IN THE WEST

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1915, Page 5

IN THE WEST

THE BATTLE FOR LOOS. A LITTLE CORPORAL'S STORY. London, Sept. 30. A little corporal with a bandaged head, a foot partially paralysed, and minus an arm, as the result of the fight at' Loos, said:— '"Everyone itched for a scrap, and when the word advance came we were like a menagerie let loose. I sprinted for the enemy's trenches and selected a fellow, powerful looking, like Jaek Johnson. He dodged a blow from the butt of my rifle, but I hayonetted him and took on another, and down he went. My third encounter looked more like a patriarch than a soldier. 'Oh! dqn't,' he cried, as I dashed at him, and I hadn't the heart to finish the joi). On we went to trench after trench, until the Germans were piled thick. A terrific machine-gun fire swept us, and we saw strong German forces advancing. We dashed among them with terrible effect. Our artillery wrought fearful havoc; the enemy were literally blown to pieces. Six Germans assailed one of our men, but he accounted for all. The bravest among us were the chaplains, who stuck to our side when the fighting was fiercest." DEAD PILED FOUR DEEP.' terrible work of artillery. Paris, Sept. 30. The German dead were piled four deep in many parts of Loos. The village was wrecked, the church made a shapeless mass, derricks and houses blown to. pieces and hundreds burned or in ruins. The principal line of the German resistance in Champagne included two to five trenches stretching 'back three to five hundred yards, and a mass of entanglements, chevaux-de-frise, and fortlets. The trenches were veritable labyrinths. The second defence line dominated the south bank of the river. The effect of the latest creations of French artillery on the obstacles and dug-outs was terrible, while the longe-range guns cut off the reserves and supplies for forty-eight hours. At the hour appointed for the attack a human wave on a 25 kilometre (13 miles) front fell on the German trenches, enveloping l and overpowering them. Seven such waves swept forward. "REMEMBER THE MARNE." GENERAL JOFFRE'S ORDER. Paris, Sept. 30. Official: A footing has been gained in the second defensive line in Champagne. General Joffre's order before Saturday's attack was: "The offensive will be carried on without truce or respite. Remember the Marne and conquer or die." A wounded soldier states that when the infantry were held up at the entanglements in the Champagne the cavalry came to the rescue. It was for the Dragoons and Chasseurs their first chance for months, and they were determined to make up for lost time. It was a magnificent dash. The Bosches were hunted on all sides and bolted, scattering an unimaginable quantity of material. The fight turned into panic when the Africans went into them with the bayonet and inflicted appalling losses; it was veritable carnage. A RIVER OF DEATH. GERMANS' COSTLY RETREAT. New York, Sept. 30. An American correspondent says thai 30,000 Germans fell on the sixteen-mile front. The retreat was swift and costly, especially northwards of Beausejour. The slaughter on the hill above the Dormoise river was appalling. The Frenchmen's impetuosity drove the enemy from the crest of the hill into the river. The victors' shouts mingled with the screams of the fugitives as, plunging into the swift current, they were swept off, clutching one another in a death-grip. At certain points where the stream was fordable it wa9 piled with bodies. : HEAVY GERMAN BOMBARDMENT. A.-J A COUNTER-ATTACK. Paris, Sept. 30. A communique says: The enemy's counter-attack in Artois was restricted to a most violent bombardment of our new positions east of Souchez. We gained a footing at points of the enemy's second defensive position in Champagne-, and are firmly holding thorn. We even passed the second line at one point, but progress was not maintained owing to the violent fire curtains and flanking bombardments. . Our aviators bombarded the enemy's communications. Shells were thrown on several railway stations, also on a marching column at Sommepv. CAPTURED GERMANS. HEARTENING THE PEOPLE OF LIEGE. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) London, Sept. 30. The Times' correspondent in France, describing the prisoners, says that a curious point is that the majority are of the Slav type, and are clearly drawn from the fringes of Germany's illassorted Empire. They are not inspired with virulent antipathy to their opponents. Germany, in order to succeed, must not only keep her armies at full strength, but also preserve at white heat the whole, fanatical and unyielding. If Germany still has numbers of men, it is doubtful if they are of the right kind. Her stalwarts of the first line have mostly found graves in Flanders and Champagne and far away in Poland. An aviator flew over Liege and dropped French papers, flags and proclamations announcing that the armies were advancing. The people were deeply moved, as it was the first air visit since the occupation.

