GRIN MATH-GRIP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2581, 1 October 1915, Page 7

GRIN MATH-GRIP

DESPERATE COUNTER - ATTACKS IN THE WEST ALLIES GAINING GROUND THE FRENCH VICTORY IN THE . CHAMPAGNE ; HUGE GERMAN LOSSES FURIOUS ONSLAUGHT BY THE ■; ITAIiAN BATTLESHIP BLOWN lIP BULGARIA AND THE BALKANS

, A grim death-grapple in the Western theatre is now proceeding. / The Germans, surprised, and heavily beaten at Loos and in. the Champagne district l , are now attempting by furious counter-attacks, to stem the tide of tho Anglo-French offensivo. The pfficial coiint of the captures ofmen and material after the initial stroke makes a staggering loss on the enemy's side—tho total surpasses the. personnel of three German army corps! From the pen of; Mr. Philip Gibbs comes a, graphic account of the British .victory at Loos, .Hill 70, and Hulluch, a great part of which is credited to tho splendid valour of the ' "boys" of Kitchener's now army. The German Crown Prince, in the Argonne, has imavailingly striven to recover the ground which was wrested from his front by the French, but his furious attacks, supported by such devilish devices as liquid fire and lachrymal vapours, have been in vain. In the Eastern theatre, the tide of battle on the long front ebbs and flows. The Russians have been forced to give ground in the north, but in the south, in. Eastern Galicia, General Ivanoff's tremendous offensive has paralysed the Anstrians' initiative. .Von Mackensenis reported to be in difficulties... Thcro no important developments in the Balkans—the pot is still simmering.

SEVERE FIGHTING IN CHAMPAGNE. FURTHER PROGRESS MADE LATEST ESTIMATES OF ENEMY'S HUGE LOSSES ■ Tile High Commissioner reports:— London, September 30,1.40 a.m. "Fighting continues on the heights between Souchez and Vimy. We maintain all. new positions we hare captured. "In Champagne there have been violent combats before the positions where the enemy had previously fallen back, and also for the reduction of the salient north of Mesnil (near Perthes), where some of the enemy's units hold ground. "We have progressed on the 6lopes of tho Butte de Tahure (north-east of Sousiin); and north of Massiges (east of Beausejour)."

, IN THE BOIS-LE-PRETBE AND FOREST OF A-PEEMONT. (Rec. September 29, 10.30 p.m.) » . .. , Paris,-September 29. A French official communique reports violent bombardments by- both sides in the Bois-le-Pretre and the Forest of Apremont. / GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE J •' (Rec. Sept-ember 30, 10.30 p.m.) London, September 29. A German official oommunique states:—"The enemy's attempts to break our line in the West are continued with bitterness. Our counter-attack, following on a fruitless British attack, led to our recapturing part of the territory north of Loos. Fierce attacks by the British from Loos broke down, with heavy losses. ' . "We repulsed repeated and stubborn French attacks at Souchez and Neuville St. Vaast."All the enemy's attempts in Champagne were unsuccessful. Constantly advancing waves of Frcnch attackers north-west of-Souain btoko dowiv before the inflexible resistance of the Baden and Wesphalian Regiments. • "The enemy's heavy losses during their oft-repeated stormings of the hills at Massiges were in vain." ,

TERRIBLE BATTLE IN THE ARGONNE / DEVILISH DEVICES OF THE HUNS, • (Rec. September 30, 10 p.m.) _ Paris, September 29. ' 'A' wounded Frencli officer, describing the Crown Prince's latest attack in the Argonne, declarer that it was tho most furious onset of the war. Tho Germans delivered a tremendous bombardment, to which the French guns replied with little eft'eot. "Tho French parapets," lie says, "melted away, hut the men did not flinch. Then the German gnus abruptly ceased, and a new kind of liquid fire —a mixture of tar and petroi—was projected Into tho trenches, making an almost unbearable heat, but th« French stood their around. "Suddenly tho Gorman infantry loomed up in the intervals between the liquid firo attneks, and we poured in streams of lead. But the human wave slowly reached our trenches, and bloodv hand-to-hand lighting followed in dense "smoke. "We were obliged to fall back. Our reserves dashed forward, but were stopped by a curtain of lachrymatory shells. We put on respirators, but these were unavailing. • . ■ "Nothing daunted, we dashed through the vapour, holding our breath', our eyes streaming, and fell in serried masses on. tho Germans, who wavered and broke. Our artillery prevented their supports coming up, and thus, after twenty-four hours' fighting, tho enemy rotired to his trenches, though ho held portions of- ours hero and there."

