With the British

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 9 November 1914, Page 4

With the British

MURDEROUS FIGHTING IN ■ ■ FLANDERS. EXOKMOrs I.OBSKS. 1 SPLENDID WORK OF THE TOMMIES. ' Wellington. Saturday. [The following news has been received by the Prime Minister from the High Commissioner. It is from an official it. count communicated by an eye-witness with til." general headquarters, and continues t!io narrative of the movements of the British force and French armies in immediate couch with each other: —

In .spite of great losses suffered i the attaoks last week the Germans continued the offensive towards the we almost continuously) during the fixdays from the 2(!th to the 30th October. Opposite us it gradually has grown in intensity and extent of application as the men and guns' hnvc been brought up and pushed into tl>e fight, \vhich has developed into the most bitterly contested battle that Ims hern fought in the western theatre.

THE GERMAN* STRENGTH. ,

'The Germans' artillery has been increased by that transferred from Antwerp. As regards infantry, it is possible that some additional troops have been rendered available by the relaxation of the pressure against the Allies north of Ypres, caused by the desperate and successful resistance made by the latter and by the harassing nature of the artillery fire brought to bear by our ships against the strip of country along the coast, and flooding in the area of the Yser. forces have been massed also from the south whilst anot. 1 ' r new army corps definitely made its debut.

Though attempts have been made by the enemy to hack his way through in other directions, he. has seriously concentrated upon the neighborhood of Ypres.

FIGHT FOR A VILLAGE . On the 26th, south of Lys, on our right, the enemy attacked Ncuve Cliapelle, held by us. In the evening, advancing under cover of the wood, they niana god to gain possession of a portion north of Lys. Bombardment alone kept the ground and position made by us. Our dotaehed post attacked in force during the night and drove hack the assailants, who left 56 dead behind. Near our left the Germans developed very strong attacks in the region of our line cast of Ypres, though supported by great masses of artillery. This was checked."' It had two results. One was that our position was readjusted, the other was that our extreme left alone advanced in conjunction with some of our allies.

"MOST DESPERATE FIGHTING." j On Tuesday the Germans rather focus- > sed tlieiv principal attention on our right centre and right. Most desporata . fighting too ; : place for the possession of■ 'Neuve Chappell. In spite of repeated, counter-attacks by the British, the'en-, j emy managed to hold the northern part \ of the village which was gained the day j before, Tti.vards evening we regained i the greater part step by stp fighting, i When fresh hostile reinforcements were < brought up, the entire village was cap-J tured by the enemy. They then mado | several assaults against the whole front south ol Lys, but with the exception of their hiiece:-s at Neuve Chappell thej j won no advantage.

EFFECTIVE BRITISH GUN FIRE. The combat was of the moat murderous description, while it is believed the enemy's looses in this quarter of the field were very groat. An artillery officer, observing their advance, reports that the effects of our rifle and gun fire were stupendous. Tin) Germans hjjd thrown the corpses of their own men out of tile trendies to obtain cover. Four successive attacks were made, each, by a different regiment. In this way, the whole of one division was engaged piecemeal in about the same locality. At last these regiments were practically disposed of. According to a prisoner their condition is deplorable.

HEAVY SHELL FIRE. North of the river Otii the centre was subjected to lu.-avv -"n-Il lire. Our guns were 110 means idle. One of our patrols found 11 German dead and one ren dered um-onsciou-t I'.V the fumes in a farm in which .)er lyddite shells detonated. ' » Towards our If ft l'ie readjustment of our line, commenced on Monday, was completed, and a redistribution) of strength effected. On our extreme left ground was gained, whilst at \euve Chappell ground was gained by hard fighting.

, T:i:: iy:>j 4\* TROOPS. Our Indian groatiy distinguished themselves <>v ii ..ell conducted coun-ter-att.'.i-A. 'Hi v ''ove the Ger-mans out of the ;:i'e;:.i ." •) • ;'t of tiie place with the bayonet, i.'nie."ging from.the village, hoever. iii. y ,vere exposed to the concenirated lb-- the enemy's machine guns. Tl.-y hstii to lie contented with what taey had g;;i.>"d. Further to the left the encn.y made attacks under cover. There ivas t ! .« usual heavy bombardment. I'laen i ;:'ort, was repulsed. There v/a- great slaughter. One of our trenches was c.-aiied, and then recovered, after 'ji'iO ■ ;:J had been inflicted on the enemy.

•a NKi.uri' a : "a<;k RF.rui.SED . On our extreme left our advance was not Tim «neray remained in position at I>eiiair. A niglit attack by then) repulsed. The next centres where piv-Hi'-: was exerted were our two flanks, 0 f Ijys, and against the right. Th- I "'i-maus delivered an assault wliieii In front of one battalion it is •'.siimated-they left between 600 and '.'l)o dead, whilst the trench whieii ihey penetrated was recaptured liy and contained 70 killed. Fourteen prko::i -'s were taken, whilst a few G-miaiw swndcrcd voluntarily.

KRW 'J'KENCH MOKTAR. hi this vv« experienced for'the first time in {'•* northern theatre the action <>r tin; "Minewerfa" or trench mortar. It ::;v; a range of sonic 300 yards, throws a bomb loaded with high explosive .winning 200 lbs, being fired at an e\tr<-un! > j-.r/itiou from a bomb pit in the trerieh. At midnight »!'r lm« was attacked in two placet:. 0r..: did not mature, as the ground was Vn:-;f sw.>pt by our guns. In the other <;i<e i,t;e assault was carried against one of o:,r brigades by the force of some 12 battalions. With great selfrestraint utir .in"ii held their fire for forty minutes until the attackers got quite close to ilu>?n. They drove them back with a 3om of 200 killed. The enemy penetrated nortions of one of our trenches but were driven out again, losing 800 men killed and captured.