THE TIDE OF RETRIBUTION. ANXIETY IN GERMANY. Amsterdam, Sept. 30. The ninoteen-year-old Germans in Holland and Scandinavia have been called to the colors. There are indications of anxiety and uneasiness in Germany. The Frankfurter Zeitung says that it was impossible to resist the bombardment for three days and nights followed toy an attack by 'brave troops. A writer in the Berlingske Tindende says that a definite result on the Western front might decide the whole war. The Telegraaf states that apparently inexhaustible trainloads of Germans are arriving in Belgium. There is the greatest activity, and all vehicles are being requisitioned for bringing up materials and conveying wounded. . Six Zeppelins passed over Aeraclot, going westward. GERMAN REPORT. CONFIRMS ALLIES' SUCCESSES. Received Oct. 1, a p.m. Berlin, Sept. 30. A communique states: The enemy continued their efforts on Wednesday to break through in the Champagne district. We blew up a position occupied by two English companies, southward of the Ypres-Menin road. Our counterattacks north of Loos have progressed slowly. The French penetrated two small sections of our line southward of Souchez and fighting continues. We repulsed a French attack south of Arras, and bitter battles are occurring between Rheims and the Argonne. An enemy brigade southwards of St. Mariepy ■broke our outer line of trenches and encountered our reserves, who captured eight hundred and exterminated the remainder. Other Frencii attacks on the Somnepy-Souaiu road were repulsed. After bitter hand-to-hand fighting we lost Height 191, north of Massiges, which was 'badly exposed to the enemy's flank fire. The Koelnische Zeitung states tlmt extraordinarily severe fighting took place in the centre of the front, east of Aubreville, The French attacked under pressure of the heaviest artillery fire, surpassing the battle of September 25, but were repulsed with severe loss. The weather has been bad, but is clearing up. IN THE CHAMPAGNE. GERMANS FEAR DISASTER. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Received Oct. 1, 5.30 p.m. London, Oct. 1. The New York World's Paris correspondent states 'that" the Kaiser continues in consultation witli his generals, seeking a means to stop the French advance in the Champagne, where the Germans fear an overwhelming disaster. SMALL FRENCH LOSSES. DUE TO EFFECTIVE ARTILLERY. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Received Oct. 1, 5.40 p.m. London, Oct. 1, The Times' Paris correspondent says that the French losses are less than were expected, there being a particularly small proportion of killed 'to J wounded, and there, was a high proportion of slight wounds. This shows the profitable result of the energy and money expended in providing heavy artillery and enormous stocks of shells. The shells included tens of thousands of a more powerful description than any of those previously used by the Allies. THE GALLANT FRENCH. WONDERFUL DASH AND HEROISM. Received Oct. 1, 10.40 p.m. Paris, Oct. 1. All apeounts dwell on the impetuosity of the French dash in the Champagne. Never can the acts of devotion and self-1 iacrifice, in the inferno of -hell and machine-gun fire, be narrated. Despite the great destruction of entanglements great stretches of wire remained, and in negotiating these and bombing the trenches everything that was heroic was displayed. The fire from the sunken German machine-guns ex-! plains the enormous proportion of legwounds among the French. BIG HAUL OF GUNS. FRENCH REPORT. Received Oct. 1, 10.40 p.m. Paris, Oct. 1. A communique states:—Our heavy artillery in Belgium, supported by the British fleet's against the coast batteries, exploded several mines outside Beau Vraignes, wrecking the German tranches. We gained ground northward of Meinil, and further east, between Hill 199 and northward of the Massisges-Valle Sourtourbe-Carnay road. We captured a number of prisoners. At the latter point the enemy counterattacked anil regained a footing in the work named La Detaite. A second more violent counter-attack in the same sector was repulsed with heavy enemy losses. The total number of field heavy guns captured since September 25 on the Champagne front is 121. A squadron of aeroplanes dropped 72 ■bombs on Guignicourt railway station, apparently with effect. The squadron returned safely. LORD KITCHENER. CONGRATULATES THE TROOPS. Received Oct. 1, 9.35 p.m. London, Oct. 1. Lord Kitchener, in a message to Sir John French, said:—My warmest congratulations to you and your troops on the substantial success achieved, and 'best wishes for progress in your important operations. .