HOT FIGHT AT LA BASSEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15829, 28 January 1915, Page 7

HOT FIGHT AT LA BASSEE.

ATTACKS OX BRITISH LINES.

FIVE ASSAULTS REPULSED.

POSITIONS RETAINED

lEeceired January .7. 11 p.m.)

London, January 26

An official communique from P ivis states: "The British reoccupied their former positions at Givenchy, near La Bassee. Hot fighting took place on the Bethunc and La Bassee road.

' "The Germans, penetrating the allies' trenches west of Craonne, north of the Aisne, were thrown into complete confusion by aerial '.■emits. We then counter-attacked, recovering a portion of the ground

" W'e recovered trenches near Saint Hubert and Fontaine Madame, in the Argnnnc."

An earlier communique stated : The Germans were repulsed east i f Yprcs, and 300 were killed.

The enemy made five attacks en the British lines at Givencnv, and slightly progressed, but were then repulsed, leaving many dead and 60 prisoners-

The Germans penetrated our trenches west of Craonne, but in a counter-attack we recaptured all except one. where the struggle for mastery continues. The Press Bureau states that the enemy made several violent attacks against the first British division in the neighbourhood of La Bassee on Monday. They were repulsed with severe losses, having 300 killed and 55 prisoners in one place alone.

ACTION NEAR CRAONNE.

GERMANS REACH TRENCHES.

BOMBS DRIVE THEM BACK

Wellington, January 27.

The. Prime Minister has received the following cable from the High Commissioner in London, dated January 27: —'Paris reports that the British repulsed a fresh attack near La Bassee and reoccupied their former positions. Three hundred Germans were killed at one place where the fighting was very warm. " The Germans who penetrated the allies' trenches west of Craonne were thrown into confusion by aerial bombs and driven out.

"In the Argonne the allies attacked in the direction of Saint Hubert and Fontaine Madame, and regained trenches''

An earlier message from ih<" High Commissioner was as follows: — '" Paris reports that near La.Basset-, at Givenchy, the enemy five times attacked the British lines, but were repulsed each time, leaving numerous dead behind.

''West of Craonnc the Germans attacked twice successively with ex- i treme violence. The first time they | were repulsed, but at the second I attack they penetrated our trenches. An energetic counter-attack by the allies regained almost the whole of the ground lost. The fighting is still continuing."