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BRITISH RESISTANCE TO GERMAN PRESSURE.

DAYS OP VIOLENT FIGHTING ALONG BELGIAN FRONT.

LINES GIVE WAY BUT REGAIN POSITIONS. Wellington, November 12. _ The following account of recent fighting in Belgium by an eyewitness with the headquarters staff has been received by the Prime Minister from the High Commissioner :— On Sunday the full weight of a violent attack by the enemy fell on our left. Their main efforts were directed slightly south of Ypres. Such was the force of the onslaught and the weight of the artillery supporting it that our line was temporarily driven back. This was soon readjusted, however, and by evening the situation in this quarter was the same as it had been 21 hours earlier. That night shells were thrown into Ypres. Farther south the Germans during the previous night had retaken the village of Messincs, to the south of Ypres, and captured Rythchetetc. By 11 a.m. our cavalry, working in co-operation with the French, drove them from the latter place by a brilliant bayonet charge, but did not occupy it. A few German prisoners were taken. They were only 17 years of age, and said they had had practically no training, that they had had but little, food, and some had never fired a rifle. The fact that Messines was still retained in hostile hands necessitated a slight adjustment of our .front and centre. Apart from this, no change was made in this quarter. The bombardment continued all day. During the action round these villages the Germans, moving across our front, suffered greatly from the massed fire of our Horse Artillery at short range. Though they fell literally in heaps, still they came on with admirable determination. ENEMY ATTEMPT TO DRIVE A WEDGE. South of Lys the trenches which had been lost on the previous night were recaptured; otherwise the situation remained unchanged. No attacks were delivered against us, and the enemy contented itself with bombarding the trenches. A heavy German battery was knocke'fl out by our artillery fire. One prisoner, captured on the first day he entered the field, stated that, in his opinion, Germany realised that she had failed in her object, and was only fighting to obtain good terms. During the afternoon a German aeroplane was captured quite uninjured. On Monday on our left the pressure was kept up towards Ypres. At first our line was forced back, but was restored towards evening by a vigorous advance carried out in co-operation, the French rendering very timely assistance. The maximum effort of the Germans was to the south of Ypres, as if to drive a wedge between that town, on the north, and Armenticres, on the south The bombardment of our positions in this quarter was 'especially heavy, though it was well replied to by the concentric fire of our guns. INUNDATION REACHES ENEMY'S TRENCHES. The French counter-attacked in the direction of Rythchetete, which remained disputed ground, fiercely blazing amidst a hail of shell from both sides. Toward the south the enemy advanced in force, but were checked. Farther towards our right a hostile attack in the neighbourhood of Armentieres met the same fate. On the extreme right several assaults were repulsed, though at one or two points the Germans gained ground slightly, obtaining possession of Neuvo Chappelle. The inundation of Nieuport has reached the enemy's trenches. It is stated that two heavy guns and some field artillery were abandoned by the Germans. Tuesday was comparatively an uneventful day, and this enabled our troops to take a much-needed rest. In front of Ypres the German infantry ceased operations, but south, in the neighbourhood of Rythchetete and Hollebeke, they made unsuccessful attempts to move forward, effective counter-attacks being delivered by the French and British. In this quarter the fighting was severe. South of the river minor attacks against our trenches were beaten off. It seemed that the violence of the German efforts were abating, even the cannonade being less heavy.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19141114.2.38.8

Bibliographic details

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

Word Count
654

BRITISH RESISTANCE TO GERMAN PRESSURE. New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 7

BRITISH RESISTANCE TO GERMAN PRESSURE. New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 7

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