The Western Front.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 274, 29 April 1915, Page 5

The Western Front.

THE TIDE TURNED. IX FAVOR OF THE ALLIES. . GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS EXHAUSTED. Received April 29, 11 p.m. Amsterdam, April 28. Tcligrams state that German reinforcements are exhausted and the tide of fighting has turned in favor of the Allies, who with thousands of fresh troops have resumed the offensive, developing an outflanking attack near Steenstraate. The Germans are now practically fighting on two fronts.

GERMAN DISPOSITIONS. ' ON THE WESTERN FRONT. OVER 32 ARMY CORPS. Received April 28, 11.40 p.m. London, April 28. The Daily Telegraph publishes a map supplied 'by the general staff of a foreign State, which shows the positions of the western German armies on April 14th. '." General von Besier then ?.iad four army corps from Nieuport to Ypres, the Duke of Wurtemberg five corps Ypres to Arras, the Crown Prince of Baavria three corps Arras to Chaulncs, General von Heeringen four corps from Roe to Soissons, General von Kluck three corps from Soissons to Rheims, General von Bulow four corps from Rheims to S'ouain, General von Cinem five corps from Souam to Verdun, the Crown Prince four corps from Verdun to St .Miliiel. General Falkenhausen's force is not mentioned. A number of corps are distributed from St. Mihiel to Bclfort.

BRITAIN'S ARMIES. ONLY 26 DIVISIONS IN FRANCE. WAR CORRESPONDENTS CRITICISM. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. London, April 28. ' " A military! correspondent has pointed out that Mr. Lloyd Gearge did not say that there were 30 divisions in France, but said they were abroad. Consequently considerably less than that number are actually in France. A period of great and decisive operations finds ui> with six other campaigns on our hands, all needing men and ammunition. There ■is scarcely a man in the Britisli armies in France who does not ask ( daily when the new armies are coming out. None are able to give a satisfactory reply. England is literally crammed with troops at a moment when decisive operations are imminent. If the operations are not successful the blame will be on the Cabinet alone.

POISONOUS CASES. THEIR TERRIBLE EFFECT. GENERAL FRENCH'S CONFIDENCE. Received April 2S, 0.00 p.m. London, April 28. The poison thrown by the Germans on the Yser colored the ground yellow over a large area. Wounded Canadians speak bitterly of the fumes. They say the victims ■became black all over or black and yellow. It mades eyics swell, and if it got in the stomach they were done. General French said when the assault began, ''The further they come this way the harder theyi'll get whipped." His remark has become a slogan among the troops.

THE NEW AMMUNITION. GERMAN ANTI-FUME WADS. Paris April 27. 'Many German prisoners possessed cotton wads, and state they inserted t'hem in their nostrils when they charged through the gas fumes. THE LURE OF THE HATED ENGLISH. GERMAN" TROOPS MASSING. (Times and Sydney Sun Sen-ices.) London, April 27. The Times' military correspondent says the magnet calls and still lures the Germans to face the hated English. There is no proof that the Germans' old plan of campaign has been changed. Troops are. coming in from all parts of Germany. They will have cause to regret if they fail to send every man who can be spared, and the Allies will have cause to rejoice if the Germans come on in force. There is reason to hope for a German onset in Flanders, yet we hardly allow ourselves the gratification of believing it i s coming.

FIERCE FIGHTING. IMPORTANCE OF HILL 00. London, April 27. The Time,' correspondent in t'le north of France says that the mines which Mew up Hill 00 started a conflagration from the sea. There is' fierce fighting and the thunder of many guns along the whole line. The Germans have uccn long preparing to recapture Hill CO as an essential preliminary to a general advance. SIR JOHN FRENCH'S REPORT. ALLIES TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. London, April 27. Sir John French reports:—\Yc repulsed all the attacks north-cast of Ypres, and took the offensive and progressed towards St. d alien. There have been successful »'»' raids on fie railway stations and junctions at Turcoing, Roubaix, Ingelmiiustcv, Staden, Langemarek, Thip.lt and Roulcrs. We took the offensive yesterday afternoon, the French co-operating on tin* left, and retook Het Sas, on the Yser canal. Our artillery took full advantage of several opportunities of indicting severe casualties. Paris, April 27. A cnmminiiipie states: "We consolidated our positions north of Ypres and on tlie Mriise heiglits. "We recaptured Havtinaniiswi'ilerkopf and look prisoners. Are you saving the "camels" fio-n packets of "Desert Gold" Tea? 'iffi way i win £2(l or a smaller cash prize*, i.sk jour grocer for particulars. £

