The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 311, 10 June 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

TRANSPORT OF GERMANS TO THE YSER LIME. DUTCH FRONTIER CLOSKD. UEU.UNS TO REMAIN INDOORS. .Received June 10, 12.10 a.m. Amsterdam, June !). The enormous transport of German troops continues to the Yscr line. The Dutch frontier Jms been closed with barbed and electric wires. The Belgians have, been ordered to place buckets of water before their houses and remain indoors. ENEMY HELD IN CHECK.

VALIANT ADVANCE OF FRENCH.

BAVARIANS REINFOSCED.

(Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Received June 9, 0.30 p.m. • London, Julie 0.

The Times' correspondent in the north of Trance states that while the British, French, and Belgians are firmly holding the enemy in check in Flanders, the French are battering liis lines at Artois, and for weeks have been fiercely fighting their way to Lens and Vimy, and are ttill heroically advancing. Every yard is strongly fortified and stubbornly defended, but the French are driving out the enemy from position after position with bombs and bayonets. The ground gained is strewn with German bodies, there being no time to bury them, and the stench is unbearable to French noa 4rils. The enemy is-offering a stout resistance, knowing that important, and, perhaps, vital points of their line of tommunieations arc seriously threatened. The army under Prince Ruppreeht of Bavaria has been strongly reinforced with the finest troops, and frantic efforts are being made to say the French advance. The French are making secure their newly acquired positions preparatory to a further advance. Further south the French are covering 'themselves with glory in furious hand-to-hand encounters at Neuvillo, St. Vaast, and the labyrinth, driving out the enemy house by house. In the Laby-rinth-llasr area the trendies am open but covered, the warfare being practically subterranean. The French displayed special aptitude and astonishing skill and daring in taking a network of wire entanglements, two-thirds of the labyrinth being in their hands, while the line of outer defences at Vimy must soon fall.

FIGHTING AT NEUVILLE.

IMPORTANT FRENCH WpKK.

CAPTURED POSITIONS* RETAINED.

Received June 9, 11.40 p.m. Earis, June 9.

Official: Wo carried the whole of the western island at Neuviile, in Addition .to more houses in the principal street of the northern island. We retained the gains at llelinete.me, despite a strong attack by two (Jerman 'battalions which were hastily autoanobiled from Arras, and then advanced the eastward front for twelve hundred metres. "A HAPPY BROTHERHOOD." THE BRITISH ARMY. Sydney, June 9. Mr. Gullett emphasises the' yrmth of the British.army in Flanders. The generals average ton years younger .than in the South African war. This is the day of thin leaders. There are no fat British generals at the The army is a delightful democracy!, " a topp.y brotherhood. The spirits of all, from headquarters 'to the rank and file, arc so high that the magnitude of the horror of the war is virtually felt less itt the front than .in England. HEROIC INCIDENTS. London, June 8. The .KO'-witKc.-s at headntmters recounts a heruie meident at \ prcs on tile when the (ierniaus occupied some l'ritish treiie'.uv'. An officer n:id ten men in one Iroueli refused to leave and ■ fought tlirough t!u> day almost wirmur.ii.'d and inc< s-jsm !y iillarkod by hand grenades. The galhni handle! held the position till ;j';;:Mlali and then withdrew.

During our attack on Kromciies, early in May,'one of our me'i ;.:ol into a (ler--111411 trench only to find 'I hat he was the sole, survivor of the advance, party, lie therefore crawled into a deep shell hole. Tho (."ci-man- could not approach (>". ing to our fire, anil tiier-fore lobbed

isher picked up all day, crawling to hi:

nKitii'A.; t::ex; iiks iii.owx n.\ Paris, June 8. Tl'.e British exploded a mine; in the region of Plaegstocrt Wood, -both the enemy's front and rear trench were Mown up for thirty yards. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. Paris, June 8. A conimunirpie states that the enemy made three violent but ineffective counter-attacks on the slope of the east plateau at Lorctte. We further progressed in the labyrinth. Tito Oerinans were repulsed four times in the attempt to retake the position at Hebuteme. We captured two lines of trenches on a five hundred metres front in far as the road from llebuterne to Scnv and took I."ill i.risoiiers.

moil gom.\iissjonj;i;'s Ki:roxrr.

Wellington, .Tune »■

The High Commissioner reports, under date London, dune S, 1.51) p.m.:—

Last night, north of Arras, infantry actions developed on the slopes of the plateau of Notre Dame de iLorette. The uuemy three limes violently counterattacked, hut the positions were not changed. North-cast of the i-olichez refiner" the 'Krouch have progressed. At Xciivillc-St. Yaast they carried a fresh ■ ■■roup of houses, after a verv violent eousbnl. In thy region of the labyrinth S„ii|.-,-a-(. <■;• |!.-:,in,nm the enemy was four' tones repulsed. Tim I'-rcuch enlarged their gains to (he lmrth-oa-d.. taking two lines of trenches on a front j of five hundred metres. Prisoners taken numbered inn. rj .__ .