WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 31 March 1915, Page 5

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

I MCE FOR LIFE i BETWEEN FRENCH AND GERMAN SAPPERS. {Official.) PARIS, March 30. Sappers mining in a gallery in the Argonne discovered that the Germans were j counter-mining. The French hurriedly j decided to block the gallery with sandbags and explode the chamber im- ; mediately.. j Meanwhile the Germane gave the alarm, and evidently formed a similar decision. They returned and placed explosives in the saps. It was a race for who should finish first, and the French won. They fired the mine, and the German sappers were hurled into the air a moment later.

The High Commissioner reports: — London, March 30, 3.20 a.m. Army casualties: Officers: Killed 4, wounded 8. Men: Killed 34, wounded 'l5B, missing 14. Paris reports that the enemy bombarded Nieuporfc. The damage. done to a bridge we had thrown across' the Yser was inconsiderable. In the Champagne region there was an artillery duel in the neighbourhood of Beausejour. Tn the Argonne there was artillery fire and bomb-throwing, particularly in the Bagatelle district, where the activity on both sides is great.

London, March 30, 4.10 p.m. Army casualties : Oncers: Killed 3; wounded 7. —en : Killed 108; wounded 305; missing 11; prisoners 7. Paris reports that a German aviator dropped bombs at Rheims, two persons "being wounded. A projectile fell on the apse of the Cathedral. Regulated artillery fire forced the enemy to evacuate the of Heudicourt, north-west of St. Mihiel.

FRENCH WAR REVIEW

SEVEN GERMAN DEFEATS. ALLIES' GROWING FORCES. (Rec. March 31. 11.15 a.m.) * PARIS,- March 30. The French war review sums -up the position to January 10th. Germany had failed to cross I ranee, and had sustained seven defeats oi high, significance. . , , . ~ .France had established an impassable barrier against, the mo* + tv. rniaable effort ever attempted on. FranceFrance -will make her elfu rt in her own time, when the necessary means are ready.

Tho Germans .it. Ypres showed an insufficiently prepared offensive. France is daily strengthening her forces. The British are being heavily reinforced, and tho number training in England is very large. Russia continues to draw on her immense Teservoir of recruits; she had hitherto only used 5 per cent. France was superior to Germany, because the latter's wastage was greater and her losses double the French. As the German resources were largely expended, Germany liad scarcely sufficientto offer a defensive. France will begin- the offensive, with the entirety of her forces.