THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15173, 11 January 1915, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

' CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITYALLIES PREVAIL AT SEVERALPOINTS. GERMAN SUCCESS IN ALSACE. An official statement says:— "French infantry captured a hillock ab Lombartzyde.

"Wo progressed at La Boiselle, Aveiny, near Arras, and also in the Rheims, Thann; and Alikirch districts. "Our artillery destroyed trenches and breastworks between Jonchery and Souain. "The enemy mined and blew up French trenches westward of Haut© Chevaiiche, in th© Arsonn©, aud followed this by a violent attack, which, we repulsed with th© bayonet. Th© High .Commissioner reports :— LONDON, January 8. Paris reports that: — East of St. Georges th© Allies gained ground, inflicting eerious damage on the enemy's trenches at Steenstradte. In the.sector of' Rheims the Allies exploded a blockhouse, occupying fresh trenches two hundred metres in advance of ' the line Jonchcry-Isles-eur-Stiippe-Souain. The enemy's artillery was silenced, and breastworks destroyed. in tho Argonne, west of Haute Chevaut'hee the enemy arrived and exploded the French first line of trenches, but a violent attack immediately following they were repulsed with the bayonet. The French took prisoners, and are maintaining their front. Tho Allies' offensive continues in tho | region of Thann and Altkirch, and important results are believed to have resulted. PARIS, January 9. Au official statement says: — •'We carried a redoubt, captured two lines oi trenches, and erucces-fully reached the third linos north of Soiseohs. The Germans thr'co attempted to recapture tho positions, but failed. A very violent attack near Hauto Chevauchee compelled us to fall back along a front of a kilometre, but we couuter-attacked and reoccupied th© positions very brilliantly.

"Wo captured a hill near Soupir, and three lines of German trenches, and repulsed three violent couutcr-attacks, Th© enemy, being unable to retake the lost, ..round, bombarded Soissons, setting tiro to the Law Courts. "Our artillery-south of Laon and Craonno demolished machine-guns, silenced artillery, and ' wrecked trenches.

"•The Germans attacked our positions on a hill west of Perthes, but failed. We counter-attacked and captured German trenches between the hill and Perthes, and also by a simultaneous direct attack captured Perthes, and advanced beyond th© neishbouriiig woods. The total gains here were five hundred metres directly ahead. "Our artillery inflicted considerable losses alons the entire front from Rheims to the Ar_*onne. We programed in the Woevre, north-wost of Fiirey in Daily Wood and La Petrc Wood. "We* maintained our positions at Cernav (in Alsace). The enemy, strongly reinforced, reoccupied I3urnl>aupt-le-Haut, hut lost heavily."

The High Commissioner reports:— I LONDON, January 9th (7-3-5 p.m.) Paris reports that the Allies ttamaged the enemy's trenches, silencing mitrailleuse*., south of Ypres. The Allies were superior in an artillery combat between Arras and Armentiorcs. At Soupir a hill was brilliantly carried, aud the enemy thrice repulsed. The Allies gained three lines of trenches, with a front of six hundred metres. The enemy, having failed to recapture lost positions bombarded Soissons, setting fire to tho Palais de Justice. The enemy's mitrailleuse shelters south of Laon aud Craonnc were demolished, their artil-erv silenced, and benches overthrown. " By direct attack the^

Allies gained the village of Perthes, gaining five hundred metres. Near Rheims and in the Argonne the Allies inflicted appreciable losses by artillery. The Allies sustained a violent attack in the Argonne, and by a counter-attack regained the original .position. South of Cernay (in Alsace), the ©nemy, strongly reinforced, occupied Burn-haupt-ie-Haut at a heavy cost. The Allies mad© progress in Daily Wood and La Petro Wood in the Woevre.

His Excellency th© Governor has received the following telegram, dated January 9th, from the Secretary of Stat© for th© Colonies*.—

LONDON, January 9

Official: —Th© French Government reports progress at various points. A German redoubt was carried north of Soissons. There was a stubborn infantry engagement near Betheny, and important results were achieved in the region of Thann and Altkirch, in Alsace.