The Wastern Front

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1915, Page 5

The Wastern Front

GERMAN SOLDIERS QUARREL. "A VIOLENT UPRISING." THE STRUGGLE AT ARGONNE. TIIIC FRENCH STAND FAST. Received July 5, 12.5 a.m. Paris, July 4. A Basle telegram states there was a violent between tile Landwehr mid the Landsturmers lighting in Alpaee. Old men with the Landsturm refused to advance in great numbers, and were arrested. Official: The struggle at Argonne lias continued stubbornly throughout. We maintained our position and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. We repulsed two fresh attacks on crests cast !>f Metzeral. There was active cannonading on other parts of the front. Shells fell oil Arras, causing a few fires. Our aeroplanes successfully bombed the stations at Challerange, Zarren, and Langemarck as well as German batteries at Vime and Beaurains. Amsterdam, July 4. A Berlin official report says:—A French attack prepared by hand grenades and bombs near L'Espargcs failed. We lost the positions captured on Hilsenfirst. A DESPERAT FIGHT. FRENCH MAINTAIN POSITIONS. LOST G.ROUND RE-TAKEN. Received July 4, 3.5 p.m. Paris, July 3. Official: The enemy at Argonne essayed a fresh general attack between the Binarville road and Blenlenil. A particularly desperate fight developed into a hand-to-hand struggle. All our positions were maintained. A counterattack at Ilulg-enfurst to-day enabled us to re-conquer all the positions the Germans took on Thursday night. RAIN OF SHELLS ON ARRAS. Received July 4, 3.5 p.m. Paris, July 3. Three thousand shells have fallen on Arras during the last few days. Several soldiers and civilians were killed. FIGHTING UNDERGROUND. STRUGGLES AT CLOSE QUARTERS. Received July 4, 5.5 p.m. Paris, -July 3. A French officer, describing the underground fighting in the "labyrinth," states the French and the Germans fought for three weeks in narrow passages, lit sometimes by oil lamps, and used sandbags for defences. When a breach was made a hand to hand struggle followed with the bayonet, and the grenade. The Germans sometimes used revolvers, knives, and corrosive fluids, and at times only fists. The French captured one tunnel sixty yards long after thirteen days incessant fighting, almost in complete darkness. The Germans employed traps of all descrip- ; tions. There were tunnels eighteen to ; thirty feet under ground, from whic.li | water was constantly oozing. ] GERMAN DASH PLANNED. ; GUNS TO CLEAR. THE "WAY. 1 Received July 4, 3 p.m. 1 Rotterdam, Juty] 3. ; The Germans are massing big guns— ■ not in tens, but in .hundreds—in Flan- 1 dors, planning to concentrate the chief fire at a selected point on the Allies' left. The Germans hope that, if .successful, hordes of infantry will dash through the breach. The guns will include some new 15-inch guns, which will not need concrete emplacements. ARTILLERY DUELS. Received .July 5, 1.35 a.m. Paris, July 4. Official: There have been artillery duels at most points. The enemy, after the defeat of their latest efforts, refrained from infantry attacks . ANTHONY WILDING'S DEATH. KILLED WITH OTHERS BY A SHELL. Received July 4, 5.5 p.m. London, July 3. the Daily Mail describes Gaptain Anthony "\\ ilding's death. He was riding a motor-cycle, when a shell burst in front of him. He sheltered in a neighboring dug-out with an officer and men of the Suffolk Regiment, and the next instant a shell fell on the dug-out. All were killed. Wilding was buried close to the road with the Suffolk*, and a plain wooden, cross with his name and the date in indelible pencil was placed over the grave. A GERMAN COMMAND. Received July 4, 5 pm. Amsterdam, July 3. The Duke Ernst of Brunswick has proceeded to the western front, and commands an army corps. A ZEPPELIN EXPLODES. Amsterdam, July 2. The Echo de Beige says that a JCcp pel ill exploded while leaving its shed al Itnwsels on Wednesday. ACTIVITY OF BAVARIANS. London, July 2. The Eye-witness at Headquarters says that the Bavarians, who had just taken over a section of the defence near Mes- . sine=. in ad n a small local offensive on i June 23. The operations for several days were confined to mining and avia- ) tion. The enemy was active underground. and there were many subterranean encounters. A VIOLENT STRUGGLE. '' Paris, July 2. A communique states that there lias been a heavy bombardment nt many points, notably in the region of Woostan. north of Ypres, at Boucher,, and Verneuil. north of the Aisne. An attack bv German Grenadiers on the Ablaiu road failed completely. The ' struggle was continued in the Argonne " with the greatest violence throughout ' the night, the Germans using asphyxiating bombs.