The Western front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 18 February 1915, Page 5

The Western front

ANOTHER FORMIDABLE RAID. FRENCH AND BRITISH ACT IN CONCERT. FURTHER UAH AGE AT ZEEBRUGGE. GEK.YIAN AEROPLANES KEPT AWAY. Received 17. 7.20 p.m. London, February 16. The Admiralty announces that forty British aeroplanes on Tuesday afternoon bombed heavy batteries at Ostend harbour, gun positions at Middlekcrke, and widened the hi'eaeh m Zeobrugge mole. They also bombed transport waggons, barges, and frawders at Ostend and Blankciiborghc. Eight French aeroplanes attacked Chcstclles aerodrome, preventing the German aircraft from cutting off the British. a confirmatory; EFFORT. The Premier has received tile following from the High Commissioner, dated London, February 17, at 1.30 a.m.: The Admiralty reports that the air operations of the naval wing against Bruges. Ostend, and Zecbrugge district were continued. This afternoon 40 aerordanis and seaplanes bombarded Ostend, Wuldlokorke, Ghostollos. and Zecbrugge. Bombs were dropped on heavy batteries situated on the east 'and west sides of "steed harbor, on gun position at Middlekcrke. on transport wagons on the ''.'itend-Gliestelles road, on the mole at Zeelirugge, to widen the breach damaged bv former attacks, on the locks at Zecbrugge, on barges ousidc Blankonberoiie, and trawlers outside Zoebrugge. Eight. French aeroplanes attacked the Ohcstclles aerdrome and thus effectively, prevented the German aircraft from cutting oil' our machines. Good results were obtained.

SIR JOHN FRENCH. FIRST BT-WEEKLY REPORT. PRAISE FOR TPUIUTORTALS. London, February Ifi. The Press Bureau publishes Sir John French's first bi-weekly report. It states that the British have progressed in the La Rassee district. A valuable point was secured on the 13th without j loss. There is conclusive evidence that the enemy's losses 4 in the recent fighting have been severe. The enemy, on the Mth. gained a few trenches in the Ypres district. We counter-attacked, recovering them. There has been sonic increase in the intensity of the artillery duels along the remainder of the front, in which we have shown marked superiority. We greatly damaged the enemy's defences. Our aircraft, despite bad weather, blew up one of the enemy's ammunition wagons, near La Bassce, Since November .1(1 operations have been limited by the weather conditions. Tlie recent developments of armaments and the latest methods of warfare have imposed great drawbacks on a. vigorous winter campagn. The mists and fogs meant unnecessary waste of long range artillery ammunition and also militated against aivcr'aft reconnaissance, but many aerial combats have been fought and raids carried out. The enemy's defriiinments have been harassed, petrol and the enemy's aircraft and material destroyed. The present accuracy of range of qniekfiring rifles and machine-guiis requires fireswept /.ones to be crossed rapidly. This is impossible over ground knee-deep in nuiil, without entailing unnecessary loss. At tlie beginning of December reconnaissance showed that much of the enemy's artillery had been withdrawn, but there was no great diminution in efficiency. Although there was almost continuous artillery anil rifle fire there were comparatively few operations calling for special comment. The men were subjected to the severest trials, fflost and snow alternating with rain, and were compelled to stand waist deep in the trenches for many hours in bitterly cold water, within two hundred yards' of a vigilant enemy. Unfortunately circumstances prevent any account of many splendid instances of courage and endurance in face of unparalleled hardship reaching the public. Tlie Territorials have more than justified the most sanguine hopes. Reinforcements have, arrived with remarkalile promptitude and rapidity. Sir John French has no reason to modify his views o n the general military situation expressed in the. last dispatch. Received 17. U.ii p.m. London, February 17. Sir .1. French's dispatch dated February 2 alludes to the encouragement the troops received at th:> King's visit. " It states that in consequence of the heavy fighting in November the FrancoBritish forces were somewhat mixed up. niiailing difficulties of supply, but bv ih" end of the month they were able to concentrate the army by holding a shorter line, and they' established effective reserves. Among a number of successful'minor engagements on the part, of the Fourteenth Army Corps was that of November 2lith when they captured eight hundred yards of the Tndhin trenches The commander of the Moorut division organised a powerful night count»r-iittack and re-established his line at daybreak. There were many casualties, but the enemv suffered more heavily. The Mocruts captured a hundred prisoners, three machine-guns, and two mortars. Early i„ December certain indications induced th:> French commanders and myself to believe that the enemy bad withdrawn considerable forces from the Western theatre, and an-nngemonts were made with the Eighth French Army Corps to commence an attack on the Uth. The Royal Scots had to face a terrible machine-gun and rifle (ire, lint with great dash they carried the tierman trenches on the west edge of the Relit Hois, capturing two m-ehine-gun-; The Gordons, with great gallenii-yj advanced to the Mio-delskoi-d spur.' and forced the enemy to evacuate the front trench, but. losing heavily, but were obliged to fall !,:,< k in the evening to their original positions. As th» eaptain of the Thirtv-socon 1 French Division on the left was unable f" progress, i!„. further advance „!' British infantry at Wvfscknato was impraeticalile. Possession of the western edge of Petit Hois was retained, though (lie ground was devoid of cover and v waterlogged that the men sank deep in the mud. The casualties for the day wir. seventeen eOiccrs and -IM7 of ofhel considerably larger f„ front'' ( ,f' (!,'," •'"l-'oM" the pal re! counted a hiinihv-: A"X(\ in one froueli.

