Western Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 28 November 1914, Page 5

Western Campaign

IN THE VOSGES. asa EPLNAL RESISTS ASSAULT. Paris, November 26. The valour of the garrison has prevented the Germans getting within fifteen miles of Epinal, a fortress near the Vosgcs, though the garrison has often been outnumbered by ten to one. The Germans still occupy 80,000 acres in the Vosges Department. ANOTHER BATTLE EXPECTED. NEW GERMAN MOVEMENT. London, November 25. The Times, in a leader, says the Germans are beginning a new movement in Flanders under favourable conditions. We must expect another formidable battle immediately, perhaps accompanied by fresh menacing activity in other directions. The feeling at the front remains confident, coupled with a strong recognition that the new German offensive is serious. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. GERMAN ATTACK' LESSENING IN THE NORTH. Paris, November 26. A comunique states that the cannonade in the north lias diminished. The German attack at Missy-on-Aisne completely failed, with serious German losses. We progressed west of Souain. There is heavy snow in the Argonnes, the Woevre district, Lorraine and the Vosges. SOME BATTLEFIELD STORIES. GERMANS SHOOT FRENCH PRISONERS. MORE HINDU EXPLOITS. Paris, November 20. Many incidents of minor importance are reported. Once a party of Britishers stumbled into tlio Gorman trendies. When they realised it they ran the gauntlet of the German rifle fire and the majority escaped. In another case Germans surrounded a French company near Ypres. A German officer herded his prisoners in the corner of a wood and commanded his men to fire until all were killed. The British, in the neighbouring trenches, witnessed the scene, but were unable to prevent it, London, November 20. Router's Paris correspondent says a British officer bef> a French officer that the Indians would capture thirty of the sentinels who were guarding a wood in Flanders. There was a fearful din in the dead of night—then silence. Later the Indians returned in couples each bearing a man gagged and bound. During the defence of Ypres, Major Christie's battery, after three British guns had been disabled, was ordered to retire, but returned and recovered the guns. At a critical stage of the fight a charge of the Coldstream, Grenadier, and Scots Guards saved the situation by recovering the trendies. They suffered fearful losses but drove out the Germans and hung on for thirty-six hours. Their resistance won the day. During recent fighting at Ypres the German guns found the range, and the British were ordered to quit, as they were preventing their own battery checking the advance of several hundred German infantry. The gunners prepared for a hand-to-hand fight with the Germans, who charged in close order up to within twenty-five yards. The final rounds from the guns practically annihilated the Germans. The battery then decimated the German reserves.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE HORRORS. SOLDIERS' LETTERS HOME. "HELL OPENED OUT." Times and Sydney Sun Services. Lonon, November .26. The driver of a motor ambulance in the war zone details exciting experiences. A dash past blazing buildings, then a sudden halt and rapid retreat to avoid the shells of the Jack Johnson, as a certain type of German big guns is called, are .our hourly routine, relieved by dodging a shower of shrapnel, or aeroplane bombs. The German big guns play hell with Tommy. They seem to have endless ammunition.

The German spy system is perfect and one is baffled to know by what mysterious and rapid means they so quickly transmit news of the arrival of an ammunition, column, or reinforcements, which are received by immediate volleys of shells, which cease on their departure. A German soldier's diary, referring to the effects of shell fire, says: "When I the shells are dropipng in front and behind, to the right and left, to remain in expectation of death or injury without being able to make any resistance and to hear the screams of the wounded who cannot receive attention in the narrow trenches is a sensation comprehensible only to those who have expcriencd it." Another German soldier who retreated under terrible shell and rifle fire says: "You could imagine that hell had opened out and was pouring fire from a thousand craters." A Bavarian non-commissioned officer writes: "The villages in ruins are like slaughter-houses with the dead horses, bodies of men torn to pieces, and pools of blood. They form a picture of horror. The enemy's shell fire is hellish through all the cries of wounded. Even the bravest tremble, and men tell their rosaries continually. Only One Above can help us." ,

WHAT ZEEBRUQOE MEANT. A SHATTERING OF GERMAN HOPES. Times and 'Sydney Sun Services. [Received 27, 5.15 p.m. London, November 2G. The Times' naval correspondent says: "The "news of the destruction of Zeebrugge is very comforting. If the' Germans were contemplating making ZeebrUggeabßß^f^torn^^---