IN THE WEST.
FRENCH SUCCESSES. IN THE CHAMPAGNE. Paris, Oct. 26. A communique says: We have had an important success in Champagne, (capturing a so-called curtain work north of Mernil-les-Hurlus, 1200 metres long and 250 metres deep, forming a salient before the enemy's second line. It wa3 intensely strong with trenches and tunnels, but, despite a desperate defence, we held the whole work at the end of the day after fierce fighting. The enemy's losses were serious.
FURTHER DETAILS. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. '| Wellington, Oct. 20. The High Commissioner reports under date London, October 25, 4.45 p.m.:— The French yesterday gained an important success in the Champagne district. The Germans had retained a very strongly organised salient in advance of their second positions, Vhich had resisted previous attacks. This salient, on the slopes of Hill 196, and very important works were joined by cable to La Courtine, which the French have just carried by main force. The works consisted of four lines of trenches connected with underground tunnels and dug-outs of a length of 1200 metres and a depth of 250 metres. Despite the merit and value of the position it was captured after a sWbborn resistance and completely occupied at the close of the day. The German losses were very serious; they left 200 prisoners belonging to three different regiments.
A GERMAN REPORT. MINOR SUCCESSES. Amsterdam, Oct. 25. A German communique says: We immediately ejected the enemy who penetrated positions north-east of Souchez. The enemy airmen unsuccessfully bomb, ed Ostend, abo the railway station at Noyon. During an aerial fight a German shot down a British biplane westward of St. Quentin, and the pilot and observer were killed. German airmen attacked with good results the British camp at Abbeville and bombed Verdun.
A FIELD OF BLOOD. RECOVERING THE BODIES. Received Oct. 20, 8.60 p.m. London, Oct. 25. Reuter's correspondent, describing a visit to the Hohentollern Redoubt, says there is debris of fighting everywhere. It consists of broken rifles, blood-soaked clothes, bayonets, and innumerable articles of equipment. On the ground from the redoubt to the old British lines lie the bodies of many of our brave men which must be recovered by stealth. Burial parties file on and bring them back one by one. A cross with the name on it is erected on the graves for identification after the war.
On reaching a point within twenty yards of the German trenches, and using a periscope, he saw heaps of German bodies, many of them half-buried in the mined trenches. Within the past week we nibbled several pieces of the enemy's line tending to improve our position. KING GEORGE AT THE FRONT. Received Oct. 26, 9.5 p.m. London, Oct. 36. King George has gone to visit the army in Prance. ■
A TEST OF ENDURANCE. BATTLE FOR HOHENiZOLLERN REDOUBT. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Oct. 25. A correspondent at British headquarters says: Our capture of Kernal and the 1 Hohenzollern redoubt is maintained. The ground won shows the most tangibly' effect of our attack on October 13. It was another triumph for the tenacity of the British infantry. \ The attack was launched at 2 o'clock and after a severe bombardment of gas, the enormous strength of the German first-line fortress was revealed. Despite a heavy artillery preparation our men met with a violent crossfire from ma-chine-guns, yet they made a brilliant first advance. 'While the centre streamed into the ma;n trench of the redoubt, the right and left wings hurled themselves upon the communication trenches. The men were over impetuous in the wing attacks, and were compelled to give ground under German machine-gun fire. They took shelter in the innumerable shell-holes with which the redoubt was pockmarked. The struggle resolved itself into one of the best endurance. There were combats between bombing parties. While some, under cover of smoke bombs, consolidated their positions at Kernal, others forced a way up the trenches stretching out from the centre. Bombs were continually used in large numbers. Our losses in this arm were very 7 heavy, but the enemy's were greater. This sort of confused fighting puts a premium on personal initiative and coolness. The correspondent has heard fewer fine stories than that of a colonel who was shot in the knee and was discovered sitting up, wrapped in a rug, directing the fight. The struggle al the Hohenzollern redoubt was only an episode in the huge whole. The fact that we have maintained and slightly increased our initial success in the face of strong German positions and repeated heavy shelling is encouraging,
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Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1915, Page 5
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759IN THE WEST. Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1915, Page 5
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