THE WAR

Evening Star, Issue 16078, 1 April 1916, Page 5

THE WAR

SOLDIERS RETURNING

GERMAN INFANTRY

SENT AGAINST VERDUN

OVER OLD GROUND,

EAST OF THE MEUSE.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

PARIS, March 31

A communique states : The Germans east of the Meuse violently attacked our positions at (he approaches to Fort Doiiauniont, accompanied by discharges of liquid (lame. The attack was completely repulsed. A second artack had the same result, costing tho enemy appreciable losses.

THE FRENCH SUCCESS

WEST OF TOE MEUSE

PARIS. March 51,

The redoubt captured by the French at Avocourt Wood is massively constructed, with cement foundations and bomb-proof shelters 12ft thick. It was armed with revolving machine guns, protected with steel hoods. It hae since proved invincible in the French hands, as wave after wave of Germany infantry has found to its bitter cost.

THE GERMAN VERSION.

LONDON, March 30. A Berlin ■communique reports; “ Nightlong French attacks, with the object of capturing the wood north-west of Avocoiii't, were repulsed.’’

AIR SUPREMACY.

PARIS, March 31. A communique states; Our special guns rrought down an aeroplane west of Nbuvion; the occupants were killed. Another (leiman aeroplane was brought down in the German lines at Champagne, and five more fell behind) the German lines in the Verdun district.

LONDON, March 30. A German communique states: Immelnatiii brought down a British biplane—lis twelfth.

YPRES SALIENT.

THE ST. ELO3 SUCCESS,

SUPERB INFANTRY DASH

AFTER MINE EXPLOSION.

HEROIC NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS.

LONDON, March 51. Mr Philip Gibbs writes: “The British achievement at St. Eloi is of real importance. It was planned with fine generalship and carried out with superb courage, showing that if given the chance cur men will have an irresistible spirit. “The position was as strong as any in tho German lines. It formed a salient in the fork of two roads leading from St. Eloi to Messincs and Warnoton, just where tho enemy’s line strikes in westward below tho southern shoulder of the Ypres salient. In tho centre of the triangle was a mound, giving the enemy a commanding position over our trendies. On the side of tho hillock was a ruined, house, from which an enemy gun swept the ground in front of their- entanglements. The position was thickly wired, and seemed almost impregnable against infantry. The network of trenches behind was faced by .a strongly built parapet 7ft to 9ft high, iiud but for our mining underneath it would have been impossible to take it by aesault without great loss. " .'Suddenly, at 4.30 iu the morning, there was a great noise like the upheaval of a mountain side or a volcanic eruption—a great warning of a blast which tore the earth open and shook for miles the ground with a frightful spasm. Tons of earth were flung up in a black mass on a long frontage. Almost before the earth fell cur men were away like a Rugby team on a straight lino to tho goal. , Two battalions bad quitted our trenches before the enemy machine guns had time to fire at our parapets. Yet only a minute elapsed after the last rumble of the explosion before the 6wish of German bullets came from each side of the enemy salient, which was a wreckage of earth and human debris. t Already tho Fusiliers wero flmginothemselves upon -the entanglements, which! notwithstanding the explosion, stood staring, ihe Fusiliers swept across, not stopping to cut the wire, but stormed through it and over it, lacerating their hands and shoulders iu a great jumbled mass of human energy. “At the outset many lives were saved by tho coolness of a young officer and two or three men. From the mined house a German machine gun fired. A young subaltern dashed for it, threw a bomb at close range, and knocked out the gun, with an officer and several men. The others were bayoneted. If the. bomb had failed the whole company of Fusiliers would have been mowed down.

1 hero was little resistance within the salient. Tho trenches were blown shapeless, and communication between tho trenches was blocked up. Mono of the survivors within the salient could escape; ttiey had not the strength to resist. Thev were dazed, terrified, and came up from holes m ln 0 earth shaking, moaning and utterly cowed They were taken prisoner without trouble, 1

“ Only on the extreme right was there any attempt at a counter-attack. A party v C n rma ? onl 3ers , ‘•■aiho up just when the Aorthumfcci-lancls_ found a store of German bombs, which came in useful. It was an awkward moment, but the German grenadiers did not make a desperate attach, and 35 surrendered. We then took tho second line, causing the enemy to fall back beyond tho marshy ground, 1,000 yards in the rear, where they made’ w. Joubts of machine guns.

Our men did not suffer heavily, although they were extremely exhausted. Iney looked a ragged regiment of scarecrows. They were dirty, but, bv the Lord they were wonderful to see as they marched back from tho fields of death.”

