The Western Front.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 287, 13 May 1915, Page 5

The Western Front.

FIERCE FIGHTING IN FRANCE. DESPERATE BATTLE OF CALAIS. most TKiumtu: fikio of the WAR. G LRM AXS SLAW lIITER F]). Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received May 12, 5.1(1 p.m. London, May 11. A correspondent on the plains near Flanders reports that Artois is a/lame uiul there ia fierce fighting on tin; whole front of seventy-six miles from Arras to tlie aea. The final and most desperate battle of Calais caused heavy losses to both sides during tlie first two da vs. The Hermans attacked Vpres on Friday with redoubled fury.. They were beaten oil' at heavy cost. The artillery lire was the heaviest and most terrible of the war. Massed guns bombarded Fast Ypres with a tornado of shells and high explosives, pulverising every yard of ground and smashing the trenches. The troops withstood tlie bombardment with amazing courage and resolution. They were unable to live in the cone of fire, and retired to a second line in good order, though with lamentable, losses. The enemy advanced to drive out of the town tlie British, who poured rifle and machine-gun fire and shrapnel on the dense formations of tlie advancing Germans. The Germans were slaughtered, whole battalions melting away. Some came on, but were driven off with baydnets.

In a successful British counter-attack ground was gained towards Eromclles.

MORE GROUND GAINED. FRENCH MAKE PROGRESS. Paris, May 11. A communique states: -We. repulsed an attempt at night to re-lake the captured earthworks at St. Georges. Our progress northward of Arras continues. We invested Carcncv, where were captured 2:W more prisoners and several machine-guns. The ■ ■nemv's reinforcements, brought in motor-cars from Lorn and Douai, did not enable him to regain the upper hand. Our fire smashed four strong counter-attacks yesterday afternoon at .Loos, Notre Dame do Lorettc, Souchez, Neuville, and St. Vast, with very heavy German losses. AVo also gained "round and took one hundred prisoners. Up to last evening upwards of fifty officers were captured. London, May 11. A communique says: "The enemy sustained during the night a fresh set-back, and his counter-attacks were completely repulsed with very heavy losses. The German guns, after harmlessly shelling Dunkirk, threw eleven shells'into 'l!ergues, killing twelve and wounding eleven persons. Our batteries stopped their bombardment. A Erencn aeroplane set lire to a dirigible shed at Maulionge. The Germans brought down a British aeroplane and t'le British brought down two Germans."

CLEVER BRITISH MOVE. GERMANS FALL IN A TRAP. Received May 12, 5.5 p.m. " Dunkirk, May 12. It is expected the German oll'en'sive at Nieuport will be commenced on the '.lth. The wind has recently been so strong that it would have dispersed the asphyxiating gases. The Germans finally attacked amid blinding whirlwinds of sand blowing upon the Allies' trenches. In accordance with a pre-arranged plan the Allies' centre yielded while the wings held their ground. The Germans followed up their success and established themselves in the abandoned trenches. Then the wings doubled in and enfiladed the Hermans on both sides. A most fierce struggle was carried on to the beach. The Germans were forced to retreat, leaving their wounded.

MARKED FRENCH PROGRESS. EXTREMELY VIOLENT FIGHTING. RATTLE ROUND A CEMETERY. GERMAN TRENCHES TAKEN. Received May 12, !).3() p.m. Paris, May 12. Official: The British east of Yprox again attacked. An asphyxiating cloud approached, but they allowed it to pass, using masks. Then with machine-guns and rides at point-blank range they annihilated the Germans advancing in massed formations. The French successes north of Arras are extending. As the result of engagements of extreme violence, wo captured an entire system of trendies along the Loos-Vcrmailes road. Wo also assaulted a huge fort and chapel at Notre Dame de Lorette, which had been transformed into a veritable fortress and had la-en defended with ardor for months. We invested the position and rushed it in the afternoon after a de.-pcralo conflict. Without slopping we drove the enemy out of the trenches south of the chapel, where there were several hundred German corpses. The Germans are debouching at Aldame and St. Nazaire. The Oermans counter-attacked, but were broken at the- outset, and we resumed the oll'ensive and gained ground in the direction of a sugar reiinerv at Souchez. After a violent engagement v.e seized a eemeterv at Neuville St. Vaa-d, Miiidi (lie Germans had slronglv foUi/iod.

We have new reached tlie fourth line " f *'"' 'icrinan trenches i„ |,hc district, and continue to take many prisoners. GERMAN ATTACK FAILS. KXKMY SI'SJWIX lIKAVY U/S'sKS. London. Mav 11. Sir John French imports that (he <!ermans attacked „n the Menin road on Monday aftevnonn. Although we snli-jeet.-d their trenches to a 'very heavy lioinliardmeiit they made an infantrv adumco under cove,- „f pcd-minus eases, ''"lie attack failed. m,r shrapml iuHirfiim very heavy casua Hies and mouiutr d-nvn tile enemy's w.\--- format inns.

EARTHQUAKE OF BLOOD AND DEATH. TFRRIBLK FrGHTIXG ]X FLAXDFR.S. Received May 12, 7.15 p.m. London, 'May 11. A wounded otlicer from Flanders when giving a description of the fighting told an interviewer that wln-ii ihe emerged from the fight everything seemed like a red-hot earthquake of blood and death. Xoborty could teli which way it was going. We were making mincc-meat of the Germans and they were making a hash of us, He could not have believed that such fighting was possible if lie had not been in it.

CAXADIAX CASUAL/TIES. (Times and Sydney Sun Servicesfl) Received May 12, 5.11) p.m. London, Mav 11. Toronto reports that the latest Canadian casualties at Vpres are 277(i. ADVAXCK BY ISFUIIAXS. Received May 12, li p.m. London, May 11. A Belgian communique states that some of our troops crossed to the right bank of the Yser north of JJixniiide yesterday. CFRMAX AIRSHIPS' MOY'KMKXTS. Received May 12. (i p.m. Amsterdam, May 11. The Germans are removing airships from Maubeuge to Charleroi.