Western campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 9 November 1914, Page 5

Western campaign

"ON, ON, TO CALAIS!" GERMANS' NEW MORTAR FAILS. THE ENEMY OUTGENERALLED AND SLAUGHTERED. KAISER'S NARROW ESCAPE. BRITISH WOUNDED IX LARGE NUMBERS. GREAT ARTILLERY DUEL IX BELGIUM. GERMANS RETIRING FROM ANTWERP.

London, November 6. Mr. Donohoe says that the Germans for two days fiercely attacked the Ar-mentieres-Arras line. Enormous masses were hurled against Armentieres. The Germans were using a new type of mortar, throwing projectiles of several hundredweight. Under cover of night they dug a huge, pit, filled it with concrete, and mounted the mortar on a wooden platform. At dawn our trenches were raked by high-angle shellfire, but the result was a disappointment to the Germans, as the projectiles buried themselves in the soft ground, and merely gave the British a mud bath.

Lying in bomb-proof shelters they did not reply, and the Germans, misinterpreting the silence, advanced in mass. The British silently remained in the trenches, and the artillery-, which was cleverly concealed in brushwork in a field behind, opened lire and tore great rents in the oncoming mass. The rifle fire also punished them terribly. The attack was an utter failure.

The Kaiser and the King of Saxony were present. The Kaiser, in ordering the charge, pointed coastwards and cried, "On, on, to Calais!'' Then followed another hour's shell fire before the Germans again essayed an advance. One could not help admiring their bravery as they marched slowly to certain death. Urged forward by their officers, they advanced, leaving a trail of dead and dying. A withering fire decimated them for the second time, and they wavered and sought cover. The Standard's l'etrograd correspondent says that the Belgian general pucker, who has joined Duke Nicholas, states of his own knowledge that girls of good families in Belgium were outraged in their mothers' presence. "It was clear, Mr. Donohue continued, I' "that if tliey stayed thov would V annihilated. The French advance was ordered."

Received 8, 12.15 p.m. I London, November 7.

■Mr Donohue reports: "In the fighting at Armcntieres and Arras the enemy's attack was completely shattered. Whole divisions of Germans were decimated. Only forty men and a corporal survived out of a full regiment. The country round Armcntieres is full of unburied German dead, while ihe wounded are left to the Allies' mercy. The unehivalroufl enemy fired on the Red Cross which was succouring them. The Germans, from tree-tops, sniped the stretcher-bearers. Ultimately machineguns were fired into the tree-tops, and brought down twenty sharpshooters. The Britishers captured isolated bands. They had been subsisting on raw horseflesh, and eagerly surrendered. The cold mists sweeping over Flanders greatly all'ect the Germans, in .whose ranks disease is making inroads. London, November (>.

A Genevan newspaper publishes the statement that when Brussels was occupied the German officers' banquet at the Royal Palace, Lueken Castle, was followed by an orgy, in which loose women used the royal wardrobe. The burgomaster protested to the German commander, who simply remarked: "Those officers are not the elite of! my army." j Paris, November 0. A combined force of Moroccans, j French edlonial infantry, and Indian j troops was confronted by a deadly German fire, and resorted to the favorite tactics of disappearing in ditches and behind hedges and other obstacles After a quarter of an hour the Germans, imagining their opponents annihilated, advanced within a hundred yards, when rilles and quick-firers ob. litcrated the whole detachment. The Allies swept the 'enemy out of Hollebeke and Messhies. A Wurtembui'g battalion was drive!! into tin* muddy bed of the I.ys and surrendered. The German casualties were HOW). 'The Allies captured many prisoners, six suns, airl an entire ambulance. Tile enemy Hi pursued for six'mile'-.. Captains Kincny and Faure, distinguished aviators, were killed by falling on to the roof of a house at Issy-lei--Moiilincaux. The battle round Ypres has become an artillery duel, and the infantry are resting. The enemy's superior longrange guns alone enable them to mai<c a :.taml. Without' them they would not have a chance. Thousands of liiiti'ih wounded ar" coming into Calais from Flanders. Xcarly all have shrapnel wounds, there being hardly a case of ritle or bayonet [ wounds.

