WESTERN CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 11 December 1914, Page 7

WESTERN CAMPAIGN.

ALLIES' APl'J&liCiAliLE GAIXd ONE OF OUR TltKSt'jrlES BLOWN UP FRESH GERMAN ATTACK PENDIKG. Paris, December 9. There havt been artillery duels from the >sea to the Lys," also on tlie Aisne, where we had the advantage. We made appreciable gains in the Argonnos, carrying several trendies. We are progrosing along iti« entire front, except at one point, where the enemy mined and blew up a trenc'li. Our artillery lias completely mastered the enemy's on the heights of the Meu.se, where we pro- , gressed along the whole line, capturing j several Frenches. i Tlia French Government has returned to Paris. Tiie Petit Parisian states that Germans have removed the Waterloo collection from Mont St. Jean, also other Waterloo relics. London, Dectxnber 9. Private messages from Berlin declare that tlie Germans are preparing for a violent _ attempt to break the Allies' west wing. A New Zealandcr at the front, in a letter, says lhat bis company of cavalry ' has been converted into mobile infantry armed with rifles, bayonets, piolca and ■shovels. They have beco.ne very efficient in digging themselves dug-outs, 'roofed with branches and covered with earth. The uoor is lined with, straw. The troops lie close together, acting as ivarming-pans and so keeping one another from freezing at night. Some bombs from German mortars make holes 15 feet det,p and 20 feet across, but ludtilv they have not struck the British ■ trenches.

A correspondent, at. the invitation of General JofTre, visited the French lines. He states that some parts of the line fi.ive become as monotonous as a city office. Fighting commences at 5.30. The men quit, the trenches at 4.30 and walk openly along the line. Dinner is at 11 ant! the troops on both sides openly distribute soun. The opposing troops near Rheims have Ixcoire .so familiar that they art calling one another by their Christ San name.