France & Flanders

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 182, 11 January 1915, Page 5

France & Flanders

FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. | LINES OF fiERMAX TKKXCHI-S CAPTURED THE CAPTURE HE PERTIIFS. (oXSfI)KRAIiEE ADVAXCKS MADE. Received 10, 3 p.m. Paris, January 9. Oliicijil.—Wo carried a redoubt and captured two linos of trenches, and successfully reached the third linos north of Soissous. Tlio Ornians thrice attoniptod to recapture them but failed. A very violent attack near Hautcehevaucliee compelled us to fall back along the front by a kilometre. Tliero we counter-attacked and ro-oocupiod the positions very brilliantly. We captured a hill near Soupir, and three linos of Herman trenches, ••:- pulsing throe violent attacks. The enemy being unable to retake the lost grouni, bombarded Soissons, igniting the law courts. Our artillery of Laon and Cracnne demolished machine guns, silenced the artillery, and wrecked the trenches. The Germans attacked our position on a hill of Perthes, but failed We counter-attacked and raptured the Gor.man trenches between the hill and Perthes, and also by simultaneously direct attack captured Perthes and advanced beyond the neighbouring woods. The total gains wore five hundred metres directly ahead. The artillery indicted considerable losses on tile entire front from lib. Ims to Argonne. We progressed in Woovre north-west of Elircy, Dally Wood, and Ea Petre Wood, and maintained our positions at CVrnav. The enemy, having been strongly reinforced, rooccupiod Bun-haupt !e Uaut. but lost heavilv.

ENEMY DRIVEN BACK. Received ]|, a,in. Paris, January 9. Official: The enemy was again repulsed to the northwards of Soissons, and driven back in the vicinity of Perthes, with heavy losses. THE GERMAN DEAD. BURIED I!V liELCTAXS. TRAIXLI lADS EVERY XKiHT. Received 10. :! p.m. Amsterdam, January 1). Tile Telegraaf states that every night trains full of (ierman dead arrive at C'apelle, near Antwerp, bound together in threes wit.li wire, ami are buried ; n graves dug by the inhabitant*:.

THE GERMAN VIEW. KAISER'S FORCES SUCCEED. FRENCH REPORT CONTRADICTED. Amsterdam, .January 0. A German communique says: We repulsed several attacks north-east of Soissons, with heavy French losses. We repulsed an attack near Perthes, with severe French losses. We slonmed a position in eastern Argonue, capturing prisoners. Mine.throwers blew up an undefended trench at Flircy at the moment the. French occupied it, destroying an entile French force. We reoaptured Btirnahanpt le Ilaut, also the French advanced trenches, taking many prisoners. CARDINAL MERCIER. A NEW PHASE. THE PASTORAL /APPROVED BY THE POPE. Received 10, .1 p.m. London, .January 0. Tlie Daily Chronicle's Milan correspondent says that the Pope was personally acquainted with Cardinal Herder's pa-.toral prior to its publication, and lias since expressed his unreserved approval of it. CLUMSY AND BRUTAL ACT.

Received 10, 5.5 p.m. London, January 0. Mr. T. P. O'Connor describes the arrest of Cardinal Mercier as one of those elum-y and brutal acts of German policy which will recoil on her own head. KAISER DENIES THE ARREST. "MERELY WAIiNKI) TTIM." Received 1(1, 3 p.m. Rome, January 'J. Tile Kaiser telcgraplied to the Pope denying Cardinal Mercier's arrest, and explaining that the Hermans merely warned him to discontinue his anti-Ger-man propaganda wliich the Kaiser was sure the Pope would disapprove. THE LIE DIRECT. THE KAISER FLATLY CONTRADICTED. Received 10, 3 p.m. Amsterdam, January 9. The newspaper Tyd says the contradiction of Cardinal Mercier's arrest is untrue. The Cardinal is not allowed to leave Malines. Several priests win were imprisoned for a day or two are prepared to contradict the denial.