Colonel Marchand, of Fashoda fame, has been wounded. Mo was mentioned in despatches for remarkable courage I egoud, tin? famous aviator, has also been mentioned in despatches. Otlieial: The Allies slightly pro:>.rcs«ed cast of Xieuport, on the right bank of the Yser. The German attacks were renewed on Wednesday at several points 011 the line from Di\nuiniie to'the Lys, especially by the inuntrv, but with less energy. We have r.ot retired at anv point, l.nt are ;i:suming the offensive. We notably jirjgti'rseii in several directions. ' A feature of the struck between La liassee and the Soinme is the artillery battle. We retained Qucsuoy-en. t>;i litem, and advanced appreciably towards Andeeliy. There is a recrudescence of German activity between the Oise and Moselle, (•.specially by the artillery. We finally repulsed all attacks, in some, cases after an all-day battle. A comnuinii|iie states that the w:io'e front is unchanged, though there is severe lighting at Dixmunde and the Lys. The Germans in Belgium and Northern France are apparently being reinforced for a new offensive. Artillery destroyed a column of German waggons north-east of the Porct de I'Aigle. We have retaken Sapigncal, near IVry-au-buc, and repulsed with the bayonet desperate attacks ill the Arsonnes ami Wocvre districts. London, Xovomber C. be Temps discredits the reports of General von Kluck's death, and says that he now commands in the region of the Aisne.

Paris, November fi. •Official, midnight.—ln a violent German offensive movement northward of Arras some trenches were lost but subsequently retaken. All Gorman attacks ;n the Saint Hubert district, Argoimc, were repulsed. The Kaiser arrived at a tavern at I'iiieli. at 5 o'clock on Sunday evening.

After dinner, instead of retiring to his room he motored to the other caid of the town. Twenty minute later six bombs fell on the tavern and killed two aides and -'destroyed the Kaiser's baggage. London, November ft. The Daily Jiail states that the Ger--1 mans are devoting special attention to the Waterloo battlefield for resisting the Allies' advance. They arc constructing small forts on an elaborate system, with mined entrenchments. .Krupps aro personally superintending ' the defence works at Brussels, also 1 along the Meute from Lieg-> to Naimir. ■Amsterdam, November ti, The Germans have removed their wouii-lod from -all Antwerp hospitals and train loads of German baggage have also leit. The inhabitants of Osteml have been ' ordered to go into their cellars with five days provisions. Paris, November 6. | A French aviator dropped a bomb on , the railways at Blanehy, prwenting sevl eral German trains regaining the lines. French dragoons iwlio were «'nt out to ' take prisoners found that the .bombs j' had wrecked a 17-inch gun, lequiring six trucks to carry it. Each shell weighed almost a ton. London, November 6. The fighting is so close in the Belgian lines that the combatants threw stones at ea/ch other across a dyke. Amsterdam reports assvrt that there is every indication that llie Germans are retreating along the whole front ! from Bruges to Thielt. Their losses have been enoranous. Fifty thousand were wounded at Holders alone. The Germans freely informed Dutch correspondents that the iinglish were formidable enemies.

THE KAISER'S PROMISE. GERMANS FALLING BACK. Amsterdam, November o. The Kaiser lias promise.! 750 marks for each machine gun captured. Telegraaf states that the; Belgians occupy botli banks of the Yser. The Germans have evacuated Xtnryver.skerke, whence they fell back on Bruges. The battleground is now a triangle, Dixniunde, Roulers and Yprcs being the points. The Germans were disinclined to face the hellish ordeal. Ofl'icirs vainly kicked and beat them, Suddenly the British artillery riHe fire ceased. The men left their trenches, iixwl their bayonets, and charged the Germans, who fired a single volley. One line turned right about, and with bayonets sought to cover live retreat.

The British, cheering. closed with the-m and soon there was a seething mass of men at death grips, thrusting and parrying. The line broke clear, and the Germans were running. They rallied r<sund a mortar, where a desperate, hand-to-hand conflict 1 ook place. Tile British captured tlic guns.

| SWITZERLAND SUGGESTS AN ! ARMISTICE. ' INTERVENTION PROISABIJE. Berne, November (i. The Socialist Party has asked the President of the Republic to intervene ■between the belligerents. The President promised to try to induce neutral countries to arrange for an armistice. COWARDLY GERMAN VIENDS.