K'"<<-iv,.(l IS. 1-2.-I0 :i.ni London, l-Vbrnarv 17. rim despatch continues: Vim ontstandim: fcntun. „f (he fmhlin» nt Oivoneliy wns where Ihe Comman(ler of tlie Tmli.'ins decided to talce advama?r<> of wlmt appeared to lie a favorable opportunity, and launched attacks on tte IStli and Kith December. An attack "iy tile Aleeriit. division on (die IcfT. Oil tb> liiornin.'jr of (lie 10th. was made ii.Ujlih-. tlie enemy witli deteniiination and in rial success. ] m (, (lie troops were drivi i. aack liy a (Jerman connlcrattac!■.. The attack by the Lahore division wa s completely successful. They

captured two lines of trenches with little loss. Before daylight tliey filled the trendies with us niany men as they would hold, but the front having restricted communication with the rear, it was impossible after *• daybreak to bold the position, which was found to be practically .untenable. Both flanks made supporting attacks, which, while late in starting, were conducted in daylight. They failed, though the attempts ■were characterised by the. greatest gallai'try and resolution. LieutcnantColonel Ronaldson held on luitil dusk, when all the captured trenches were evacuated. Eecoived 18, 1.10 a.m. London. February 17. The despatch continued: — Tho Germans at daybreak on the ■2oth attacked the whole. Indian front, particularly at fiivenehy, and by 10 o'clock succeeded in driving back the Serhind brigade, capturing a considerable, part of Givencby, but the. 52nd Rifles and the 9th Shopsala on the north of the Canal, with the 'Connaught Rangers on the south, stood firm. Two regiments of Sikhs wore sent to reinforce General Brunker. The Ist Manchester's, 4th SufTolks, and two battalions of French Territorials were ordered to launch a" vigorous counterattack ' from Font Fixe, through fiivenchy, and retake the lost trenches by means of a flank attack. By 5 o'clock, after a gallant attack, the Ist Manehesters recaptured Givencby. The Germans only held our trenches north of th e village. General Macßean, with the Socundcrabab Brigade, a battalion of tho Bth Ghurkas and 47th Sikhs, sent supports to General Brunker after some delay, but t!lc f° r,;; e attacked at, 1 o'clock in the morning. Detachments under Lieutenant-Colonel Lenipriere reached the enemy's trenches, but were driven out by c,nfl]adc fire, the gallant commander being killed. Miicßean's main attackwas continued till 4.30, but failed, the position on the 20th being precarious, particularly- that of the Seaforths, whose flanks were exposed by. the, retirement of the Serhinds early in the afternoon. General Tliig. therefore, ordered the First Division to move in support of the Indians, and took over Sir James Willcoeks' command. On the •22nd the French troops also came to the Indians' assistance. The First Brigade reached Givencby via font Fixe. Gn the 21st the Third Brigade re-occupied the trenches evacuated by the Rirhinds. General Jlaig directed the First Brigade to attackin a north-westerly direction, and the Third Brigade from Festubert, northeasterly, with the object of capturing the German trenches 400 yards east of our own position. The First Brigade established itself east of Givencby, while the Third concentrated at Letouret, but the Indian trenches were so destroyed that it was impossible to re-occuy them. Throughout the day the Indians rendered all, the assistaii'"? and support possible in view of their exhausted condition. O n the evening of the 22nd. the position was practically re-established and German activities ceased on the 23rd. The French and Indians fought with the utmost -steadiness and gallantry whenever called upon. Abnormal snow and floods, precluded'active operations for the first three, weeks in January.