■A HERMAN* AK- 'it;:,;; The really important :eai ure of this « if o J cra,ti< >na north of Lvb consisted of the onslaught of a great force in the ■ rooming in tho direction of Sfprea. After a heavy cannonade the assault was woven home. A portion of our front line was driven back. Ky ovening the t ground was recov,ln places more than recovered, w.ih rho exception of one to which tt.e enemy clung. Our losses were heavy, but not so severs as those of the enemy, -who at one spot wflorcdl tremendously from the concS- ? Ur maßsod fflachino guns. The 30th witnessed the r. „cwal of the ' ri 8"*. tut without suu-tss to the enemy. iU ttle centre the fcombardment was he.i.vy. So many sheNd feU round our p tUat tcRWMe wire were frequently cut At. | tackin the direction 01 ipres was'genrenewed south-east of that town. Mid pressed in great force in places! ! r j T, Wre f*"'" foroe <l back for a short distance, but on our left the oncoming Germans were stopped by our en- | tanglcmente under close rille fire and way' tV ° cfforts tu a " vanee thcy' gave

A MOST tiETIiKMIMiiD ATTACK. On the 31st a most determined attack ■was made on our left ai; Imt centre, the pressure being especially severe against the latter portion of "our position .A part of our line was driven back temporarily by the sheer weight of metal and numbers, but was inmost all recoved again before night. Against our centre the enemy did not advance, whilst against our right they were not nearly bo ach.e as farther north.

ALLIES MAINTAIN THEIR LINE. So far, with the assistance of the French, >vho had been co-operating most effectively, we succeeded in maintaining our line and in retaining possession of Ypres, upon the capture of which byi the end of October the Germans set their heart.

A SOLDIERS' BATTLE. ; The fighting during the past five dayg has been of the most desperate nature. It is evidently a soldiers' battle. Wittw out exaggeration or undue sell-congratu-lation, our men liave behaved splendidly, in face of heavy oddß against repeated onslaughts of great masses, continually, replaced by fresh men and backed by the almost continuous Are of immense concentrated guns. They have by dogged resistance well upheld the refutation 01 our army. Heavy as have bo. u our losses we have titken far heavier toll from the enemy. Our French allier. are fighting with all the <ln:th for which they are famous . At Dixmunde, along the Yser, tlicy have .made a name for themselves which will never die. The Belgians likewise have resisted the furious onslaughts with the utmost gallantry. The German troops have won our respect for the way in which thev have advanced. Whether it be due to patriotism or fear induced by iron disci* pline, the fact remain-; that they have steadily pressed on to what in many; cases most obviously have K-,n certain death. A wounded German soldier states: "My section received ovdeis to go forward to attack. The officers warned lis if we gave way fire would he opened up on us from behind. This wa.j > .rried Into effect. When the losses we suffered compelled us to retire a German bullet wounded me." i Our airmen harass advancing hostile columns by bomb dropping and machine gun fire. i The tactical transfer of troops behind the German front line is now being car* ried out to a great extent by motor onta nibuses. va3

ENEMY'S ATTACK DECREASKS IN VIGOR. The High Commissioner reports from London on 7th November, 1914: — Official.—The enemy's attacks have decreased in vigor. The process of pressing them back is making slow but steady progress. The advance was most marked south of Dixmude and toward! Gheleweldt, but the misty weather has tended to immpcr operations.

TIIE GERMAN PLANS. NEW COMPOSITIONS TO BE TRIED. i Under date, London, Otli, 6.45 p.m., the High Commissioner states:— Paris reports 1 liafc there was no appreciable change during yesterday. Along the whole front lighting eoiitiimes on the .same scale as before, and between Dixramulc anil Lys without marked advance !or retreat. Violent cannonading is going on north of Arras without stop. The elVcirl. ill Helium and in the north of [''ranee has been prolonged. ('eriiiiins seem about to make changes in tlie composition of their forces operating in this rcpion, and are reinforcing their ..roKorve forces of new formations, which' have been severely handled, with active troops, in order to attempt a new offensive or counter attack.

Sanguinary defeats have been inflicted upon them between Somme and Oise, and between Oiso and the Meuse, and detailed actions have been fought. A column of German waggons were destroyed by our artillery in the region No pool, near lierry Au llac. We have retaken the village of Sapigneul, which the Germans had captured. Desperate fighting has taken place at Argonne, where bv bayonet actions our troops repulsed the German''.

lu 11# Woemre region fresh attacks of the enemy were repulsed. A {rreat liiis.-iim victory in Galicia is reported. mi 'Wellington. November 7'■flie Hi»li Commissioner reports, under date London, November ,); Official.- • Slight proves-. of Allies' left east of Nie.iiport ami on ri«iit bank of Yser. Tile, enemy's iittnek was renewed at Dixnumde and Lys. but i« leas violent. The Franco-British lines are assuming the oll'ensive, and liavo made progress. An artillery kittle is proceed in;; between U 1W« and the Sonime. Tile Allien retain occupation of (Jnesnoy and Kant ere, and are advancing tow AinlejilU'. Attacks at several points akini; the' front were repulsed after an all day battle. The ripht, win}; I'juiet.