COMPEL WOMEN TO BURY THEIR DEAD. A NIGHT OF HORRORS. Received 0, 1.35 a.m. Paris, November S. The Germans at Moven requisitioned all the women and marched them twenty miles to a forest ••vhere during the whole night, under the fire of the French shells, they were compelled to bury the German dead, carry ing the corpses on their shoulders for three hundred yards from the trenches to ready-made graves. When the women fell exhausted, the soldiers pricked their with their bayonets and picked them until they got up again and resumed. When daybreak came girls 1 and women were feebly crawling along the ground dragging the eoipses by legs and arms.

GERMANS SURRENDER IN FORCE. WEARY OF HARDSHIPS, Received 8, 10 p.m. , Paris, November 7. Official: Many German prisoners have been taken on the whole front. In some cases complete units surrendered. Two detachments surrendered at Lens in a thick fog. Some of the officers and men declared that they were weary of hardships, and confident that they would be well treated.

THE HAVOC IN BELGIUM. TERRIBLE GERMAN LOSSES. Received 8, 10.30 p.m. London, November 8. The Rotterdam correspondent of the Courant states that the Germans suf. fercd terrible losses south-east of Koulers. iThc Allies' projectiles sreiti deadly. One of the wounded declared that the Germans were using the dead and wounded as shie'.ds. The shrieks of the wounded thu* t.scd were heartrending. The Germans destroyed so many Belgian buildings on the line of advance that not half enough remain to accommodate their own wounded. Incessant trainloads of wounded are passing to the eastwards. The French buried HOW, .repelling the latest attack at Grand Courronne.

SUCCESSFUL FRENCH RUSE. CERMAXS TEMPTED IXTO AURAS. TRIUMPHANT ENTRY BECOMES A DEBACLE. MILITARY TP,AIX CAPTURED. Received 8. 12.15 p.m. Paris, November 7.

The Gcrma'is were induced to make a great effort at Arras on Monday by a French artifice. Air scouts revealed a German concentration between Leps and Houii. The French evacuated all the villages north of Arras, pretending that they had abandoned the, town. A German aviator was allowed to reconnoitre wi;l\out hindrance. Twelve thousand Germans ent 'red Arias, and their bands played them m. They had hardly be,inn to pass the scin-p of the bridge when volleys were" 1 fired from the neighboring bowses, and maehme-gnns simultaneously openel a deadly fire on the flanks and rear of tiie German columns. A battalion of the Guards rushed for. ward in the hope of getting beyond the ambuscade. The French Dragoons charged the Guards, who surrendered bodily. The remainder of the enemy retreated but a military train, with a 17-inch how-

was ouptured through an aeroplane deploying the line. THE KAISER'S NARROW ESCAPE. * SIX AIRSHIPS AFTER lIIM. Received 8, 12.15 p.m. Amsterdam, November 7. Six aeroplanes participated in the attack at Thiel, when the Kaiser escaped. About twenty civilians were killed. AWARDS, FOR GALLANTRY. FRANCE HONORS lIER ALLIES. Received 8, 1-21.;■ m. Paris Xi-vFitihor 7. M. Poincaire conferred the. Medal Militaire on 108 non-commissioned officers and men of the British force for gallantry between 21st and 31st August.

MORE MOTOR MA Oil IXIC-GUNB FOR GERMANS. A FORMIDABLE BATTERY. Received 8, 3 p.m. Rotterdam, November 7. state that sixty motor ma-chine-guns passed through Aix-la-Cha-pelle westwards, also forty heavy guns. It is believed that they were going to Arras.

QUESTIONAL LE LEX CEXCY. A GERMAN SPY IN LUCK. Received S, 3 p.m. Paris, November 7. A spy who guided the London Scottish into the German fire reappeared from the direction of the German lines. The Ghui-kas recognised him, and wanted him killed, but a British officer rescued the spy, who tried to shoot him.

FOR THE KAISER. WURTEMBURGS ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE. THE EMPEROR WITNESSES "THEIR DESTRUCTION. Received 8, 3 p.m. Paris, November 7. Before the Yser inundation the Kaiser appeared on the right bank, and exhorted the troops to recapture the positions on the other baivk. ft.,; Wnr'.emburg Regiment volunteered, and waded thigh deep, but Belgian sharp.shooters accounted for the entire regiment. Most of the wounded were drowned. The Kaiser surveyed the ghastly sight through his field-glasses.

