IN THE WEST.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 October 1915, Page 5

IN THE WEST.

BATTLE OF HULLOCK. BRITISH USE OF GAS. A DESPERATE FIGHT. Received Oct. 18, 10 p.m. London, Oct. 18. Mr, Philip Glbbs, in a vivid description of the gas attack south-west of Hufiuch, •• said it was a clear day, and it was pos« ' sible to see the whole battleground. When the British bombardment reached a climax and the artillery nre lifted,' the onlookers saw new clouds arising, and spread In a dense curtain, of a fleecy texture. These were from our smoke shells, which were to cover the infantry at* tack. Other waves of thin white vapour followed,, and curled forward to the, enemies lines. * ' The onlookers held their breath, rb. though the gas had caught in their own throats. Directly after, they saw little black things scurrying forward In scati . tered groups. Some fell and othera di»> appeared in the drifting clouds. Thee* wero the British infantry, ltd b» bombers. The enemy tried to atop the attackers with poison shells, and then all the chemistry of death was poured out on both sides. Our men, with the fiercest, valor, swept up to the Hoheiuoltera redoubt, but the German machine-gun j and too many Germans held the trochee with desperate courage. The Britiinera'. superb endurance and only the most resolute valor enabled us to hold some of the; ground which we had gained with th» loss of so many lives.

THE COSTLY OFFENSIVE. , LATEST CASUALTIES. . ' Received Oct. 18, 11.35 p.m. , London, Oct 18. Casualty lists for the week-end tottH 227 officers and 5984 men. The casualties thus far issued in connection with the British offensive on September 25 show that 374 officer* were. killed, 847 wounded, and 220 are mit»> ing; 2093 men were killed 11,012. wound* ed, and 380 are missing. TAKING TOLL EXTORTIONATE GERMAN DEMANDS Received Oct. 18, 8.10 pjn. Amsterdam, Oct. 17. The Telegraaf states that the Germans have ordered a small village near Deinzs to supply 060 tons of rye:and 135 tons of wheat. Such quantities' are not grown in the village. Similar quantities have been ordered from other small Belgian communities. • '"-