WINTER FIGHTING IN THE WEST

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13754, 13 November 1916, Page 5

WINTER FIGHTING IN THE WEST

AERIAL ACTIVITY AND SEVERE BOMBARDMENTS, ENEMY AIRCRAFT SEVERELY PUNISHED, (Australian and Kei* Zealand Cable Association.) LONDON, November 10, Sir Douglas Ilaig reports: Artillery activity on both banks of the Ancre prevails. The enemy is using gas shells. We silenced trench mortars north-east of Festubert. A French communique reports an intermittent cannonade and skirmishes. Seventy-seven air fights have occurred. Our .air squadrons bombed enemy communications ml cantonments, especially on railway stations at Lens, Vouziers, Courcelle Sur Nied, the blast furnaces at Thionville, the aerodrome at Dieuzi, and the airsheds at Friscati. > The High Commissioner reports LONDON, November 10 (12 a,m.) A British official message says; On Thursday many bombing raids were carried out on enemy communication billets and stores, Air fighting has been almost continuous. One of our squadrons of thirty machines encountered thirty or forty machines. The result of an aerial battle was that tlic-enemy squadron was dispersed and six of his machines were commencing to fall, being out of control, but owing to the severity of the fighting it was impossible to watch them to the ground. As the result of other fights,'nine, more ho,stile machines were brought down. "We damaged three others and a kite balloon was destroyed. A French official message says: South of the Somme, wc captured several elements of trenches. North-cast of Lcslxeufs and in the region of Saillisel, the German counter-attacks were easily repulsed. . DEFENCELESS BELGIANS QUITE EXASPERATED. 'tSERIOUS ENCOUNTERS REPORTED. (Australian anil New Zealand Cable Association and Rculer), .Received November .12, 5.5 p.m. AMSTERDAM, November 11. The men deported from Ghent rose up against tfic soldiers, who charged repeatedly, killing sixty and wounding huudreds before the deportees were rounded up and marched like prisoners under a guard with feed bayonets. A serious revolt occurred at Brussels on Thursday. The authorities commenced deporting men to Germany. When the first batch assembled at the station, a soldier insuited a Belgian * general. A fight ensued, the Germans firing on the mob. Thirty Germans were killed and wounded. Many Belgians were .shot. The military have closed Brussels.