The Western Front.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 281, 6 May 1915, Page 5

The Western Front.

PROGRESS CONTINUES. GERMAN ATTACKS REI'ULSED. Received May 5, i) p.m. • Paris, May 5. Ollicial: Our progress continues in the region of Streenstraate. Three successive German attacks near Beuusejour were repulsed with' heavy loss .to the enemy. We advanced on Bagatelle and found numerous German dead.

THE BRITISH LINE. A READJJJSTME.XT MADE. Received May 5, 9 p.m. London, May 5. 'Sir John French reports that tlie loss of ground resulting from the use of gas last week necessitated a readjustment of the line in front of Ypres. This was successfully completed on Monday night. The new line runs to the west. CANADIANS IN ACTION. HOW THEY MET THE GERMANS. ( Received May 5, 11.20 p.m. May 5. A Canadian soldier who \va; at Ypres statei that all his comrades were intensely strung as the Germain approached. When the chance came they used their .tifles anyhow, as clubs or bayonets. On ,tlle St. .Tu I ien road there was a scene •>f confusion with dead and dying horses. The Canadians fought 'bitterly as they .'tetired along the road. Near by was a battery, believed to lie •>!iat of the 10th Montreal*, firiinr fiito the advancing Germans at a range of 150 yards. The shrapnel simply drove botes \nto the closely formed ranks. Hundreds of Germans were going down every found. k.

GASES WHICH KILL. A GAM 10 TWO CAN I LAY. Received May (i, 1-2.30 a.m. Paris, May (i. Unless the Germans relinquish' the use of gas, the French will retaliate with hand grenades containing chemicals which will paralyse the men in several minutes. Journalists witnessed the tests of the new invention. GERMANS MOWN DOWN. TESRIRLE EXECUTION DONE. Received .May fi, 12.30 a.m. London, Mav l>. The Herman attavk on the French at Rteenstraate on Sunday was preceded by gas under cover of dense yellow vapor. The Germans advanced, but the wind dispersed the fumes and left the enemy exposed to fifteen machine-guns, which mowed down the first ranks like wheat. The advance was arrested and the enemy broke and fled. Shrapnel, machine-guns and rifles did terrible execution. As they ran the Germans left two thousand dead and dyin" in the field.

BOMBARDMENT OF YPRES. TERRIBLE DAMAGE DONE. Received May (i. 12.30 a.m. Amsterdam, May 5. The Telcgraaf says (lie bombardment of \pres latterly has been terrible. The inhabitants have shown the greatest courage, but many are now departing. ' CANADA'S CHRONICLER. BRILLIANT PEN PAIXTIXG. TRIBUTE TO CANADIAN COURAGE. Received May 0. 12.30 a.m. London, Mav 5. The Star declares tl'iat the Canadian recording officer is a new brand of "Eyewitness," and regrets that the gallant British regiments were not blessed with such chroniclers in the days of Mons and Le C'ateau. The story of this fiercer furnace not only breathes of the regiments which fought and died, but proclaims the names of the colonels and majors who died like a Hercward did, in a rim' of foes. When will their glory fade'" Not so long as a patch of British earth is trodden by British feet. The Canadians won a more immortal «!ory. There is no soothing syrup in the Canadian story, no "pill'le" and puerile optimisn, no glossing over of dark and desperate "goiiy, in which the Canadian courage stood like a rock of trranito

THE CHANGE WITH SUMMER. BATTLE AREA DESCRIBED. : London, Mav| 4. A correspondent at Chalons-sur->Murne says that summer has come along and the French centre, where the transports formerly ploughed through morasses of mud, now luml/ers amid clouds of du-t and in trenches formerly soaked there is now scarcity of water. The colonial corps will Jind congenial surroundings, lire dust and heat recalling the plains and desert of Morocco

"Here the mile-posts on the road to victory are graveyards, battle-gutted villages marking the enemy's retreat, fields Strewn with shells, fragments of meat tins, rotting boots, empty cartridgeboxes, the scarred ami abandoned German trendies, and the. shell craters of the battlefields of September, which are not far from to-day's. Another line of German trendies has been wrested from the enemy, and the French front has ,been pushed higher up beyond the old Roman road running to Reims through the Argonne neighborhood, from Perthes to Jleausejour. Measured on the. map the advance is not great, but it has strengthened the confidence of the ariuv and afforded proof that the policy of nibbling at the Germans is wise. A visit to the stricken area shows the confidence of the civilian; in the triumph of the French armies. M Scrmaize a new and strange village of huts is rising amid the ruins. Tliev are the work of liritish Quakers, who are prevented by religious scruples from being combatants in the war, hut win, are doing their be 4 to repair the ravages of war in the districts evacuated b\| tin: enemy. Despite the Quakers' love of peace, they have quite a military air in a -ercieeable erer uniform. Tli •'ret re-it-ing Germans deliberately burned and sacked Sernmizo. but the people who are returning are busy with the reconstruction of the ruins.

WORKING FOR VICTORY.

THE USE OF GASES: Paris, May 4. The people speculate about peace, but the armies in tile war zone have no otltei thought but war. Instead o£ wondering when the. {.loniums will say "Enough' they are working day and night for victory. •Sir John French's report on poisonous gases states that the Germans ejected gas from pipes laid in the trenches and also used shells manufactured for'the' purpose. The attackers are equipped with special respirators. The Germans have constantly used gas for defence and offence since the first occasion. The German press suggests that the effect is mere disablement or painless death, hut the fact is that those in hospital suffer acutely and many die painful and lingering deaths. The survivors appealto have permanently injured lungs, and are reduced to a condition indicating that thevi will be lifelong invalids. Sir John French adds that he considers the enemy has definitely decided to use the gases as a normal procedure, and protests will b;> useless. The effects must be well known to the German scientists who devised the weapon and to the military authorities who sanctioned the use of these gases.

GERMANS CLAIM' SUCCESSES. Berlin, May 4. An official report claims a great success around Zonnebekc. east of Ypres, the Allies retreating, five 'Germany captured 21,5!|!) Russians and «3 guns in 'West Galicia. Amsterdam, May 4. A German communique states:' "We attacked from the north-east of Ypres and captured ZouK'neole, Zonnebekc, Westhook, and tluvc. neighboring woods, ■which have been hotly contested for many month;. The enemy retreated under the flank fire of our flatteries north and south of Vprcs.'' BRITISH REPULSE AN ATTACK. London, May 4. Among the Canadian wounded is Corpora! JSuriiiiion, a New Zealander. Paris, May 4. A communiqu? states that the British' repulsed another attack on iM'omliiy evening north of Ypres. Wc gained ground near Bagatelle.