France & Flanders

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 185, 15 January 1915, Page 5

France & Flanders

A GERMAN MANOEUVRE. VON KLUCK'S FORTRESS. KING ALBERT'S EXAMPLE. WORKS IN TRENCHES. London, January 13. The Germans are attempting to head oIT General Jofl're's right-hand men, Generals Focli and Demandhuy. General Foeh, in July, was merely a commander of an army corps. He is a man of the greatest simplicity and directness. General Dcmandhuy was a plain Brigadier. Originally a royalist, he spent much of his life in garrison towns on the eastern frontier. He is a dark, agile little man, always ready for q\iiek, long marches. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London January 13. General von Kluck's headquarters on the Aisnc is a veritable fortress surround, cd by trendies and defended by a mass of batteries and machine-guns. He told a journalist that "they call us Huns and barbarians. . This honors us because it proves that our strength is understood." King Albert, while inspecting the lines with his Staff offic<"ra on Sunday, saw wen digging in (he trenches and looking very tired. He inquired how they had been working. Being informed that they lifcd been at wor* fourteen hours, lie sent them away to rest while be and iiU officers continued digging to islieve them.

FURTHER DEVASTATION THREATENED. IP GERMiAXS BEATEN IX BELGIUM. iiceeived 14, 10.50 p.m. Amsterdam, January 14. Newspapers report that a German officer said that if the German troops had to retire from their present position, Belgium would be devastated, because the men had got beyond control.

CAPTURE OF GERMAN AVIATOR. GERMAN DESERTERS. Paris, January 13. Some German regiments with copper helmets and pikes are sending them to Germany. The German aeroplane at Amiens, cabled on January 11, was brought down after an hour's pursuit. The pilot was only wounded, but the observer was killed. The latter was a son of General von Moltke's successor. Le Matin says that after the battle of the Yser, many Germans deserted. Eleven thousands deserted at Bruges between November 15 and December 15. This accounts for the strict watcli on the Dutcli frontier. GERMAN OPPRESSION. FLIGHT FROM FRONTIER VILLAGES London, January 13. One hundred and twenty.five French deputies who are serving at the front will attend the opening of the Chamber on Tuesday next. The inhabitants of Frencli frontier villages who thought they were immune from German oppression have been startled to find Germans billeted upon them and to receive requisitions for cattle and food under very rigorous conditions. Numbers are fleeing to Holland.

ALLIES' SLIGHT PROGRESS. Received 14, 8.25 p.m. Paris, January 14. Official.—Our counter-attacks slightly progressed between Cuflics and Crouy; hut we were uuablc to debouch from Crouy. Our troops fell back slightly near the village of Moiicel. IMPROVISED HELMETS. DISAPPOINTED SAXONS.

London, January 13. Frenchmen in look-out trenches are using improvised helmets similar to Ned Kelly's. A corporal, describing the Christmas truce, stated that the Saxons said their regiments had previously been in Kiel harbor for three months waiting to go to England. GIVE AND 'J 1 ARE BATTLES.

Paris, January 13. A communique states that bad weather has impeded operations on the whole front. We maintained our positions west of spur 132, but gave ground on the east. The artillery caused explosions in the enemy's batteries. In the Champagne country there were violent artillery duels from Khcims to the Argonnc. We still hold the salient at Bcauscjour redoubt.

IH'N'KTTtK PAH) EXPLAINED. Paris, January 13. JL Poincairc was at Dunkirk when the air raid was made, Irat lie escaped. A MISTIMED MESSAGE. Received 14, 820 p.m. Paris, January 13. A German aviator at Dunkirk, evidently misinformed as to tlie time, of President Poineare's arrival, threw a weighted streamer, bearing the inscription, ''Good affernoon. M. Poineare!"