France & Flanders

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 163, 16 December 1914, Page 5

France & Flanders

LAURELS FOR BLACK WATCH. FAVORABLE FRENCH REPORT. FAMINE IN BELGIUM. LANDWEHR SENT TO THE FRONT. London, December 14. Sir John French, in congratulating the Black Watch on ginning fresh laurels on the Marne, said: "The Jaegers of the German Guard, after that battle, ceased to exist. You stuck to the line against treble your numbers. The country is proud of you. The Rus- { sians have won great victories, and you, c by holding back the Germans, have won * great victories too. Had you hot done 1 this the Russians could not have achieved their successes." Paris, December 14. A communique states that the enemy violently bombarded t'le trenches northwest of Soupir, in the region of the Aisne. AYe replied, throwing their trenches into disorder. Our artillery destroyed important earthworks in the outskirts. The Allies carried 500 metres of trenches and repulsed two violent attacks in the Mont Marie wood and appreciably progressed at Aispach and other points. Amsterdam, December 14. ' The authorities at Hansweerd detain- ;, ed fifteen grain-laden vessels, sent by J the, Germans from Antwerp. It is be-j; lieved that the Germans were appro- <, ' hensive about their safety in Antwerp and prefer to have the vessels interned in Holland. A Zeppelin journeying from Nieuport towards Dunkirk was forced to return, owing to the Allies' heavy fire. Boulogne, December 14. One of the greatest obstacles of the Allies is the wretched condition of the \ main roads. It has been decided to make corduroy roads. Thousands of tons of implements have been ordered in England. Amsterdam, December 14. Domestic utensils, cooking-pots and coal scuttles made of copper are being appropriated by the war manufacture departments. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, December 14. An officer in thtl Royal Engineers writes that his company is turning out 300 hand grenades daily. Empty jam tins are filled with small pieces of iron and a few ounces of guncotton. Similar methods were employed in the fighting in the 18th century. The Amsterdam Telegraaf states that the German Landwehv c.-i the Dutch frontier have been sent to the front, and they have been replaced by older soldiers and also the slightly wounded. The Belgian Relief Committee in England has received a telegram from Blankenberghe that the situation is grave, and that unless food arrived immediately the whole region would be plunged in the blackest famine. ALLIES' GENERAL ADVANCE.' - J CIVIL SYMPATHISERS' RISKS, r ' Received 10, 12.15 a.m.. ,1 London, December 15. ' Press correspondents in the north of France who expect a general advance ' by the Allies shortly point out that \ the situation is fraught with danger to the civil population in the towns occu- i pied by the enemy. The sympathies of the civilians will very likely lead to ' attempts to assist the Allies, and as a result probably the Germans will be compelled to resort to severe measures. ENEMY'S CANNONADE >i.iji- fi£ ,'"7 WEAKENS. BELGIAN CONGO TROOPS AT THE"" FRONT. Received 15, 7.20 p.m. London, December 15. , The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at ) Dunkirk says that the <veaKening of the German cannonade and infantry demonstrations is noticeable in Flanders. The enemy has abandoned many trenches. A constant re-shuifling is apparent behind ' the enemy's lines. Some native troops from the Belgian Congo co-operated in the repulse of the attack on the Yser. i THE BELGIAN ATROCITIES. A WELCOME DENIAL. NO MUTILATION OF MALES. Received 15, 8.20 p.m. Melbourne, December 15. Mr Fisher, on behalf of members of Parliament, cabled to the British Government regarding the stories of mutilation of males in Belgium by the Germans, and received this reply: "I am informed by the Embassy that the Belgian Committee of Inquiry has no evidence of any such report." When the reply was read in Parliament, the members j cheered. ... ... j NEW SCHEME OF ATTACK, j GERMAN TROOPS SENT INLAND. Received 15, 5.20 p.m. Amsterdam, December 15. An important concentration of German troops near Courtrai is interpreted as an indication that the recent plans for an advance on Calais have been abandoned in favor of an attempt to break the Allies' lines further inland. The Germans round Bruges are being hurriedly transferred to the interior of Belgium. The German authorities at IThielt announce that anybody carrying arms in East Flanders after the lath will be summarily shot. j The whole of the public and historical buildings at Ghent have been mined. j BRAVE FRENCH OFFICERS. THE TABLES TURNED. Received 15, 8.45 p.m. Paris, December 15. During the fighting at Dixmude a company of French bluejackets was sur- . rounded. The majority were killed. The i survivors surrendered, with their officer. '• The German officers demanded to be l shown a safe passage across the Yser. . The French officer led thewaytoth^

a strong force. (The prisoners shouted to their comrades, "We are captured!" The German officer attacked the French officer, but the latter shot him, and tlic detachment escaped to the French lines, covered by their comrades' fire. The officer has been decorated. FURTHER FRENCH SUCCESSES. Received 15, 8.30 p.m. Paris, December 15. Official: Wl progressed on the Ypres Canal, and west of Hollebeke. We repulsed several violent counterattacks. The German offensive northwest of Ccrnay was repulsed. BELGIUM MUST PAY. Received 15, 8.45 p.m. Havre, December 15. Official. The German Governor of Bel. gium has summoned the provincial Councils to take steps for the payment of the war levy of fourteen millions sterling.