BRITISH HOLD YPRES FOR THREE WEEKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 7

BRITISH HOLD YPRES FOR THREE WEEKS.

PfKll|o\ MAINTAINED UNDER RAIN OF SHELLS. ONE OF MOST STRIKING EPISODES IN ANNALS OF ARMY. ]',v Tfl.-Ki-aph- F'ipss Association—Copyright. Wellington', November 12. Tl .' Prime Minister has received the following cable from the llfull < fiiiinn 1 •■ -inner in London, dated November 13:—It is officially i-'.'-d ( : ::i the operations during the last, few days consisted mainlv '■'" I.'■■!■, lighting north of the I.\ s, Points of interest were Ho]|ebeke •'■ ' I ■•'i.'n-iiii', ami Mcssines. There were also severe encounters on '■'<■■ ii:e- >.f Oanvoonle and Frelinghin. The fighting was characterised b- I .'i 'ii ill vigorous infantry attacks from the Germans, accompanied h' ii i ;■ sh"!l fire, alternating equally with vigorous counter-attacks. 'I'm- ;-.i-:.i! result was the maintenance of tur line. There were con(•■'•'.i,' li.'-.si's "ii our side, hut still heavier losses on the other side. M.i' in.' •Mil'-; and I'm prisoners were taken by us on the Bth. The a I Ip-,.,' strength has been constantly maintained by reinforceti.' 1.1 Latterly the stress of the fighting has been in the neighbourly •■'! ■ ■!' < I'lc'luvelile. five miles south-east of Ypres, in (he region P'i- ,: ii' Vpie«, and at Uixmundo. The (Jerrnan artillery carries on a •■or,!. mi,,!) bombardment, intended to pulverise the defence, preparat'ln i, ,m .-iihance by heir infantry. li, ion! re of the struggle is Ypres, the defence; of which will cerfa..'il. i,i reckoned in history as one of the most striking episodes ii r< oin.ils of the British Army. For more than three weeks the j". '». ," i,-,■■. been held under a rain of shells, which has hardly ceased di;. oi ncdit. I Miring the whole time the enemy poured successive v.i.. ~f infantry against the position, only to sec them break into pi '.'■; u,. after another.