The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 233, 11 March 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. GERMAN REGIMENTS HEAVY LOSSES. FRENCH EXULTATION IN ALSACELORRAINE. London, March 9. Sir John French's bulletin states that the situation is unchanged. Our mastery of the enemy's snipers lias been particularly successful in the Ypres region, and this has materially assisted in mining. We exploded a mine under the German trenches on Friday night. Several Germans were killed and the British occupied and destroyed the trenches. Paris, March 0. A German regiment attacking on Fcbrnarf 16 lost seven hundred killed. Ambulances were employed for three weeks carrying off nearly four hundred seriously wounded nightly. Amsterdam, March !). By an explosion in the Pyrotechnic* Arsenal in Antwerp fourteen were killed and seventy wounded, mostly Germans. London, March !). 41. w com,s Po n <lcnt in Paris savs that after forty years of sufferings Alsace and Lorraine have heard the bu"les of justice and victory blow, and sponded as well as they could. Five thousand of her sons have crossed to France. Nov.- the silence of a cemetery reigns, except in the radiant pateli epposlte Belrort. embracing fifteen miles of ; reconciler-d Als-ee. V u T'oineare recently visited the district. The old people wept with jo-.- and tht> children cheered ' in the streets —.! fettered flags hidden < in the rr'Jar.; for ferfv year?. H was a ' touching welcome, disproving the assertion that th ' «e»»rd Irene-!, tion had grown lukewann. M. Poirw d dared that the people had grown more anti-German tlmn ; ever. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. Wellington, March 10. The High Commissioner reports under date London, March 9, 4.45 p.m.:— Army casualties are:—Officers wounded 3, men killed 102, wounded 294, niisin," 10, prisoners 32, rejoined G. , Sir John French reports that the situation on our front is unchanged. The ' mastery over the enemy's snipers reported on March 1 as acquired in the neighbourhood of La Bassee has been maintained and similar conditions have been produced at other portions of the front notably in the region of Ypres. This result is primarily due to local individual initiative and has materially assisted successful mining operations. *on the night of March 5, six mines were exploded under the German trenches south-cast of ' Ypres, and several of the enemy killed. A mine crater was temporarily occupied by our troops and the enemy's trench on each side rendered useless. On several sections of our front the enemy's artillery is more active than usual, but the effect is slight. NUMEROUS SUCCESSES. STRONG GERMAN REDOUBT TAKEN. THE ENEMY-WELL PREPARED. Received March 10, 9.40 p.m. Paris, March 10. Official.—We repulsed an attack east of Stcenstraste, Belgium. Fighting at Notre Dame de Lorette lasted all day, but the positions remain unchanged. Further progress was madtfat Perthes, and another two hundred metres of trenches captured. North-east of Mcsnil a German redoubt was taken, with some prisoners and three machine-guns. The enemy's works were very strong, and included armored shelters supplied with revolving guns and deep subterranean chambers. We attacked and mastered the first German lines between Four de Paris and Bolente. WANTON DESTRUCTION. Received March 10, 9.40 p.m. London, March 10. The Chronicle's Dunkirk correspondent reports that, recognising that it is impossible to force the Anglo-French lines at La Bassee and Bethune, the Germanare bombarding factories without military justification, and are similarly bomliarding the collieries at the Novxles mines. BRITISH POSITION IN BELGIUM. EXPLAINED BY ■"■ EYE-WITNESS." Received March 10. (i.r> p.m. Toiidnn. March 10. "Eye-Witness" states that the British line is divided into two equal portions v by the rivet Lys. North of the river the ground is broken bv several commanding heights. To the south is a flat, waterlogged :lain. The line runs from the river a little south of Frelingham, through Lctquet, T.evheer, and St. Yves. and turns sharp to the westward round the foot of hill fi.ll. then about a mile northward, ag-iin circling Wystclnikc Mcssiin—a position which represents a great wedge driven into the centre of our line, whereby the enemy lias placed himself astride the direct road from Ypres to Annentieres.