'A FAVORABLE DAY. GOOD NEWS FROM THE WHOLE . . FRONT. Paris. February 17. An official communique reports a favorable day on tli-j vhok front. The British mastered numbers of trenches south of Ypres. where there has been serious fighting for several days. Wo captured three kilometres of tranches at Perthes and Beausejour, inv s prisoning several hundred, and carried .-.everal blockhouses north-west of Pont a Moussons. PLIGHT OF BELGIUM. "SQUEEZED DRY BY GERMANY. London, February IG. The report of the Rockefeller Commission which inquired into affairs in Belgium states that there are 320,000 Belgian refugees in Holland and 100,000 in England, but that many who have been driven out of their homes are stillin Belgium. The commission found people living in cellars, lofts and cowstalls, and saw children that had been boi'n i n fowlhouses and pigsties. .No estimates could be obtained of the tot'U Ccrnnm military requisitions, but they must be. enormous. They covered all classes of goods and live stock. The people are denied' the use of the telegraphs and mails and have no means of communicating with the outside world, except through German channels. The alleviating circumstances noted were that all classes took a share in the national trouble and tlie burden was automatically distributed. Poor tenants did not pay rent, though their landlords were almost as impoverished as the tenants. The sale of intoxicating liquor had been stopped.

LAST WEEK'S RAID. ZEPPELIN SHE!) DESTROYED. Amsterdam, February IG. A Dutch correspondent states that the recent raid of thirty-four aeroplane* liinHy damaged a bridge at Ostend, cutting off the railway station from the sea.' Bombs destroyed the station at jTikiKkeiiberg, electrical works and a coke factory at Zeebrugge, also a workshop ; w!nre submarines were behys; fitted up. Twenty -workmen were wounded. The raid totally destroyed a Zeppelin shed aw- its contents. TO MISLEAD THE ALLIES. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 17," 5.15 p.m. London, February 177 Amusement has been created i'n military circles by the Herman attempt to mislead the Allies as to the number of (hair new corps. Tt is abnndantly'proved that in numbering their new corps they ha ye deliberately skipped from twentyeight to thirty-seven. A GOOD INVESTMENT. Yon may have an attack of diarrhoea, dysentery or pains in the stomach one of these days, and it will he well to remember the name of a medicine that will relieve: you. Say it slowly—Chamberlain's Colic and Diarrhoea Remedy What will be still better—buy a bottle to-day; it will be 5s Cd well invested. , Sold by all chemists and storekeepers. The now-famous Dingo Embrocation, or Training Oil. can be bought from the following saddlers: R. Edwards (NeT Plymouth), A. J. Kibby (Waitara), p'irchas and Son (Urenui and Uruti), C. "Meuli (Eltbam), E. Grossman (Tariki i :.o(] Tn"l"woodi. T. C. Street (OtfitnV, I T. J. Mildeimall (Opunake), B. Tobler (Okaiawa), S. Aylward (WhangamoDiona), CoßgroW $ Co. (Man»ia), ;&'e,