RETAILING THE CAINS.

p. i TT . LONDON, March 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Hostile bombjrs reached tho easternmost craters at St Jlloi. A small enemy force south of Boesinghe, after a bombardment, tried to leave the trenches, but our fire drove them back.

The High Commissioner reports, London March 30: In the Yosges a powerful enemy reconnaissance party attacking our trenches north of Wisembach was dispersed by our curtain fire.

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN,

AUSTRIAN COUNTER-ATTACK

ON THE ISONZO,

COSTLY FAILURE

ROME, March 51. A communique states i After an intense artillery duel the enemy,, with large reserves, attacked the northern extremity of the Podgora Heights (opposite Gorizia), and the attack rapidly extended along the entire front as far as Monts Sabatino

(three and a-half miles north of Podgora). The fighting was particularly desperate across tho Peumica torrent.

.The attacks were repeatedly repulsed, the enemy renewing them each time with fresh troops until they were ultimately routed.

We captured, east of Selta, a stronglyentrenched position at the bayonet’s point,

THE BALKANS.

ENEMY’S INSECURE GRIP

PARIS, March 50. M. Pasitch (Serbian Premier), interviewed by a representative of ‘ Le Matin,’ said he knew that the enemy forces in Serbia did not now exceed three or four army corps. Turkey had to take her troops from Thrace, being uneasy owing to tho advance of the Russians. If Austria and Germany were attacked on all fronts they would be unable to transport troops to the Balkans. He believed that after two or three battles tho Allies would succeed in cutting off Constantinople.

THE RUSSIAN LINE.

FIGHTING ROUND DYINSK,

Tlio High Commissioner reports, London, March 31: —A Petrograd communique states: North of Dvinsk thero was heavv German fire at the bridgehead and fortifications of Ikskul and surrounding the village of Epoukn, south-east of Augustinhof. Au enemy detachment advancing in the district of the 'River Oldenveitz was xopnlsecl and driven across the river. South of Dvinsk there was heavy rifle and artillery crossfire. Tho enemy, advancing south of Tidzy, were repulsed bv our file. West of Lake Narotch tho enemv, accumulating in trenches south of the village ot Mokritza, were dispersed.

TREBIZOND OPERATIONS.

PETROGRAD, March 51. A communique states: In the fighting in the Caucasus littoral we took 410 prisoners belonging to a regiment from (Jallipoli.

THE PARIS CONFERENCE.

GOOD RESULTS SO FAR

London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Services

. LONDON', March 30, . The Paris Press declare that eight nations have solemnly bound themselves as a complete unity for diplomatic and military actions. The Allies henceforth will conduct negotiations with neutrals and the enemy as a single Power. . k® Matin’ says: “The conference has laid the foundations for a permanent peace.”

Mr W. M. Hughes (Prime Minister of Australia) is improving in health, but it is doubtful, even if ho were invited, whether he would l>e able to attend the Paris Conference.

MUNITIONS.

BRITAIN’S TASK RECOGNISED,

London ‘Times’ and Sydney ’Sun’ Services,

LONDON, March 30. Mr Lloyd Georue, in an interview granted to the Paris ‘ Journal,’ said : “Our persistent efforts to develop the production’ of guns and munitions have borne fruit. Our progress is remarkable, and is increasing, but it would he a mistake to suppose that the task is ended. Events at Verdun showed that, though much had been done, we must do more.”

THE CLYDE STRIKERS.

MORE AGITATORS REMOVED

LONDON

March 30.

The situation on the Clyde icserious. Messrs Macdotvgall and Maxton (chairman of the Independent Labor party in Scotland), both prominent Socialists/have been arrested, charged with inciting to strike, and three more munition workers have been removed.

The Clyde Workers’ Committee intend holding a meeting of protest on Friday, but tho Amalgamated _ Society of Eiigim eers have advised their members not to leave work for the purpose of attending

Probably some steps will bo taken to prevent a stoppage of work.

THE BLOCKADE.

London ' Times ’ and Sydney ‘ Sun ’ Services.

LONDON. March 30. New York official statistics prove the effect of the increased stringency of the bind,-ado. The cotton exports to" Holland have been only one-tenth of previous returns eince August 1, to Norway oneeighth, to Sweden one-twentieth, and to Denmark practically nil.

SWEDEN CONVERTED.

. LONDON, March 30. Le Matin's ’_ Stockholm correspondent says that Swedish opinion, which formerly favored Germany s chances, has swung round since Verdun, and now believes that tho German jlefcat is inevitable.

BRAZILIAN NEUTRALITY.

London Times and Sydney * Sun ’ Services,

LONDON, March 30. The German official Press assert that Brazil guarantees to maintain the strictest neutrality, not seizing ships in Brazilian ports.

