France & Flanders

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 183, 12 January 1915, Page 5

France & Flanders

I FRENCH STAND THEIR GROUND. AGAINST NUMEROUS ATTACKS. ! ATTEMPTED FLOODING OF THE TRENCHES. 1 TYPHOID IN THE ENEMY RANKS. TREMENDOUS GERMAN LOSSES. Paris, January 10 Notwithstanding numerous attacks, the enemy were unable to recapture the trenches in the Soissons region. The enemy again bombarded Soissons Our artillery had great effect on the German trenches from Rheinis to Argonne, dispersing parties of marksmen. We repelled a counter-attack west of Perthes and progressed west of Beausejour. We seized a redoubt north of Beausejour. The enemy bombarded the Four do Paris region. We replied, destroying a blockhouse. We repulsed attacks at the Apremont forest, also in the Thann region. London, January y>. A British eyc-«'itness states that the Germans are apparently using pumps electrically worked in the Lille district to drain the trendies. They attempted to flood our trenches, but failed. Tile Scheldt and Lys overflowed, flooding the whole of the districts in Southern Belgium. Saxon and Bavarian prisoners frequently abuse their Prussian comrades. A Saxon expressed the hope that u British shell in the Saxon trenches would be taken over by the Prussians. Typhoid continues to rage in the enemy's ranks. There are many cases m Belgian hospitals. The German losses were very heavy during the last few weeks. The average strength of a company was reduced from 120 to TO.

OUR ARTILLERY SUPERIOR. BRITISHERS FIGHT WITII COLD STEEL. A WELL-PLAXX KD XICIIT ATTACK. DEVASTATING EFFECT OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES. Received 11, 0.15 p.m. Paris, January 11.

An eye-willies, reverting to the British success in a surprise attack on the right centre, where a British officer and twenty-five men delivered a telling assault on the enemy's trenchesfi says the attack was well planned. The dashing Britishers crossed 200 yards of open ground, passed the sentries in the dark, and gained the trenches. .Not a shot was fired, the work being done in grim silence with the cold steel. The Britishers then diverted a ditchful of water into the trench, rendering it mitenaftle. The enemy is now experiencing to a far greater extent than before the devastating effect of high explosives, which this war has proved to he the chief agent in destroying resistance. Once an aerial observer lias notified the gunners of the position of the trendies, whole lengths of these are soon blown up, and the entanglements and every form of obstacle arc swept away. The Allies' artillery is gradually assuming a superiority over the German.

IN ALSACE. FIERCE FK.HTING AROUND CERNAV. FRENCH MAKE HEADWAY. Received 11, D.15 p.m. Paris, January 11. The French entered Burnhaupt in order to inflict the maximum loss on the Germans, and thereafter retired to their original position. The enemy suffered terribly. The French artillery wiped out an entire brigade, and then occupied the heights domTnating Cernav, also the. forest of Monnenhruch, southward of the town. There wa§ bitter fighting west of Ccrnay, several points being captured and re-captured. THE BATTLE OF BUR.VHAUI'T. A GERMAN SUCCESS CLAIMED. JIKAVY FRENCH J.OSSES. Received 12, 12.50 a.m. Amsterdam, January 11. A German communique says: ' - \Ye captured 420 French in re-taking Burnhaupt. Many French ilead and wounded were left in front of our position, and in the neighboring woods. "The situation on the eastern front is unchanged." T

.MRUEN'S KAID ON DUNKIRK. Received 11, 10.15 p.m. Paris, January U. Aviators Hew over Dunkirk, and tlirew thirty bombs. Casualties wore few and damage slight, owing to precautions. SHELLING A (JATIIKDRAL. JIiRKI'AKAISI.i: DAM AO 10.

l'ortv German shells on Saturday niglit damage,l the facade ot iloissons Cathedral beyond repair. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. Received 11, 10.15 p.m. Paris, January 10. Official: German counter-attacks north of Perthes were repulsed. The rest of the front is quiet, except for a few small and abortive attacks in Axgonne.