BRITISH SUCCESS AT LA BASSEE NOT CONFIRMED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2363, 20 January 1915, Page 5

BRITISH SUCCESS AT LA BASSEE NOT CONFIRMED

DENIED BY "EYE-WITNESS" REPORTED ABANDONMENT BY THE ENEMY . By Telegraph—Prees isolation—Copyright . London, January 18. The "Times" explains that the British success at La Bassee is not confirmed. Mud has rendered the trenohes a quagmire. A heavy artillerv battle is progressing. "Eye-Witness" denies the capture of the German positions at La Baßsee; no attack was attempted, although the enemy's artillery was increased. Our artillery destroyed an important bridge over the Lys at Frelinghein (north-east of Armentieroß). 1 Paris, January 18. The "Matin"'publishes a message fittm St. Omer, stating that owing to the position being untenable under converging artillery fire, the Germans abandoned La Bassee. THE OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUES. , Paris, January 18/ A communique states: "We repulsed two attacks Hear Autreches (three miles north of Aisne, ten miles west of Soissons). We captured German worke at Le Pretre Wood. v The situation at Soissons and elsewhere is unchanged. , (Reo. January 19, 11.65 Jj.m.) Paris, January 19. Offioial.—"We evacuated Laboieelle owing to the explosion or the ammunition 6tore igniting the village. Later we counter-attacked and reoccupied tEe village. The enemy haa bombarded Saint Paul. We brought doivn and captured two aeroplanes at Bar-le-Duo, taking prisoners the four aviators. Snow-storms-are raging from the Argonne to the Vosges." The High Commissioner reports, under date London, January 18, 5.85 p.m.: "Pariß reports that near Autreches, north-east of Vic-Bur-Aisne (about halfway between Compiegne and Soissons) two German attaoks were repulsed. North-west of Poilt-a-Mousson several German works were captured. Only a portion of the Bois-les-Pretre is still in the enemy's hands. The Allies are repelling counter-attacks and maintaining all gains." London, January 19, 4.55 a.m. :—" Paris reports that the Allies have retaken the village of Laboiselle, which they had been obliged to evacuate through the explosion of tho ammunition store.. In the Champagne district, two German aeroplanes which had been reconnoitring were brought' down, and the airmen taken prisoners." FRENCH SOLDIER'S STORY OP SOISSONS STIRRING NARRATIVE OF THE GREAT-BATTLE. Paris, January 18. A wounded soldier gives a stirring narrative of tho battle of Soissons: "Ten thousand French," he says, "were fighting forty thousand Germans. The bridges at Missy and Venizel were-swept awav on January 12. The Engineers, who were subjected to long-range artillery fire, worked day and night. Several were drowned. The bridge at Missy, was repaired at dawn on January 14, when the .general force retired. < "The Germans attacked in close formation, and two battalions were annihilated by the defenders of the bridge-head_ from behind the wall of a glass* works. Some of the Germans seized the rifles protruding through tho loopholes. The French riflemen wore almost at their last oartridge, when the machine guns fired, forcing the Germans to fall back, enabling the rearguard to renla i n ed on the northern bank when the last shot was fired. A wounded officer ordered the guns to be dragged to the edge of the river and flung into the mud. Six gunners ran across the bridge and escaped." HEROIC GALLANTRY OF MOROCCAN TROOPS. (Rec. January '20, 1.20 p.m.) Paris, January 19. During the retreat from Soissons, the Moroccans were Posted at Crouy as a rearguard. They allowed the Germans to advance in serried masses until they entered the village, and then opened a rifle and machino-gun fire on every house. The Germans, unable to find cover, fell in heaps, until the street " aS They then withdrew, and later attempted to carry the village from the Eastern flank, Threo companies of Moroccans, refusing repeated orders to retire rushed out, aud a frightful melee followed. The Moroccans, using their bavcnets and rifle-butts, hurled tho Germans back, and retired under cover of darkness. . . ENCOURAGING REVIEW OF THE BATTLE-FRONT EXCELLENT PROGRESS ALONG THE WHOLE LINE. (Roc. January 20, 1.25 a.m.) s Paris, January 19. A French eye-fl'itiipse saj's that since January 5 the Allies liavo consolij dated their shcceMM til# between gAWfe GoWgW pnd.MH) fte«i »Ud constructed a strew: bridge acmes we >501 to wsvivs communications

Tho Zouavos on January 7 captured! a hillock west of Lomhartzyde, and boat off countor-attooks. "Tiio Gernmiis have sinoo abandoned the attempt to dispute our possession of tlio bridgoliead. Though tho Yser has stopped the groat Gorman ofl'onsivo of October and Novomber, it has not stopped ours. "On January 15 tho Allies gave tho British useful assistanco at La Basseo, ] ffhoro tlioy aro giving tho enemy ito po&co. After tho lighting at LaboiseJle on January 10, tlio Germans asked for armistice to pick up their wounded, but tho Allies refusod, mid tliey established themselves in another trench south of Imboisolle. - "Tlio Fi'onoh lino in. tho Perthes district is now two kilometres (11-5 milos) north, of tho position oconpiod on December 21. , Biogo war continuos at Bois Io Petrt, whore we are progressing continually, "Exoollont roaultß havo bcon consolidated in Upper 'Alsace. During fierce ] fighting on January 6, at Cornay, tho Germans captured a trench. Our rifles woro choked with mud, and it was impossible to fire. Wo recaptured the placo on January 7, and aro now progressing further to tho east. Tho Gorman roinforcoments havo buon unable to stop our progress towards AJtkiroh. The snowdrifts aro causing enormous difficulty, but tho 'Chassourß 'Alpines',are I displaying magnilicont bravery." , ] 1 ' i ' ] GRIM FLOTSAM ON tCHE DANISH OOAST. • i (Rec. January 10, 5.30 p.m.) . London, .January 18.. , Ooponhagen roports that a doreliot. Gorman seaplano has heeri found in ( the North Sea, carrying two bombs. There was no trace of the occupants. The loss of tho piano i 8 prooably connected with the recent Cuxhavon raid. 1 Thoro are reports that many corpses havo been found on the wost coast of Denmark, somo with English money in the pockets of their clothes.—("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Servicos.) )- ■ ■