Official News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 145, 14 November 1914, Page 5

Official News.

THE BATTLE OF YPRES. TO BE HANDED DOWN TO POSTERITY. GALLANT BRITISH DEFENCE. Wellington, Last Night. The. Prime Minister has received the following from the High Commissioner :

London, November 13, 12.5 p.m. Official: Operations in the last few days consisted mainly of heavy fighting north of Lys, Points <yf interest were Hollctieke, Wytschaeme, and Messines. There were also severe encounters on the line from Ornvoorde to Frelinghein.' The fighting consisted of frequent and vigorous infantry attacks from the Germans, accompanied by heavy shellfire, alternating with equally vigorous counter-attacks. The general result was the maintenance of our line. There were considerable losses on our side, but still heavier on the other side. Machineguns and 100 prisoners were taken oy us on the Bth.

The Allies' strength is constantly maintained by reinforcements.

Latterly there has been great stress of fighting in the neighborhood of Gheitivelde, north of Ypres and Dixmunde. The German artillery fire was continuous, the bombardment being intended to pulverise the defence preparations and advance of the infantry. The centre of the struggle was Ypres, the defence of which will certainly he reckoned in history as one of the most striking episodes in the annals of the British army. For more than three weeks the position was held under a rain of shells, which hardly ceased day or night. During that time the enemy poured successive waves of infantry against it, only to see them break to pieces one after'the other. THE TASTE TELLS!