The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 230, 8 March 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

ENEMY DRIVEN BACK. IMPORTANT PROGRESS. Received 7, 5 p.m. il'aris, March 7. Official: \Fe repulsed twelve attempts to push trenches into contact with ours in tiie dunes. Our counter-attacks at Metreda and Notre Dame de Lorette were a complete success. We drove back the enemy beyond their starting point, and captured a machine-gun company. We made marked progress at Perthes, inflicting extremely heavy losses, surrounding a company of Guards. We captured COO metres of trenches at Mcsnil, and several trenches in the ravines north.west of Beausejour. We made important progress at Vanquois, and readied the entar "incuts at Ecelles. IVguiul has been awarded a military medal for attacking three Taubes in February. j GERMANS DEMORALISED. DROP TIIEfR ARMS AND RUN. FRENCH MAKE SLIGHT HEADWAY. London, March 5. "Eye-witness l ' reports that prisoners state that the Germans at (iuinchy brickfields wore so demoralised after the reveii-c on February (> that they abandoned their arms, and were sent to the rear to await a new equipmi n ! ,. A prisoner confirms that the troops at G'.rndiy were ordered not to take English prisoners. Paris, March 5. A communique states: "We re-cap-tured the greater portion of our advanced trench near Notre Dame de Lorette an,! took 150 prisoners. General de la Croix, late commander-in-chief, presented Field-Marshal Sir John French with a Medalle Militairo. He is the first Englishman to receive it. Generals WilcocKs, Allenby, and Pulteney received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. Official.—The Rottwei! powder factory near' Donaucschingcn (Bavaria) cabled yesterday, is one of the most important in Germany. The aviator dropped four bombs. Tlie first fired the acid reservoirs and the others the powder works. SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. Wellington, March 0. Sir .Tolui French reports.— South of the Ypres Canal we captired a German advanced trench on the nights of March 1 and 2, but it was rendered untenable by the enemy's artillery fire and evacuated. In the same neighborhood on March.. 2 the enemy were forced to evacuate J trench, our artillery fire enabling our infantry to inflict several casualties from fire from the trenches. On March 2 one of our aeroolanes flving behind the German lines twice attacked German machines and forced both to descend. Amsterdam, Alarch 5. A German communique states: "We inflicted considerable losses on the British south of Ypres and repulsed " French attack north-east of Celles. All Russian attacks were repulsed with heavy losses. Wellington, March 8. The High Commissioner reports under date London, March 5 (2.30 p.m.):— The Admiralty announces that the Thordis has been examined in dry dock and the in juries to her keel and propeller confirm the evidence of Captain Bel! and the crew. FRENCH PROGRESS FULLY MAINTAINED. Received 7, 5 p.m. Paris, March G. Official: Our progress at Perthes is maintaind. A lively canonadc is reported elsewhere.

DESTRUCTION OF PARIS. HOW GERMANY PLANNED IT. Received 7, 5 p.m. !Paris, March 0. Le 'Matin states that the Germans, expecting an easy capture of Paris, divided the city into seven sectors, cacli to receive a garrison of a hundred thousand. The Kaiser, at the head of an army of one and a half millions of men, beforo the fallen city, was to propose a truce, that the French Government return from the provinces, and told, perhaps, that the soldiers and sailors must invade England. If France refused, one of the sectors would be sacked, the public monuments destroyed, and the banks and private houses pillaged. After this example a fresh ultimatum would lie presented, and if it were again refused, the second sector would be handed over to the military. Germany believed that Russians' ammunition would not last another three months.

AERIAL TORPEDOES. Paris, March (5. Official: During heavy trench fighting on the Rheims-Betheny-rrunay front, the Germans used aerial torpedoes. Nevertheless, they lost heavily. GERMAN LOSSES ESTIMATED. Paris, March C>. It is officially estimated that the mini, muni German losses, including sick and prisoners, are three millions. ANOTHER ESTIMATE. Received 7, 7 p.m. Paris, March G. Another official estimate of the German losses were at least three millions, excluding sick. The calculation is based on the fact that ten regiments lost Hi!,2SI officers and men in live months. ZEPPELIN DAMAGED. Received 6, 7.5 p.m. j Amsterdam, March 7. Zeppelin LS was seriously damaged when descending at Tirlemont. The Giiiisenau still blocks the Scheldt. The Germans have, made repeated efforts to raise her, but failed. They requested Holland to lend them appliances, but this was refused. "EYE-WITNESS - ' STORIES. Received 7, 5.5 p.m. London, March 0. "Eye-witness" states that to avoid getting lost in the trendies, they have labelled sign-posts and white-washed posts, with directions to beware of snipers posted in many places. Many of the dug-outs are named "The Ritz," "The Carlton," and "The Metropole." l Rival shooters signal with ilags the results uf their shots. > German soldiers now get a lonf for • every three men, intend of ono for two men.