The Western Front.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 271, 26 April 1915, Page 5

The Western Front.

OPERATIONS ON THE YSER. GERMANS DESPERATE TO BREAK ALLIES' LINE. TROOPS POURING IN. TREMENDOUS LOSSES. . Received April 25, 5.30 p.m. London, April 24. The Daily Mail's Rotterdam correspondent states that 'Germany is making an enormous effort to break the Allies' line on the Yser, and is throwing every available man against them north of Ypres. Masses of troops are pouring, through Brussels, and all the troops guarding the Dutch frontier have gone to the Yser. The battle is described as the bloodiest of the western campaign. ' The enemy's losses in the last few days were tremendous. They advanced against the Allies' trenches with desperate courage, new troops dashing forward over masses of dead and wounded. The German artillery was very effective, the expenditure of shells being prodigious.

A GREAT BATTLE. BIGGEST BRITISH ENGAGED IN. GERMANS POURING IN TROOPS. APPALLING LOSSES. Received April 20, 1 a.m. London, April 95. Correspondents agree that the present fighting in Flanders lias become the biggest wherein the British army has engaged. It is calculated that Germany has 'i'ushed reinforcements equal to an army corps to Hill GO. The British have massed a large force of artillery behind the position. Their latest surprise was a formidable array of machine-guns. The German losses were appalling. The area west of Bruges and Conrtrai Road is full of German troops. Trains are still arriving from eastern Belgium. Other troops have been marched through Aix la Chapelle westerly contiguously during the last three days. Other reports state that a hundred thousand Germans have been concentrated between Antwerp and Ghent during the last few days. Hill CO is a little over a hundred yards long. /It is a perfect target for artillery. Jteiice the great British losses. Some of the German trenches are still virtually on the hill twenty yards from ours. Thus the front trenches arc free from shell lire. CANADIANS FORCED BACK. LOSS OF GUNS. RECAPTURED BY BRILLIANT ADVANCE. SITUATION SAVED. Received April 25, 3.45 p.m. London, April 24. The War Office states that fighting near Stcenstraete continues. The Canadian division was forced to fall hack and the enemy captured four 4.7 guns. Some hours later the Canadians, by a brilliant advance, recaptured the guns and toolc many prisoners. The Canadians suffered many casualties, ibut their gallantry and determination saved the situation. FUMES DRIVE FRENCH BACK. BRITISH REMAIN INTACT. Received April 25, 3.40 p.m. London, April 24. Official: Despite the French retirement to the canal at Hocsinghc as the result of l'umes, the British front remained intact, except on the extreme left, where it conforms to the new French line. COUNTER-ATTACKS PROGRESSING. TKENCHES CARTUREI). DEADLY WORK 01- ARTILLERY. Received April 25, 5.30 p.m. Paris, April 24. ' Official: The retirement at Bosinghe was not fraught with serious consequences, Combined Anglo-French-Belgian attacks are progressing. Anglo-French progresses were made between Stcenstraete and Ypres, on the Polecapellc road. '•We captured trenches at the forest, of Apremont and found two hundred «lcad. The artillery blew up two ammunition depots in the vicinity, annihilating a company. GERMANS USE ASPHYXIATING GASES. BUT AKK REPULSED. Received April 25, -1.30 p.m. Loudon, April 24. ' Sir -John French, in his official report, fiavs: The Germans heavily bombarded the French on our left on Thursday evening near Bixschootc and "Langeinark. The quantity of asphyxiating gases proves that long and deliberate preparations had been made. Tile Germans twice attacked our lines, the last at Ypres being repulsed. Fighting continues north of Ypres. GERMANY CLAIMS SUCCESSES Till'. YSEi; FOUU'.D. Berlin, April 23. A communique states: We advanced on Thursday evening from Steensstraatc to east of Langemarck and attacked the enemy north and east of Ypres, and advanced on a front of nine kilometres to the heights south of Pilkirn. Simultaneously the infantry and artillery forced the passage of the Yser near Steensstraatc and I-Tetsa and captured at least, I sixteen hundred French and English prisoners and thirty guns, including four ; British heavy guns. (Langemarck is about four miles ea-( i of Steensstraatc, in the direction of Ber--1 iin.)