CANADIAN EXPLOITS. SEVERE FIGHTING. A GIUPHIG NARRATIVE. Received April 28, '9,-20 p.m. London, April 28. A Canadian present on Tuesday staled that at iour o'clock in tlie afternoon the pickets reported that the French, were retiring on the Ypres-LangomarcK road. A strong- north-east wind was moving vivid green smoke four feet high, extending within .three 'hundred yards to tne lei'L of the Canadian lines. Through the green mist, which was becoming thicker and patchy, came a mass of dazed men, reeling ltke drunkards, who fell as they passed our ranks. The majority were unwounded, but their faces wore air agonised look. .Meanwhile the Germans advanced feverishly and entrenched 'until imie o'clock, when the Canadians prepared to attack. They advanced slowly in order not to tire the men. They found heavy fighting proceeding at at. .lulien, where 'the 14th Canadian battalion was putting •up a stiff struggle. The night was ver.- dark. They found the Germans entrenching in a wood.near the British lines, whence thev| must be driven out with the bayonet at all costs. •They also had to retake the British guns. The tenth battalion was in the van. Colonel Russell Boyle was killed while leading a charge. "When we reached a low ridge in full view of the wood hellish fire was loosed from German rifles and machine-guns hidden in the undergrowth skirting the. wood. We rushed on, cheering, yelling anil swear.ing. At first the Germans fired too high, our losses being slight until within fifty yards. Then our chaps began to drop, and the whole front line melted away, only to be instantly closed up. Shouting, we jumped over the wounded, and not one German with the machineguns escaped. But in the wood they fought doggedly, though many threw up their hands. We fought in clumps and batches, the living struggling over the dead and dying. At the height of the fight the moon came out) of the clouds. The clashing bayonets flashed like quicksilver, and the faces of the contestants were lit up as by limelight. We swept on until we. came to a line of trenciies which had -been hastily thrown up, which were stubbornly, defended. All who resisted were liayonetted. The rest were sent to the rear."

PROGRESS NORTH OF YPRES. GUNS AND PRISONERS CAPTURED. Received April 2S, 8.30 p.m. Paris, April 28. Official: Our progress north of.Ypres continues, also the British. We have taken numerous prisoners and captured a trench mortar and machine-guns. We assumed the offensive in the Eparges-St. Rcniy-Calonne district. At one point of the front an officer counted a thousand German dead. We advanced two hundred metres on the eastern slopes of Hartmamiswilcrkopf.

SECOND PHASE OF THE BATTLE. ALLIES' COUNTER-ATTACKS. VARYING SUCCESS. Received April 20, 0.40 p.m. Dunkirk, April 23. The second phase of the battle began on Monday by counter-attacks made by the British and French, who junctional west of St. Julien. Amid the bombardment the Allies attacked along the St. •Jnlien road, where the German advance was most dangerous. All arms were engaged, including the cavalry and mounted infantry. The attack encountered varying success. At some points the Germans held their ground with great tenacity, while at others they ran, closely pursued. Meanwhile the British salient north-east of Zillebeke was much exposed ami subjected to an almost overwhelming bombardment on three sides, including seven-tecn-inch howitzers. No Germans are now on the left of the canal. The terrible accuracy of the British artillery forced the enemy to eviieuate Lizerne, so that, when the Allies advanced they found only smashed walls and dead opponents.

GRAVE DEVELOPMENTS. GERMANS CLOSE FRONTIERS. London, April 27. The German authorities are keeping the frontiers of Germany and Belgium closed and there are no mails from Belgium or Germany to Holland. For several days the Belgians have been expecting the gravest developments.