N.S.W, r^/lwaymen. A FIXE RECORD.

SYDNEY, March 31. Ihe jail way employees have responded so freely the call of the Empire that the Commissioners have found it necessary to bar enlistments from certain branches of the service.

Tho mechanical _ department is so depleted that tlie military authorities have agreed nob to accept any more mechanics from tho railways, and to discharge those who have already enlisted to enable them to return to tiieir railway employment. Altogether 4,150 railwaymen have enlisted, and there are also 151 engaged in home defence.

INDUSTRIES FOR DISABLED.

LONDON, March 50. oir Thomas Mackenzie visited Harefield. where “Billy” Ardleake explained that artificial limbs were manufactured- at half the usual price. Sir T. Mackenzie is considering the possibility of training some unfit New Zealanders with the Australians, enabling them to teach artificial legmskmg upon their return to the Dominion.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S TOUR. Sir Joseph Ward received a splendid welcome to Invercargill yesterday. Ho was met on the station by the Mayor, city councillors, and members of the Recruiting Committee, who expressed their gratitude to him for again coming to Southland to help on the recruiting scheme. A great rally was held in the Municipal Theatre in the evening, every portion of the hm hall being crowded. Thera were about 2,000 persons present. Sir Joseph gave a vigorous address, which was listened to with close attention and heartily applauded. 1

For this relief much thanks.”— .Hamlet Many thousands are thankful for rapid rehef from chest and bronchial troubles through using Baxter’s Lung Preserver. It means a. quick, sure cure, as well ns new vitality being infixed into the system. Big bottle, la 10d—[AdvtJ ’

EXPECTED THIS MONTH,

The following list of sick and wounded soldiers and staff who will return to New Zealand next month has been issued by the Defence Department. The men are due approximately on the following dates: —Auckland, April 9; Wellington, April 11; Lyttelton, April 12; Port Chalmers, April 13:—

Otago Battalion. —Sec. Lieutenant Hamilton, Corporals Harneiss, Seamor, and Webster, Privates Barden, Catto, Calnon, Dick, Dodd, Driscoll, Ferguson, Flute, Fraser, Heal, Hunt, Hyne, A. Jones, E. Jones, Kellar, Kelleher, Lamb, Latham, M'Farlane, M‘Lennan, Marks, Miller, Milligan, Osborne, O’Toole, Skinner, Smyth, and Timmings. Otago Mounted.—Troopers Ashworth, Auoery, Bathgate, Devon, Ferguson, Lord, Mackay, Meier, Moore, Pope, Totter, Pottingor, Prentice, ,1. Scott, J. A. Scott, Smart, and Watson.

New Zealand Engineers.—Lieutenant M’C'rorie, Corporals Hyde, Leonard, Newman, and Tucker, Lance-corporals Morrison, Weston, and Charles, Sappers Cornwall, Guineas, Jones, Logan, Pahl, Ping. Reese, Robertson, Trask, Welsh, and Wilson. New Zealand Field Artillery.—Captain Greenhough, Lieutenant Dunnett, Ser-geant-major Taylor, Sergeants Brennan, Clinkard, and Elliott, Corporals Tnnes and Morton, Bombardiers Jones and Stewart,' Gunners Cooke, Drake, Duggan, Dunstan, Frandi, Jenkins, Jones, Lowe, White, and White.

Now Zealand Rifle Brigade.—First Battalion : Lieutenant Holland, Lance-corporal Ormiston, Privates Bell, Ghalmer, and Lloyd. Second Battalion: Sergeant Radford, Corporal Ruck, Privates Black, Henderson, Jackson, M'Laggan, and Walsh. Third Battalion; Lance-corporal Wright, Privates Coates, Gilchrist, Mitchell, Reid, and Urwin.

_New Zealand Medical Corps.—Corporal Kelly. Lance-corporal Cray, Privates Castlehow, Fielding, M'Adann and Squire. Army Service Corps.—Privates Abbott, Barnard, Blair, Campbell, Manning, 1L M'G. Ross, Russell, and Thompson. Divisional Train.—Staff-sergeant Kett and Privates Flicker and De Silva.

Headquarters Staff.—Lieutenant King. Veterinary Corps.—Lance-corporal Malcolm, Privates Blythe, Collins, Jop-on MTvay, and Milligan.

Army Pay Department.—A. Lancaster. Army Nursing Service Carp-;.—Matron Cameron, Nurses Burnett, Gill, and Walker,

ENDURE TO THE END

PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL,

[Special to the ‘ Star.’]