FRENCH COAST STILL INACCESSIBLE. GERMANS FAIL TO BREAK THE LINKS. Received 8, 3 p.m. Paris, November 7. After fierce fighting in tlie La Bassee region, a iarge French force successfully re si Bled the German efforts to break tl:ri.nif/h towards the coast. GERMAN WITHDRAWAL FROM YI'RES. ALLIES MAKING AN ADVANCE. Received 8, 3 p.m. Paris, November 7. Tin; Gemma withdrawal from Ypres has bogiin. mid the British advance began on WVdnewla'-. Several miles were gained on Thursday.

FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. ALLIES GENERALLY SUCCES3FI.L. Received 8, 3 p.m. Paris. NYvi inl.rr 7. Official: The battle in the north is ns violent as ever. t Our oiki-sive to the east and south of Ypres continues. We repulsed attacks from Ar v as to the Oise, and have retaken Soupeo,, near Yailly German attacks in the Argonne conviolent, but resultless. We carried trenches en the heights of the Meuse, also cast of Verdun.

. THE POSITION MORE SATISFACTORY. BELGIAN MOVEMENTS SUCCEED. REPORTS FROM THE WHOLE LINE. FAILURE OP GERMAN ASSAULTS. Received 8, 5.5 p.m. Paris, November 7. Official: The Germans delivered coun-ter-attacks against the Belgians, who lud advanced along the right bank of , the Yser from Nieuport to Lombairfcjrzyde, but the Belgians were supported hi time, and the situation on that side is completely restored. Marines repelled a counter-attack at Dixmimde. Wc made progress around Bixslioote. | /The British have again assumed the j offensive south-east of Ypres, and defelted a particularly violent attack by a recently-arrived army corps. 1 The British repulsed violent attacks at Neuve Chappelle. We stopped several ' day and night counter-attacks between the La Bassee Canal and Arras, between Arras and the Oise, and slightly progressed near Vermilles and south of Aixnoulette. We continue to gain ground recently lost at Vailly, and have repelled fresh attacks in the Argonnc district, where > we made progress at several points. We j occupied Harbourt and Nogeville. The i enemy made unsuccessful attacks on the heights of the Meuse, and southeast of Verdun, and in the Apremont forest, south-east of St. 'Mihiel. W 7 e carried a few trenches at St. Remy. The Germans sustained considerable losses in attacking the approaches to Grand Courrouede and Nancy. , A German coup de main against the heights dominating Golde St. Marie completely failed.

THINGS GOING WELL WITH THE ALLIES. TERRIBLE LOSSES BY GERMAXS. Received i B, 4.30 p.m. London, November 7. The Times correspondent at Flushing says that all the scraps of news obtainable indicate that things are going favorably with the Allies. The increasing anxiety of the Germans prevents the circulation of news, which is in itself a hopeful sign that things are getting more and more unpleasant. German soldiers arc'growing rough and overbearing, as if their temper were giving way. From every direction comes the same tale of a constant and terrible stream of wounded pouring in in train. Joads and convoya of motor vehicles, while, there is a continuous stream of limping and banda"edm^^lonpJ^|

STREAMS OF WOUNDED. FRENCH AIRMEN DROPPING BOMBS. BELGIANS MADE TO SUFFER STILL MORE. Received $, 3 p.m. Amsterdam, November 7. Heavy cannonading is reported from the neighborhood of Thorout and Ypres, also from Roulers and Hooglede. Wounded are streaming into Bruges. French airmen missed the oil tanks at Bruges, but killed eight marines, and also destroyed a section of the BrugesZeebrugge tramway. The Germans are treating Belgians' with increasing severity. Priests are being arrested. , I<i(

CHANNEL PORTS THE GERMAN OBJECTIVE. MARCH ON BOULOGNE BLOCKED. Received 8, 3 p.m. Paris, November 7. Four thousand Belgians are engaged in burying German corpses. It is estimated that, 3700 German dead are around Dixmusde. ' The esituation between Lille and Arras is still obscure. Operations consist mainly of artillery duels, with litthk advantage to either side. The Allies are strenuously opposing an attempt to force an advance by tin direct road to Boulogne.