FIGHTING OF THE FIERCEST

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 92, 15 October 1914, Page 7

FIGHTING OF THE FIERCEST

HEROIC EFFORT TO SAVE GHENT ILLUSTRATION OF BLOOD LUST (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received October 15, 11 a.m.) *„„.,„ . , LONDON, 14th October. The Daily Chronicle's Ostend correspondent writes :— The Allies made a heroic effort to save Ghent on Saturday and Sunday, but the flat country was unsuitable for operations against heavy odds and fighting of the fiercest. An illustration of the blood lust is furnished by the following incident : Belgian field guns enfiladed two hundred Germans, for whom there was no escape. The survivors raised their rifle butts as a token of submission. Either because the signal was misunderstood or because they simulated surrender, a favourite ruse of the Germans when in a warm corner, the Belgians continued to fire until all the Germans had fallen. The Belgians were finally compelled to retire when a large German cavalry force came from Ypres and threatened their communications with Bruges. They made a forced march to Bruges. A Belgian force also moved to counter the German cavalry in the neighbourhood of Dixmude, where they arrested on the march a column from Ypres, giving the enemy a severe shaking. ENEMY MARCHES TOWARDS OSTEND m1 m , , " ' AMSTERDAM, 13th October. The Telegraaf states the occupation of Ghent followed after heavy fighting on Saturday at Quatrecht and Melle. The Germans then marched towards Ostend. Patrols were soon at Eecloo and Uhlans near Bruges. The Germans are bridging the canal at Zelzaete. There was an enormous exodus from Ostend, and thousands stormed the mail boats after the Government's departure. ' [Quatrecht is about six miles south-east of Ghent, Melle five miles southeast, Eecloo twelve miles north-west, and Zalzaete twelve miles north.] ATTEMPT TO CUT THE ALLIES' LINE FAILS OSTEND, 14th October. There was a fierce battle in the triangle of Dixmude, Ypres, and Dunkirk.. The determined effort made by General yon Kluck's right to cut the Allies' lines wag frustrated. [Ypres (Belgium) is about ten miles north-east of Bailleul, and, like Dixmude, lies between Ostend and Lille. Dunkirk, about twenty-six miles north,west of Ypres, is the most northerly seaport of France, on the Strait of Dover, 189 miles nortli of Paris by rail.] ' OCCUPATION OF LILLE BY GERMANS LONDON, 13th October. A German army corps hag occupied Lille. PARIS, 14th October. On 4th October three hundred Uhlans in an armoured train from Belgium endeavoured to carry out a coup-de-main on Lille. The railway pointsman detected, the occupants of the train, and diverted it to a siding, where it was greeted with French rifle fire. Most of the Uhlans were captured next morning. Meanwhile, three thousand Germans approached on the opposite side from Tourcoing, and trained their artillery and machine guns upon the town, some shells striking the Hotel de Ville. The French infantry replied so quickly that the Germans retreated. The following day the battle was renewed with greater force, but all efforts to bring the Germans to Lille by railway were repulsed. The retreating Gor* -mans in a-ngei 1 entered Fives, which is a suburb of Lille.

UNPROVOKED BRUTALITY (Received October 15, 9 a.m.) PAEIS, 14th October. When the Germans, evacuating Lille, reached the suburb of Fives, tho market was in full swing. Uhlans lining the pavement, at a signal from an officer, witiiout any provocation and though no French soldiers were in the vicinity, fired into the windows of the houses. Several people were killed, including a young girl. The Germans also looted wine and beer, and set fire to a number of houses. During the 6th a regiment of French Territorials captured two cannon, after killing all the Germans serving them. v Throughout the operations at Lille the Germans were hampered by the lack of artillery. Later in the week the pressure of the fighting was removed elsewhere. The French state that only a small garrison was left at Lille, and its capture does not alter the French battle front. [Lille, a manufacturing town and first-class fortress of ' France, is situated in a sub-tributary of the Scneldt. There has been a good deal of fighting in the country around Lille, which is not very far away — about eight miles — from the Belgian frontier. The population of the city is something over 217,000.] FRENCH-BRITISH LEFT WING RESUMES OFFENSIVE PARIS, 13th October. An official communique states: — Our left wing resumed the offensive at. Hasebrouck and Bethune against cavalry coming from the Bailleu, Estaives, ana La Bassee front. A German army corps attacked and occupied Lille, which was held by a Territorial detachment. We have made marked progress between Arras and Albert, and appreciable progress at other points. [Bailleul is in France, a few miles west of Armentieres. Estaives is a small town almost due west of Lille, and about the same distance from it, and twelve miles north of La Bassee.] (Received October 15, 8.30 a.m.) PARIS, 14th October. The French, on Tuesday, resumed the offensive at Hazebrouck and Bethune. The Germans are seeking to cut off the Allied forces in Germany. Having failed to capture Lille by a surprise attack, they rushed up forty thousand men and crushed the resistance of the Territorials. NOTABLE ADVANCE BY THE ALLIES i (Received October 15, 8.30 a.m.) PARIS, 14th October. A communique records a notable advance in the Berryaubac district. VIOLENT GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED I .(Received October 15, 8.30 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, 14th October. A communique published at Berlin from the headquarters in France states that the enemy's violent attacks eastward of Soissons were repulsed. There has been heavy fighting in the Argonne district, the Germans advancing through dense underwood on very difficult ground with siege guns for use against the French, who offer the most obstinate Resistance, firing from trees, where there are machine-guns. Besides the rifle-pits, the French have built strong points of support. The communique concludes : "The French attacks at Saint Mihiel were repulsed. Etain is still in our possession." [Etain is twelve miles east by north of Verdun.] HEAVY GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, 13th October. The military correspondent of The Times states that information received from various sources suggests that during the last ten days the German armies in France have been heavily reinforced, and that they are determined to make heroic efforts again to strike their enemies to the ground on the east and west simultaneously. Youths and family men are together in the line, and if the conduct of the Germans had not been so abominable we could afford to admire the' energy with which they are conducting the war. There is evidence that One million abd a-half Germans are engaged in the west, and, now that Antwerp has fallen, the greater part of this force will be available for offensive operations. The Allies still retain a marked numerical preponderance, and there is no reason to suppose that the serious conflict which is now developing in the North of France will not turn out to our advantage.