THE FRENCH IN ALSACE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1914, Page 7

THE FRENCH IN ALSACE

FIGHTING NEAR BASLE GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS BEING SENT (Times and Sydney Sum Services.) (Received December 9, 8 a.m.) LONDON, Bth December. Berne reports that there has been considerable cannonading during th» last few days along the German-Swiss frontier, near Basle, and that there have been several encounters between the French and the Germans. All the Vosges passes are held by the French. It is reported that strong German reinforcements are being sent to this district. [Basle is on the Rhine* twenty miles east of the southern extremity of the Franco-German frontier, and on the frontier of Switzerland and Germany. It is nearly twenty miles south-east of Mulhausen, and about thirty-five miles from Belfort, the great French fortress guarding the southern end of the frontier. It is on the extreme eastern border of Alsace.] (Press Association.) END OF A TWO MONTHS' STRUGGLE THE TAKING OF VERMELLES (Received December 9, 8.20 a.m.) PARIS, Bth December. A communique states : "The enemy is more active on the Yser and around Ypies. Our artillery replied successfully. "Our very brilliant attack which carried the Vermelles and Rutoire position marked the end of a determined two months' struggle, in which we sapped and mined, since we were expelled from Vermelles on 25th October. "Our heavy artillery dispersed several of the enemy's positions on the Aisne and in the Champagne district. "We gained some ground in the Argonne, in the La Grurie Wood, and also north- weßt of Pont-a-Mousson." The Germans have resumed the bombardment of Reims by means of aeroplanes. MARKED ADVANCE NEAR VALENCIENNES PARIS, Bth December. Official. — "The Germans bombarded Oostdunkerke, four kilometres (rough* ly two and a-half miles) west of Nieuport. "There has been a marked advance in the region of [Le Quesnoy (eight miles south-east of .Valenciennes)." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S MESSAGE ~~~ The Prime Minister (Hon W F. Massey) has received the following megsage from the High Commissioner :—: — LONDON, Bth December. There was great activity by the Allies and the enemy in- France ypsterJay, the Allies making a marked advance. Vermelles, the scene of desperate righting during the last two months, has been taken by the French after a briV-iant assault. THE WRECK OF THE ARGONNE PARIS, Bth December. The French Government arranged for a visit of journalists to the fortress of Verdun and the surrounding district. The journalists report that the whole district of the Argonne, particularly the routo of the Crown Prince's retreat from the Marne, is in utter desolation. Every village was razed to the ground, the work of deliberate incendiarism, facilitated by light motor-cars, equipped with petrol-pumps and hose.