The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 198, 29 January 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

SEVERE GERMAN REPULSE. STRUGGLE RESUMED NEAR YPREsi. PEGOUD'S SUCCESSFUL EXPLOITS. n Paris, January 27. A communique states that the Germans on Monday east of Ypres and at Givenchy and Guinchy lost at least two battalions. We repulsed violent attacks near Perthes, and destroyed the enemy's new pontoon bridges near St. ■Mihiel. Many British wounded are arriving at Boulogne. Forty motor ambulances plied all night between the railway stations and the hospital. The Chronicle's Paris correspondent states that Pegoud, with nine bombs, blew up German military stores, dropped bombs on a company of infantry, and destroyed a balloon which was directing batteries. ALLIES' TRENCHES BLOWN UP. BUT RE-CAPTURED. FIERCE FIGHT NEAR CBAONNE. Received 28, 10 p.m. Paris, January 2S. Official: The enemy blew up fifty metres of trenches in the Traey le Val district, but were unable to seize them owing to artillery fire. We re-occupied and re-constructed them, and our coun-ter-attacks recovered most of the lost ground.

Westward of Craonne, where a landslide had cut off two of our companies, the ardor of the troops was beyond all praise. The enemy abandoned a thousand corpses and prisoners belonging to four different regiments.

GERMAN ACTIVITY. TO MAKE A ROYAL BIRTHDAY PRESENT. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 28, 5 p.m. London, January 28. Amsterdam reports that there is great activity among the Germans, and it is anticipated that an endeavor will be made to eeleorate the Kaiser's birthday by some conspicuous success against the Allies. THE FIGHTING AT LA BASSEE. Received 82, 1150 p.m. Dunkirk, January 28. Fighting at La Bassce continues in the Allies' favor. The German attack on Bethune was carried out in massed formation, and met a devastating fire. ENGLISHMEN DEPORTED TO GERMANY. Received 28, 11.20 p.m. Dunkirk, January 28. General Bissing ordered all Englishmen in Belgium to be transferred to Germany. Some ct-raped to Holland, but the majority were arrested at their homes, hotels, or in the streets.

ANOTHER GERMAN CRIME ALLEGED. Received 29, 1.25 a.m. Paris, January 28. The Academy of Medicine investigated the use of phosphorus in a German shell, causing necrosis among many of the wounded. This manner of using phosphorus seems to prove criminal intention on the part of tho enemy. [N«crosis, the death of circumscribed portions only of bodily tissue, most frequently the death of bone.] BELGIUM DRYING UP. FACILITATES MILITARY MOVEMENTS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London January 27. The "Eye-witness" at headquarters writes. "In a sceptical and materialistic age it is surprising to find reliance placed in charms. Many prisoners pos- ■ sess so-called prayers really written as charms against death, wounds, disease and every imaginable evil. One was covered with a protection against | shot, sword, visible and invisible foes, and all kinds of guns. It is curious that the only omitted mischance was that which befell the owner, that of being taken prisoner. Many of theie amulets are probably of very ancient origin and have been handed down among the German peasantry for generations." Amsterdam reports that the weather has improved, and the ground in Belgium is rapidly drying. Probably military movements will be much easier in the immediate future.

DUTCH RESENTMENT. ' A CRISIS POSSIBLE. Amsterdam, January 27. Dutch resentment at Zeppelins flying over Holland is increasing. The Dutch troops are singing "Tipperary." German brutality in Belgium and the raiding of defenceless coasts is provoking the populace to hostility. An extension of the Military Service Bill has been curried, the Premier remarking that a crisis might at any moment arise, involving Holland in violence.