Official News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 140, 6 November 1914, Page 5

Official News.

DESPERATE STRUGGLES. • BOTd SIDES SUFFER lIEAVILt. Wellington, November 3. The hon. the Primn Minister has jeceived the following, dated London, November 3: —

An eye-witness with general tiead- ' quarters continues the narrative pu%- ] lished on October 27 of the movements | of the British force after the fall of; Antwerp and the release of the besicg-1 ing troops. There was a gradual in- ! crease in the strength of the opppsi- ] tion met with us by October 20, when j the arrival opposite to us of a large ! portion of new formations with a considerable number of heavy guns enabled the enemy to assume the offensive, practically against the whole of our line, at the same tiin« they attacked the Belgians between us and the , coast. Since that day up to the 25th the hcav- - iest fighting we have been engaged in has taken place, resulting in immense loss to tie Germans. October 21. —The new German formation again pressed forward in force vig- ' orously all along the line. On our right gouth of the. Yys the attack on Violaines was repulsed with loss to the opponents. We were driven from-some ground close to tie north, hut regained it by a counter attack. Still further north the Germans gained and retained some points. . The total casualties to the south-east of 'Armentiercs were esti- ' mated at over 1000. On the north of the Vfß, a fiercely-contested action took -place near Laghier, which village was t .{j»pture4 in the morning by the enemy,

thea retaken by ua. In this direction the German casualties were extremely heavy.. They came on with the greatest kravery, in swarms, only to be swept ■ away by our fire. On battalion of their . 104 th Regiment was practically wiped out, Bonie 400 dead being picked up in our lines alone. Incidentally, by our counter-attack, we took 360 prisoners and released 40 of our men, including a subaltern of artillery, who was cut off while observing from a point of vantage. Our men were very well treated by their captors, who were Saxons, being placed in cellars for protection from tne bombardment of our own guns. On the left we advanced against the 26th Reserve Corps, near tPasschendaele, where we were met by a. determined counter offensive which was driven back with great loss. At night the Germans renewed their efforts unsuccessfully in this quarter. They tried to rush us. They came up in a solid line two deep and shouted out "Don't fire! We are Coldstream ■Guards." Our men were used to tricks of this kind and they allowed the encmy*« infantry to approach quite close and swept them down with magazine «re. Apart from 400 dead found near j our lines, our centre and our patrol* I discovered 30 dead further out in i front killed by .our artillery. ] ' October 22 saw renewed pressure \ against us. We- succeeded in holding ; our ground in neariy every quarter ; south of the Lys. The enemy attacked ! from La Baßsee and gained Violaines and another point, but their effort against a third village was repulsed by i artillery fire alone. The French and ' British guns were working together very I effectively on the north of the river. Minor attacks against us all day were ' beaten back. The Germans advanced in' the evening against our centre, and left, j ! but tftey were again hurled back, though t | they gained some of our trenches in 1 the latter quarter. By this time the en- | s emy had succeeded in bringing up gov- •' cral fceavy howitzers, and our casual- j ; tics were considerable. ■ | On the 23rd, al! the actions south o fi the Ljo on our right continued. The | artillery of severs'/ hostile batterie,; J , were sileneed in the centre;, and their ■ infantry again endeavoured to forte their way forward, and were only repulsed' after determined lighting, 'leaving many dead. North of the Lys the I attack .at different points was repute-' .. ed. On our left the 23rd was a bad day j ! for the Germans. We drove, them from ! the trenches out of which they had j driven us on the previous evening; eapj tiired 140 prisoners, and released our I men whom they had taken. As the Gerj rnana retreated our guns did great execution among them, after they had 1 made five desperate assaults on our I trenches, advancing in mass, singing, -Die wacht am Illic'm." Each assault was easily beaten badlv, our troops waiting until the enemy came within | very close range before opening lire with i rifles and Maxims, causing terrible havoc jin solid masses. During the lighting in this quarter on the night of the 22nd, j and on the 23rd, the German losses were j again heavy. We made 600 prisoners j during that time and picked up 1500 j dead, killed on the latter day. Much of the slaughter was due to the point.

