The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 227, 4 March 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT.

PRAISE FOR THE CANADIAN TROOPS. SOME BELATED NEWS. London, March 2. Sir John French's bulletin states: "Wo checked the enemy's activity in the Yprcs region and repulsed to-day an attack, preceded by a heavy bombardment of a portion of our lines. Princess Patricia's infantry, on the left, with great dash killed eleven occupants of a trench, drove off the remainder and blow up" the trench. The Canadian losses were trifling. We steadily progressed by skilful trenchwork near La Bassee and completely mastered the enemy's snipers. Our casualties in consequence have been greatly reduced. Our artillery forced batteries to change their positions at several points and increased our ascendency. On October 31, 2400 of' the Scots Guards, South Wales Borderers and the Welsh and Queeen's Regiments held a hastily constructed trench at GheluveH village against 24,000 Germans. The enemy at dawn shelled a chateau, where the battalion commanders were quartered, and later the Britishers fell-in dozens, but the officers ceaselessly patrolled the position cheering up the men. When the shelling ceased the Germans charged in thousands, were mo\v n down by rifles and machine-guns, and the sol oiid line had to stumble over grey heaps. There was scarcely an unwounded Britisher in the long line of trenches, but reinforcements were hurried from the scanty reserves behind the chateau. Towards dusk the Germans massed a second attack and every Britisher was sent to the trenches. The full fury of the charge fell on the Welsh Regiment i n the centre, but they died with their bayonets in their hands rather than give way. After the Germans had captured the trenches they savagely bayonetted the British wounded. The Scots Guards on the. left and the Queens on the right still held their positions and when an officer of the South Wales Borderers found and brought up 500 Worcesters, who had been expected .all day, the Worcesters charged through the shot-swept street of GheluveH right into the lo*st trenches. The Germans turned and fled though they were twenty times as numerous.

Of the 500 Woreesters only 200 were not wounded and answered the roll call. Of 2400 Britishers only 800 were alive next morning. Ghelu'velt proved the Kaiser's last opportunity of reaching Calais. Paris, March 2. A communique states: —"Despite a storm; progress continues-between Perthes and Bcauscjour, where the enemy had extremely heavy losses On Sunday night we captured trenches and gained three hundred metres at La Chapelotte, in the Vosges. Amsterdam, March 2. A Zeppelin. while flying over Cologne was destroyed in a storm. The crew was saved. ,

SUCCESSFUL ARTILLERY ACTION. GERMANS REPULSED NEAR RHEIMS. Received 3, 9.35 p.m. Paris, March 3. Official: Sharp artillery actions, resulting to our advantage, occurred in the Aisne Valley. Attacks in the region of Rheims were repulsed. We are progressing between Rouain and Beausejour. A German counter-attack at Vauquois was repulsed. We captured a hundred Germans, whose night attack-at Pout a Mousson failed.