Western Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 128, 23 October 1914, Page 5

Western Campaign

i« „ i GERMANS DEPRESSED. AISNE STRUGGLE A 6URPRISB. SECOND-RATE TROOPS RACING TEH ALLIES. HEAVY FIGHTING NEAR ARMWffTIERES. VICTORIA CROSS CANDIDATES. DESPERATE STORMING OF LAVENTIE. Amsterdam, October 21. The De Tijd's Berlin corresponded says that the Germans arc depressed by the influenco of the Aisne struggle, which the capture of Antwerp h*s failed to neutralise. They arc unable to disguise the fact that the opportunity for a Zeppelin raid on England has passed, owing to the approach of winter storms. The battle on tho Aisne crippled the idea of the invasion of England; also the health of the German troops in France is increasingly bad. The German losses at Nieuport were about five thousand. Ostend is full of wounded. Reinforcements totalling Bixty thousand, with many batteries, have arrived at Ghent. Tin: Germans, when retreating, had a battery annihilated. London, October 21.

The Times' military .■.>-•. s;v><l.t:>„ Bays that Sir John French's despatches should inspire confidence as to the result of the war. We cannot discover that a German shot has accomplished anything during the last two months, except the destruction of a few forts by heavy guns. The Germans have not sustained their reputation, and the Allies now have no difficulty in repulsing them. The hopelessness of the strugglo is beginning to dawn on the German soldiers in the field. Whils still making half-hearted attacks, the old spirit ecems knocked out of the officers, and the appearance of second-rate troops is exercising a disintegrating effect, j ;M

The Mail's correspondent in France says that tho Kaiser's Channel expeditionary force has received the last man and rifle it can hope for, and must go forward now to certain destruction. Not since the Lille and Arras fights havo we gone to bed with greater hope and confidence in tho morrow.

Germans strongly posted at I.c Bizat, near Armentieres, desperately attempted to break through the Allies. The combat lasted from dawn to midday then, weakening under heavy artillery fire; eventually the Germans' position was stormed at the point of the bayonet. Three hundred nnd seventy-live Germans wire cn-t-'-l in the fk'ht b?l\vepii Ypres v.v.l I.i!le. ('ompiepnc, ('M r; i '.'(\i'.c the order to retire, t'.rvi:i.;h lite cutting of &:-.■ telegraph. When the i<:<; cleared tln-v were subjected to a terriiie cnli'.'ul :■-;;' fire from a point previously held by the French cavalry, which the German held guns now occupied. The battery immediately uniimbered and, with magnificent coolness, fought the Germans, putting the enemy's guns out of action one by one, until only one British gun remained, with only three non-commis-sioned officers left to work it. When the last German gun was finally silenced the French cavalry relieved the British, and found all the German guns abandoned.

The three non-commissioned officers have been recommended for the Victoria Cross.

• Palis, October 21. J'etwoen Jloyc and Arras the Germans utilised the cutting for a new canal, i sixty miles long, between Arleux and Xoyon, which accorded "acidities for formidable military operations. This largely explained the slow progr-ss of t!ie Allies, and resulted in desperate lighting in the Lassigtiy, Roye, llezlc and Uos?et districts. London, October 21. A daring feat was the storming ot" Lavcntie, westward of Liile. The enemy was r.trong'.y entrenched in frarit of the village, and aii day the artillery shelled thy German position, devastating the ranks. The French were ordered to take the village at all costs. The way lay over open fields, wiihunt cover. The. French advanced in open order, and the Germans withheld their fire until they were within ,">OO yards, and then swept the area with shrapnel and rifle fire, inflicting hea\y U>ss"s. The infantry, however, advanced steadily, and carried the trenches at the point of the bayonet. From every roof and window in the village their entry was opposed, and mitrailleuses on the church tower swept the main street. The Germans were finally driven out. The French .similarly carried Estairw.

French marines at Yprcs, taking advantage of a mist, crawled up to the German lines, leaped the trenches and fell on with the bayonet. The trenches were piled with German dead and wounded, and over four hundred prisoner were taken. The French casualties were ten killed and a hundred wounded.

Tile Germans ntrong-ly attacked t!ie trendies outride Dlxmiinde at midnight on the lStb. The Allies, who vrru outnumbered, retired on the town, ami held the outskirts till reinforcements irrived at dawn, when the Germans were driven back, and the trenches re-won. An artillery duel followed, after whkh the Germans withdrew. SAY CAIIKOC, AND SAY IT PLAINLY. It is a delicious DRY Ginger Ale, and is guaranteed prepared from an original Belfast formula. Try it. Ask for Camroc. Scs that you get it. 22

(ALLIES FURTHER ADVANCING. OCCUPATION OF COURTRAI. Received 22, 10 p.m. London, October 22 (morning). Tho Allies have occupied Courtrai. GERMAN PROPERTY CONFISCATED. Received 22, 10.25 p.m. Paris, October 21. The Council of Ministers decided to confiscate the Dielette mines, beloiging ta a German named Thyssen. GERMANS VIGOROUSLY REPULSED. NEAR BELGIAN FRONTIER. Received 22, 10.25 pjn. Paris, October 21 (evening). General Von Moltke's son has been killed. Official.—The enemy's attacks were particularly violent at Nieuport, Dixmondo and La Bassee. AH were vigororously repulsed. There is no notable change elsewhere.