The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

DAYS OF FRENCH PROGRESS INTENSE FIGHTING AT ARRAS. \ IMPORTANT progress made, COUNTER-ATTACKS EEPL'L.SED. GERMAN AEROPLANE BROUGHT DOWN. Received June IS. 10.1,1 p.m. ~if • ■ . i'ariSj dune 18. Oincial: Fighting nortwanl of Arms is extremely intense, and there were .numerous desperate infantry actions Hiti violent artillery duel has" continued. " 0 important progress and almost wholly maintained it, despite the enemy's furious counter-attacks. 'We captured several lines of trenches on both sides of the Aix Noulette..oucnez road. The Germans stil] jmlj ground at Buval Bottom, lmt are almost surrounded. }^' 0 eaptni'od Souehcz ceineterv and gained ground on the slopes south-east-wards, namely Hill 11!). We carried by assault, southward of Xeuvill', the first enemy line, using the bayonet and hand grenades, under violent artillery fire. Our infantry, after attacking with extreme vigor, effectively! supported bv nearly 300,000 shells, met, durimr Wednesday night, violent and repeated counter-attacks and repulsed them on the whole front. \\ e have only evacuated a small ivood southward of Hill 11!), owing to artillery fire. The Germans had eleven divisions ■engaged and suflercd high losses. We took prisoner upwards of GOO, including 21) oH'iocr*. Our air squadron effectively bombed the enemy reserves in tile GivenehyLavolie wood, dispersing masses of troops in the process of formation. The enemy's grave defeat at Guenuev lores is confirmed by the great number of corpses in front- of our trenches. Incendiary shells were dropped on Rheims. We captured Altenliof. a suburb of -Metzcra, and then Steinbruck. I We continue to progre.-s on both luniks of the Eecht. The Germans set fire to Metzeral. We took prisoner 500. including 10 officers, and captured three trench mortars, three machine-guns, anil -an asphyxiating gas plant. Our aeroplane i brought down a German machine in Alsace, and the occupants were killed. Paris, June 17. A communique states: "We continued our progress in the Yosges. Wo mastered the heights dominating the Fecht, north of steinbruck and Met/oral. We also progressed between the two branches of the upper Feeht and the heights betwe.'n the Eecht and Lauch valleys. DASH OF THE BRITISH. SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS AT 11OOG E, Received June ]S, 10 p.m. Loudon. Juno IS. A Pieuter correspondent says that in the British offensive at liooge and Eestubert till! men flung themselves forward with irresistible dasli and either shot or bayoneted the opposing Germans. Aft'T a lull of some hours the engagement was resumed on the loth, and there was more substantial progress at ITooge. A German counter-attack from northward of Belleward and jLakte Townbridge, under our fire retreated, leaving many dead. Our casualties were light. RIOTING AT MALINES. SEVEN HUNDRED PEOPLE KILLED. Received June IS, 0."20 p.m. London, June 17. A Central News message from Amsterdam says a traveller from Ohent declares Ihat some women at Maline.s commenced rioting on Tuesday, and almost the entire population participated. The Germans fired indiscriminately, and quite seven hundred were killed. !Maliues is now isolated bv electrified wires.