Wank magazine fire of our men, whilst I onr howitzers and field guns working in perfw-t combination, did their share. When the enemy were repulsed, a.-> they fell back they were subjected to a lire. of shrapnel, and when they sought shelter in villages, the buildings were shattered and they were driven out by Ingh explosive shell. Then again they were caught by shrapnel as they came out! into the open. The troops suffered se- | u:<-ly. Most of thc.f. were ;he ijnl ] Corps, one of their new formations. t j The way in which their advance was , conducted showed lack of training and j faults in leading in which the superI human bravery of the soldiers could not j'counterbalance. It was a holocaust. ■ The spectacle of these devoted men chanting the national song as they marched on to certain death was inI spiring. One field battery expended | ISOO rounds. The contest was confined j to the artillery, except at night, when j the Germans pressed on to be repulsed. j In the centre, near Armenticres, our j troops withstood three separate attacks | of the enemy to rush forward, our guns j coming into play with good effect. Against our left the German .27th Corps made a violent effort with no suej cess. j On the 25th came our turn of the ofj feaaive. This was carried out by a

! portion of the left wing, which advanced ami gained ground, took twd guns and 89 prisonors. Six maehine guns fell to tKe French. In some places the troops engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Towards evening we captured 200 prisoners. Up to the night of the 25th, not only have we maintained our position against a great effort of the enemy to break through to the west or to force us back, which started on the 20th, but we have on our left passed to the offensive. It is true that efforts made against us were made to a great extent by partially-trained men. Some appear to he suffering from lack of food. They arc lighting with the utmost determination, in spite of the fact that many are ' heartily sick of the war. Though we have undoubtedly inflicted heavy lobbbb upon the enemy, they have been so far able to fill up the gaps. We have suffered heavily ourselves.

ENEMY'S ATTACKS REPULSED. ' SCOTTISH EULOGISED. Tiie following cable message has been received by the Prime Minister, dated London, November 4:— Official: The statement as to the progress, of recent events in Belgium, so far as they affect the British force, has been as follows:

October 30.—Violent attacks made by the enemy on the position occupied by the First Army Corps. Cavalry, with large reinforcements, had evidently joined the enemy's line at this point. Very heavy losses were inflicted on the enemy. The Commander of the First Army Corps was confident of maintaini ing his ground, which he has since been I able to do. The cavalry fought, whether mounted or in the trenches, to the admiration of the whole army. The Indian troops were brought into the fighting line, which had been proportionately strengthened. On the night of the 30th a strong at. tack on Mcssines was beaten off. At one point the enemy, by dint of their masses, penetrated for a time into our line, but an excellent counter-attack drove them back with the bayonet. The attack on our left being so pronounced, the British line was substantially reinforced by troops from Home, which were moved up. The French also brought into line some reserves to support the threatened wing. The London Scottish First Territorial Eegimcnt were ordered to take a place in the firing line, and made a brilliant charge. The officer commanding the regiment received the following telegram from Field-Marshal Sir J. French: '-wish you and your splendid regiment to accept my warmest congratulations and thanks for the fine work you did on Saturday. You have given a glorious lead and example to all the Territorial Corps fighting in France."

On November 1 our troops were attacked all along the line, but the enemy were repulsed everywhere, and suffered very heavy loss. Our howitzers- demolished two of the enemy's 8-inch guns. Every account shows that prodigious slaughter has been occasioned by our artillery. The maintenance of an unbroken line, with the repulses and repeated assaults which have caused in some cases the loss of whole columns, has greatly discouraged the German troops, and naturally entailed loss on the defending force. The position of the Allies has been strengthened. Reinforcements of every description have been sent to meet the attacks now threateir.-d.

POSITION LITTLE CHANGED. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. Th High Commissioner reports under date London 4th November. !).3<) pjn. Pans reports Unn the position of the loft wing in the North is unchanged. The enemy falls back on the right bunk <;i the Yser. We cantured Lombardxydc on i lie left hank of "the Yser. The German are only holding Tete-tc Point, between Dixmunde and Nieuport. Between Dixmunde and Lye, the action continues with alternate advances and retreats. •Between the region of Arras and] Oise we advanced to the heights of ParilWrs. In the centre the German attack was not continued. Yesterday we regained part of the lost ground. • Vigorous German attacks were repulsed around Rheims.