Western Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 25 November 1914, Page 5

Western Campaign

A SNOW-COVERED COUNTRY. RENDERS MILITARY OPERATIONS DIFFICULT. MOTOR-BOATS FOR FLOODED AREAS. AIRMEN'S NARROW ESCAPES. Paris, November 23. . Northern France anil Belgium are an expanse of Arctic whiteness and ice is forming on the canals. The frozen ground is making eutrenclnnent fighting no longer possible as the troops are unable quickly to cut new trenches. It is also much more dangerous, since the snow will clearly betray the lines of the trenches. The commanders also hesitate to deploy infantry ou a white background. The Germans arc accumulating at Ostend many motor-boats .armed with machine-guns. It is believed they intend to use them on the flooded areas or canals, if the banks are low enough. Paris, Novmber 23. A communique states that yesterday was marked by violent cannonades, es- ] Specially at Yprcs; where the cathedral, markets and many houses were ignited. There were also cannonades at Soissons and Rheiins. We repulsed several very hot attacks in the Argonnes.

The first battalion of the West Surreys, at the end of October, held a position in Belgium for two days against great odds. It was practically surrounded, and had heavy losses. The battalion made a brilliant bayonet charge at Ypres. Paris, November 23. The Allies' airmen aeroplaning over the German lines had narrow escapes. One had his left plane holed at a height of six thousand feet. Paris, November 23. The inundations east of Dixmundc cut off fifteen hundred Germans on the night of the 18th. Some attempted to escape by swimming at daybreak, but the Allies picked them off one after another. By noon the water had risen until only a narrow strip of land remained. The French commander ordered a pontoon bridge to be built to succour the survivors. It was, however, too late, and the islet had disappeared when the French approached, and only forty were alive.

Prisoners state that the Germans are exasperated at the success of the British armoured trains. The Kaiser lias oii'ered £IOOO for the. head of the commander of the trains. GERMANS SIMPLY

SLAUGHTERED. "PLAIN BUTCHERY"—IS IT PUNISHMENT? BELGIAN GALLANTRY AT LOMBARTZYDE. Tims and Sydney Run Services. London, November 23. The Daily Mail correspondent, describing the German attacks at Ypres, says they suggest a deliberate intention to throw away lives. The futility of a single company marching in broad daylight up to trendies covered by machine guns and hundreds of men is obvious. The result is that the Germans are simply slaughtered. The impression given by the plain butchery of these forlorn hopes is that the men are made an example of as a punishmnt when a company has failed or wavered in some attack or hesitated to stand in an exposed position and be killed. A correspondent in Wi'st Flanders says that the Belgian infantry gallantly attempted to drive the Germans out of Lombartzydc. They swept the enemy from three bridges, and finally rushed with fixed bayonets at the mouths of the German guns, facing odds of ten to one. At the critical moment, a German bugle sounded the Belgian mustercall. The ruse succeeded. The Belgians began to retreat and suffered severely. The same night the French artillry found the range of the enemy's batteries and silenced them. The French occupied the town without losing a single man.

TO CALAIS—OR DEATH. BY THE KAISER'S COMMAND. GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS STILL ARRIVING. Copenhagen, November 23. Advices from Berlin military circles state that the Germans have renewed their efforts to reach Calais, owing to the Kaiser's special wish arid command, regardless of life. Amsterdam, November 23. German transports are everywhere in motion. Large forces of cavalry and artillery are leaving Thielt for Ypves and Dixmunde. Many troops from the East have reached Ghent awl Bruges, also the Brunswick cavalry. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, November 23. The German press pretends that Germany was always acting purely on the defensive. BRITON'S SPLENDID VALOUR, MUST BE APPRECIATED RY ENGLAND. Times and Sydney Sun Services Received 24, 5.20 p.m. London, November 23. A correspondent with the forces on the eastern French frontier, describing the arduous character of the lighting round Nancy, which resulted in the defeat of the Germans, says the matter is of real importance to 'the people of England, who should realise the splendid valour of the army at Toul and Nancy.

GERMAN STRATEGY. SOWING .SEEDS OF DISSENSION. AMONG THE ALLIED ARMIES. Times and Sydney Sim Services Received 24, 5.20 p.m. London, November 23. German cunning is busily at work, trying to sow dissension between the two Allied nations' armies, fosterning the idea that. the. brunt of the fighting has fallen on the British, and that the French are not doing their fair share, while in various insidiouswavatW