STAGGERING LOSSES OF THE ENEMY EQUAL TO OVER THREE GERMAN ARMY CORPS The High Commissioner reports:— London, September 29, 5.5 p.m. "A summary of the figliting in Artois and Champagne sliows that tho Germans lvcro not only compelled to abandon on an extended front their powerfully entrenched positions, on which the.v wero ordered to resist to tho end, but that they sustained losses, in killad, wounded, and prisoners, surpassing threo army corps. Tho total number of prisoners now exceeds 23,000; and 70 films nave been captured. . "Tn Artois, east of Souchez, tho l'leneh attained, after an obstinate combat Hill 140, the culminating point'on the crest of Virny. The majority of the'prisoners in this section belonged to tho guard. "In Champagne, fighting has continued unceasingly on tho whole oF tho front of Massigis. -V total of .1000 Garoiails surrendered in the course of tho evening in this section alone." s

. FRENCH OFFICIAL ESTIMATE OF LOSSES. Paris, September 20,.. Official.— I The Gr : rm;iu losses 111 tile . WW I" J 'W WM'ie)!! *<< oueu taken in tho Aftcis and wOei TO wjeuep

DESTRUCTIVE DASH BY OUR AEROPLANES. (Rec. September 30, 11.40 p.m.) Rotterdam, September 30. Twenty-one of the Allies' aeroplanes bombarded Aix la Chapelle. It is reported that Rotteerde, an important strategic railway junction is on fire. STIRRING .UP THE SLACKERS. London, September 29. The "Pall Mall Gazette" comments oil tho sobriety wherowith tho news of this gratifying success has been received as a tribute to Britain's military education. "Wo have ceased to think of the war in ternis of melodrama." Recruiting officers are making a renewed effort to stir up slackers. Great rccruiting rallies have been fixed for Saturday. Tho rccruiting sergeants admit that Sir John French's dispatch has done moro in forty-oight hours than all the silver-tongued oratory. Tho * •ountry's leaders aro doing their utmost to profit by tho outburst of patriotism. . The Uiider-Secrot'ary to the War Office, Mr. H. J. Tennant, questioned in the House of Commons as to whether soldiers who have been long in tho trenches could be given leave, aroused loud cheers by replying that the soldiers at the front did not wish to bo baulked of the glorious opportunity for which they had waited so long. (Rec. September 30,' 11.40 p.m.)

' - London, September 30. Miss Daisy Irving, tho actress, had arranged to kiss every recruit on tho march in the streets, but at the last moment the War Offico forbade her. Tho-War Office has telegraphed to the Bristol Rccruiting Committee that the falling off in the recruiting has caused Lord Kitchener and the War Office the greatest concern. WAR LORD RUSHES TO THE WEST - TWO GERMAN GENERALS DISMISSED. Lontfon, September 29. After a conference with the German war chiefs, tbo Kaiser' rushed by special train to the western front. Amsterdam, September 29. Two German generals have been dismissed. It is believed that the event is connccted with Saturday's defeat. The German nowspapers are discussing tho question of sending either Field-Marshal von Hindenburg or. General von Falkenhayn to the .Western front.

. \ GERMAN PERIL ADMITTED (Rec. .September 30, 11.40 p.m.). Amsterdam, September 30. Tho German newspapers admit the severe blow on the Western front. A General commenting on tho position in Champagne said: "The battle continue* with fearful intensity, but the great break through has not occurred. Wo have been reinforced, but must expect a heavy struggle. The French in superior numbers aro attacking with colossal fury." ANOTHER PEACE RUMOUR FROM AMSTERDAM. i ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)(Rec,. September 30, 5.50 p.m.) London, September 20. A statement from Amsterdam asserts that tho Kaiser is ascertaining the views of the Germanic rulers regarding the question of negotiating for peace.

EBB AND FLOW OF THE RUSSIAN ■ STRUGGLE . SUCCESSES IN GALHM VQN MACKENSEN HARD PRESSED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. October 1. 0.15 a.m.) . Petrograd, September 30. A' Russian official communique states: "Tho enemy south-east of Oshwiany have driven tho Russians back somewhat. "The enemy southward of Pripet, reinforced, repulsed tlie Russians at Charbonysk. "On the right bank of the Stvr, westward of Tarnopol, the Russians, after terrible'fighting, occupied the enemy's' trenches and fortified position at Khooachou. Continuing a farther offensive, the Russians, after strong artillery preparation, captured the enemy's trenches eastward of Kupchintse."

\ .GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. .. • (Rec. September 30, 10.30 p.m.) j London, September 30. A Germsm official communique states:—"Marshal von Hindenburg's attack south-west of Drinsk has reached tho Swenteu Lakes. "Our cavalry, after effectively supporting General von Eichora, have quitted the-region of Wiliczka." 1

ENEMY ON THE DEFENSIVE IN EASTERN GALICIA (Rec. September 30, 11.40 p.m.) • , Amsterdam, September'3o. , Colonel Moraht, writing to the "Berliner Tageblatti," points out the serious situation of von Mackensen's army. "The Austro-German front ill Eastern Galicia and north-west of Volhynia," he says, "is limited for the moment to tho defensive," t ' AUSTRIANS COMPELLED TO ALTER THEIR PLANS. .("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. September 30, 5.50 p.m.) London, September 29. . German correspondents with the Austrians report that the Austrian armies haVe abandoned the offensive in the Volhynian triangle in order to resist General tremendous i counter-offensive, which has been designed to penetrate tho Austro-Hungarian, positions between Vollynia and Brody. FRESH AUSTRIAN ENROLMENTS ANNOUNCED. (Reo, September 30, 5.50 p.m.) London, September 29. A telegram from Vienna announces the enrolment of Austrians of the ace ef eighteen iii October, and of inen from 43 to 50 in November. AUSTRIA BANKRUPT OF MUNITIONS. (Rec. September 30, 11.40 p.m.) Amsterdam, September 30. Germany is supplj'ing Austria with muriitions, as Austria's stocks aro exhausted.