanwhile to remain hidden and repulse the German ' attacks. The Germans are outnumbered and in consequence are continually in the trenches, while the Allies secure rest '• by occupying the trenches in relays. 1 The French Government has accepted ® the gift of the Canadian Government 6l | £20,000 to provide a hospital. i ' HEAVY MOHTDre AROUND i. ■ ' AIUtAS. * 1 ' FRENCH MINE UNDER GERMAN | rOSITIONB. Received 12, 12.1i5 sum. 4 Paris, October 11. The Germans north of Soissona h*vo been strongly posted in fortified posts called "The (mushroom beds" since tho beginning of the siege. French troops failed to dislodge them, suffering severe losses. The commander then ordered tlie attack to cease. Briitircnchaietits wero dug two hundred (?) yards front the Germans, and the French engineers mined the intervening space until it wa» possible to lire heavy dwrgoa 0/ dynamise, killing five hundred Germ am* holding th e trenches. A communique at midnight stated that heavy limiting lias oecurred.around Arras. The enemy made very virorooa altaeks upon the heights overlooking the Meuse, ,