THE MAIN GERMAN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 272, 27 April 1915, Page 5

THE MAIN GERMAN ATTACK.

A SWEEPING MOVEMENT. CANADIANS' SPLENDID WORK. PRECEDED BY ASPHYXIATING GASES. GLORIOUS BAYONET CHARGES. Received April 26, 11.50 p.m. Dunkirk, April 26. The Canadians met wctc retreating, being terribly sick, half blind, with weak limbs, from the effect of the fumes. Nevertheless, the Canadians faced l!i:i shrapnel, rifle-fire, and machine-guns in country lacking cover. The French assisted, and in the growing darkness retired to their positions on the canal banks. They were still disorganised. At dawn a large number of troops were still poisoned. Indeed, the men were being brought to Dunkirk on Sunday in a state of stupor.

. The main German attack was directed on tlie Dixmude-Ypres road, at a point where the road crosses the canal. After the Germans stormed Steenstraate they made a sweeping movement to the left. The French valiantly defended, but were driven back, abandoning four batteries of seventy-five guns. The German engineers on Thursday night enlarged and strengthened the temporary bridge at Steenstraate, enabling reinforcements to entrench on the western bank before dawn, and supported by heavy artillery throughout Friday, the German infantry tried to capture Zuvdiehoote, but were repeatedly repulsed.

The attacks were renewed on Friday night, when they held half a mile west of the bridge head. The Belgians meanwhile had done their full share of ligh'ting, holding the line of the Yser, the flooded area, and the dunes. The Herman artillery everywhere searched their lines, but they fought with splendid courage and gallantry, co-operating with tlie French. The combined forces recaptured Lizerne and threw the Germans across the canal.

After the Germans poured over the canal they attacked the Canadians in the rear. The Canadians, facing both ways, fought for their lives with their bayonets. British supports, with Zouave forces, fell upon the Germans and cut their way to the Canadians. The whole mass then charged the enemy in a glorious onrush. Whole companies of Germans were wiped out. The Canadians lost heavily, but they drove the Germans from Pilkem in disorder by means of two bayonet charges, delivered with magnificent dash and spirit, regardless of rules or German textbooks. The Germans' successive confidence helped the Canadians to establish the whole allied line.

The Duke of Wurtemburg'a army with a number of Hungarian regiments, curried out the attack. There are many rumors that General von Hindenburg was chief in command.

The Germans are now burying their dead near the battlefields, owing to the railways being congested with troop trains and preventing the conveyance of cremating furnaces. Great piles of corpses, mostly mangled and' unrecognisable, are being collected west of Koulers, where waggons bring them from the banks of the Yser. The burial pits are fifteen feet deep, dug by German civilians assisted by the Belgians eompulsovi]y drafted from the villages.

ANOTHER THEORY AS TO THE GASES. A THICK BLACK FOG. ATTACK BY MASKED GERMAXS. CHECKED BY BRITISH. Received April 2G, 10 p.m. Paris, April 2G. Witnesses of the German attack state that the Germans did not use special asphyxiating shells. They believe that the vapor emanating from the chlorine was projected from the German trenches by some unknown means, the Germans available themselves of a favorable wind. The French were amazed at the. thick clouds of blackish fog moving towards their trenches. Taking advantage of momentary confusion, the Germans came

out, supported by their artillery, wearing masks, but, thanks to the numerous reserves and support of the British, the German advance was checked north ol the canal. Official: The fighting north of Ypres continues satisfactory to the Allies. The Germans attacked, the British at several points, hut did not gain any ground. The French progressed on tV right bank by a vigorous counter-attack.