Western Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 23 November 1914, Page 5

Western Campaign

BELGIUM HONEYCOMBED WITH MINES. DIFFICULT TASKJOR THE ALLIES. MORE GERMAN ATROCITIES. London, November 20. It is stated in Antwerp that the Germans arc placing the whole line from the sea to the German frontier on the defensive. Round Alost the Belgians (under German orders) have made big trenches. It is suspected these are being used for land mines. If the whole way from the present front to Brussels is thus mined the Allies' march will be very strenuous. The Press Bureau publishes the Belgian official report of German outrages. There were 650 victims at Tamine. The German machine-guns mowed down a group of peasants in front of the churches and silenced the groans of the wounded with bayonet thrusts. They burnt and sacked 204 houses. Many women and children were burnt or suffocated in their own houses.

Of 1400 houses at Dinant only two hundred remain. Manufactories were systematically destroyed. Over seven hundred of the inhabitants of Dinant were killed.

Outrages, pillage and incendiarism were also reported in Belgian Luxemburg, where a thousand men were shot. j Paris, November 20. I A communique states that the wca- ! ther in the nortli is very bad and snow jhas fallen. There were practically no infantry attacks on Thursday and the artillery was much less violent, but was intense south of Ypres. The Allies have taken from the water at Ramscapelle two German 17.5 in. howitzers which were abandoned in the floods. We repulsed three violent infantry attacks in the Argonnes. The Germans re-occupied the destroyed portion of Chauvoncourt. ENEMY'S INFANTRY REPULSED. GAINING GROUND ON THE RIGHT WING. Received 22, 4.40 p.m. "• Paris, November 21. Official: The fighting latterly has consisted mainly of artillery duels in the north. We repulsed two infantry attacks at Hollobeke. The superiority of our artillery on t!:e Aisne has been accentuated, preventing the Germans from completing their trenches. Jn the Argonnc region we progressed near Verdun, also in the Vosges. A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK.

"ALLIES' POSITION NEVER MORE SECURE." OFFICERS ON HOLIDAY LEAVE. Received 22, 3.35 p.m. London, November 21. The Times' correspondent in Northern France says: "The Allies' position was nfver more secure than to-day. It has been found possible to grant holiday leave to many officers and men, after many weeks of arduous service." LESS FIGHTING NEAR RBEIMS. Received 22, 4.40 p.m. Paris, November 21. The enemy's activity about Rlteims is slackening.

GREAT DUEL EIGHT AEROPLANES EXGAGED. GERMANS TRAPPED AMD BROUGHT DOWN. Received 22. 3.30 p.m. London, November 21. An exciting air battle was witnessed on Wednesday. Two French and two British aeroplanes manoeuvred for ten minutes against four German ships, and suddenly fled. The Germans, pursuing, realised too late that they had been trapped, and were shot down by hidden French batteries. Eight officers' and the pilots were killed.

ATROCITIES IN BELGIUM. LIMIT REACHED IN ARDENNE. A WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. Received 22, 4.45 p.m. London, November 21. In the House of Commons, Mr Tennant assured members who mentioned ugly rumours in connection with army contracts that the reports were baseless. The Press Bureau has Issued the Belgian Commission's third report, which states that no other town has seen so many scenes of atrocity and cruelty as Ardenue; where three hundred men were massacred in the presence of their wives and children. Three; hundred houses were burned at Ardenne and Seilles. They were ordered to gather the bodies of the dead, and to wash the i blood from the streets and houses.

GERMAN GOVERNMENT OF BELGIUM. A PICTURESQUE "OFFICIAL" Ml-ISSAGE. Received 22, 4.4.') p.m. London, November 21. Germany Ims appointed nine military governors for the Belgium provinces. A Orman ollicial wireless circulates a story that fifteen thousand British were drowned in a canal at Bixsehootc. 'A COMPARISON OF FITNESS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 22; 5.55 p.m. London, November 21. Colonel Flyler, military correspondent of Le Matinj says that none of the British volunteers'at the front have had less than three months' instruction. The colonial contingents were certainly better stuff than the young German soldiers. |