The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 240, 19 March 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

GERMANS BOMBARDING NIEUPORT. BRITISH FLEET ASSISTS THE DEFENCE. NEW ZEALAND NURSE HONORED. FRENCH GAINING AT MESNIL. Paris, March 17. The Germanß are furiously bombarding Nieuport with ICIn howitzers. Amsterdam, March 17. The British fleet is supporting the Allies in the attack on the Nieuport-Yser front. Pari?, March 17. King Albert, at Havre, decorated Nurse. Maunder, of Rangitikei, with tho Order of Leopold for her services to the Belgian Army. Lc Matin says that Germany, when preparing for war, ordered eight thousand motor wagons from an American company, for the purpose of transput inir troops from one front to another. Thank* to the Allies' fleets, the wagons have not | been delivered.

AN ARTILLERY INFERNO. TERRIBLE FIRE AT NEUVE CIIAPELLE. UNBROKEN LTNE OF BURSTING SHELLS. Receired March 188, 11.35 p.m. London, March 18. A British officer states that 350 guns at Neuvc ChnpeUe were firing as fast as it was possible to fire them. The German trenches seemed afire under an unbroken line of 'bursting shells. The entanglements were Blown beyond the trenches, which werercduced to a pulp of earth, board?, and wire equipment, intermingled with German dead. Tlie foremost trenches were only 150 yards from the British, who were petrified while tlicy waited for the order to charge.

ADVANCING ON LILLE. GREAT STRATEGICAL MOVE. Receied March 10_ 1.25 a.m. London, March 18. Truth opines that Field-MaTshnl French intends fighting his way to Lille, witli General Pultenev's army corps. Lepinette is within six miles of tlie centre of Lille. If the movement continues, we may expect a series of pitched battles, in which tlie Germans "will light at a strategical disadvantage, if they are defeated, they will lose their line of retreat down the Lvs River. Aviators are seeking to prevent reinforcements from Ghent, where tlie bulk of the German reserves are collected. AN IMPORTANT POSITION GAINED. PRUSSIAN GUARDS MOWED DOWN. Received March 18, 10.15 p.m. Paris, March IS. Official. —Violent fighting occurred near Cernay and near Albert, around the cavity produced by the explosion of a mine-chamber on tlie lfitii. Progress was continued in tile woods between Perthes and Souain. Tlie position won north of M'esnil on the. lf>th gives possession to the military of the crest to th,. west of ridge Klfi'for a length of eight hundred metres. The advance secures the ground overlooking the northern side of the great ridge evtemlinir from IV";he'-, to Maisons. The. German*, perceiving its importance, made violent eflorts to recapture it, supported liv the Prussian Ciiards. Miivaillcii-cs liierally mowed down the attackers, ait.) Hv regained their- trenches.