THE WESTERN THEATRE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15498, 27 January 1916, Page 7

THE WESTERN THEATRE.

ENEMY ATTACKSDETERMINED EFFORTS. CHECKED BY ARTILLERY FIRE. The. High. Commissioner reports:— LONDON, January 2o (5.5 p.m.). New details confirm tho report that •m enemy attack was attempted at the 'mouth of the Year and was bv the Allies' artillery. Jho Germans were unable to debouch except atomj point, where some corps penetrated the Allies' trenches, being chased ou immediately, after very l.vcly grenade lighting, causing sensible losses to the eiicmv. In tho Artois an action conducted yesterday against tho Allies positions cast ot Neuvillo St. J aast, which completely failed. It was icsnmcd at the end of the day .on a greater scale, after a fresh ser.es of mine explosions, accompanied by a very violent bombardment. Tho Germans attacked on a front ot about 1500 metres in tho angle formed by the road from Arras to Lens and tiio road from Xcuvillc fct. \ aas , Thclus. The enemy succeeded-at two points, where the l'rench. firing trench was overthrown by explosions. enemy occupied tho craters, most or •which, were retaken almost lmmedia In the Vosges the French effectively bombarded enemy works at Bandesapt.

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. GERMAN "WORKS DAMAGED. The Higli Commissioner reports:— LONDON. January 26 (2.40 a.m.). There Las been a violent Bombardment of the enemy's "works by British artillery in Belgium. In Artois there has been a lively cannonade cast of Neuville St. Vaatrt and D'ewailly (?)• North of the Aisno an important German convoy was dispersed in the region of Craonne. A German heavy battery attempting to Lombard the bridge at Berry-au-Bac was damaged by our heavy artillery.

THE GERMAN CLAIMS. ALLIES' POSITIONS DESTROYED. MACHINE-GUNS AND PRISONERS TAKEN. G (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) AMSTERDAM. January 20. A German communique says:— "Our artillery strongly shelled the enemy's positions in Flanders and shattered his trenches, causing heavy losses. "We destroyed the Dempler tower of Nieuport Cathedral, which afforded the enemy a good observation post; "East of Ncuville St. Vaast, after successful mine explosions, we attacked the French advanced trenches and captured three machine-guns and 100 prisoners."