WELLINGTON. March 30

In the course of a recruiting appeal the Prune Minister said: “There are many nun now throughout the Empire who thought they had retired from the ac’ive business of life, but who are to-day working as hard as in 'he heyday of youth. They are doing this cheerfully, because they are‘helpin'’ Iho Empire through the most ‘ serious crisis in its history, and even if they are past ihe fighting ago, they arc doing the work of others who are already in lire fighting line. So with the women. There are many' duties at present done by men which can he equally well done by women, and must be done bv women if the war lasts, and so far as I am able to judge, the women arc willing and anxious to do their full share in any possible capacity. Lot us make no mistake. We are not, at the end of the war, neither are we at the end of our resources. New Zealand wa.s the first of the Dominions to respond to the Umpirecall, and whatever sacrifice or whatever happens, New Zealanders will carry on, iu co-operation with their foilow cilii-.cns of the Empire, until Germany's power is broken and until victory conies to Britain ami her Allies.”

WOMEN’S WORK

—Overseas Club.—

In answer to the appeal for donations to fill the soldiers' comfort boxes, the executive of the club are pleased to say that tho response has been very satisfactory. If donors could see the'letters of "'-at'-tiKle. _ which are constantly reaching the committee they could not refrain from assisting m sending along similar comforts to those previously sent. Such foodstuffs as condensed milk, chocolate, chutney in small paste bottles, preserved fruits, small tins of biscuits, and cheese in little jars would be acceptable. Money in lien of the above will be gladly received. The Belgian boxes, too, should not be neglected.

—St. Kilda Branch, Women’s Association.—

The weekly sewing meeting was well attended on Thursday, and parcels of work were returned by various ladies, and donations were acknowledged.

—Rosl yn-Kai k or a i.

The Roslyn-Kaikorai Women’s PatrioticAssociation hold a successful sale of bulbs and flowers on Friday at the Stork Exchange. Tho bulbs wero a choice variety donated by Mr G. B. Bullock. The generous donors of flowers and bulb? will be pleased to learn that the sum of £lO 2s was realised from the sale. This sum will be expended in buying material to bo made up for our soldiers’ requirements on the field and in hospital. On Wednesday evening next the committee intend entertaining the returned soldiers of Roslyn, Kaikorai, and Maori Hill districts in’ the Kaikorai School gymnasium. A fine collection of Red Cross work by the branch was despatched on Thursday to the Red Cross centre. It is intended for use in Mesopotamia.

A SPLENDID SUCCESS

Miss Linda Proctor (aged 14) conceived the idea of organising a fete for the purpose of relieving the fearful distress in Belgium and Serbia, but, hearing that some of her fellow-pupils in the Kaikorai School had conceived the same idea, it was agreed to make a combined effort, with what result will appear directly. Accordingly the Misses Proctor. Rowena Love. Ptbonda King, Bessie Beveridge, and Macarthur made a house-to-house canvass of the district, and during the space of six weeks _ collected money, gathered goods and various articles, and on March 18 wound up with a bazaar and concert in the gymnasium of the local school, where the residents gathered in goodly numbers and patronised the gallant band of girl -workers to such purpose that everything was disposed of, and a- substantial sum realised. Where so much enthusiasm in a deserving cause was displayed it would be almost invidious to particularise, but we cannot avoid calling attention to the splendid record put up by little Linda. Out of the ca.sh collection, which totalled £l3 odd, she was responsible for gathering £8 16s 51d. and out of 542 tickets sold she accounted for nearly 50 per cent.—for 207 to be precise. As' our American cousins are fend of saving ; “ That’s some doing.” The abstract of the balance-sheet submitted to ns shows that the bazaar realised £44 odd; that the disbursements were 7gs; and the net proceeds came to £64 6s. S’o that Sir Thomas Mackenzie, as distributor of the ‘ Evening Star ’ relief fun*ds. to which this money has been sent, will have the satisfaction of apportioning it in equal shares to the relief of distressed Belgians and Serbians through the channels that the High Commissioner’s department has employed for this purpose. We know another school in Southern Otago that ever since tho Avar began has religiously set apart its spare pennies for the relief of Belgian school children, and whose contributions have been gratefully and appreciably acknowledged by Sir Thomas, who for a time was the parliamentary representative of that particular district. If the pupils of any other school in Otago are desirous of emulating the fine performance of Missw Proctor, LoVE, King, Beveridge, and Macarthur, now’s their chance, in view of the urgency of the appeal made by tbe Lord Mayor of London, and we shall be very glad indeed to hear from them.

PATRIOTIC ART UNION

An art unionfor 4,000 shares in the M'Master Estate, Waikato, was drawn at Wellington last night. The land is stated to be worth £B,COO. The sale of tickets in the art union realised £15,000. The winner was Mr S. Bolton., of Pahiatua. The proceeds of the sale go to the patriotic fund.