WESTERN OPERATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9042, 13 May 1915, Page 5

WESTERN OPERATIONS

MOST DESPERATE BATTLE FOR CALAIS

HEAVIEST AND MOST TERRIBLE FIRE OF THE WAR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received May 12, 5.40 p.m.) LONDON. May 13. A correspondent states that the plains of Flanders and Artois are a^al ?,jj iere ls fi erce fighting, on the whole front of seventy-six miles from Arras to the sea, in a final and most desperate battle for Calais. ■ • ‘There were heavy losses on both sides in the first two days. Ihe viormans attacked Ypres on Saturday with redoubled fury, but were beaten off with heavy cost. . . ... ~, ~ . N “The artillery fire was the heaviest and most terrible of the war. Massed guns bombarded the <?a*3fc of Ypres, a tornado of shells and nigh explosives pulverising every yard of'the ground and smashing the trenches. • “The troops withstood this with amazing courage and resolution. They were unable to live in the zone of firo, and retired to the second line m good order, though with lamentable losses. , ... “The enemy advanced to drive them out of the town, but the British poured out a rifle, machine gun fire and shrapnel on the dense formations of the advancing Germans, who were slaughtered, whole battalions melting “Some came on, but were driven off with bayonets. Successful British counter-attacks were made, and ground was gained towards Fromelles. ’ CARENCY INVESTED ON THREE SIDES / - PARIS, May 11. A communique states:—We repulsed an attempt at night to retake the captured earthworks at St. Georges. _ , , „ Our progress northward of Arras continues. Wo have invested Uarency on three sides, and captured there 230 more prisoners and several machine guns. The Gormans now have only precarious communications with Carency. Though the enemy brought up reinforcements in motor-cars from Lena and Douai, they did not enable theta to regain the upper hand.' Our fire smashed four strong counter-attacks yesterday afternoon, at Loos Notre Dame de Lorette, Souchez, and Neuville-St.-Vaast, with heavy* German losses, and we also gained ground, capturing a hundred prisoners up to last evening. Upwards of fifty officers have been captured. The enemy sustained during tho night a fresh setback. His counterattacks were completely repulsed, with very heavy losses. The German guns, after shelling Dunkirk harmlessly, threw eleven shells into Berguea. six miles south-east of Dunkirk, killing twelve persons and wounding eleven. Our batteries stopped their bombardment. ' ; A French aeroplane set fire to a dirigible shed at Maubeuge. The Germans brought down a British aeroplane, and British troops Brought down two German aeroplanes. HOW THE BRITISH DEAL WITH THE GAS 1 (Received May 12, 9.30 p.m.) PARIS, May 12." Official.—“ Tho British east of Ypres were again attacked by an asphyxiating cloud. They allowed it to pass, using masks. Then, with macbdue guns and rifles, at pointblank range, they annihilated tho Germans adlv.ancmg in massed formations. " “The French successes north of Arras are extending. As a result of enlargements of extreme violence, theycaptured the entire system of trenches astride tho Looa-Vermailles road. They also assaulted a large fort and Chapel at Notre Dame de Lorette, which had been transformed into a veritable fortress, and had been defended with Ardour for months. The trench was. outflanked and invested and tho position rushed in the afternoon after a chlsperate conflict.. \ “Without stopping,, the French drove the enemy out of their trenches soutli of the chapel, where there were several hundred German corpses seen. , ‘“The Germans, debouching at Aldame and Saint Nazaire, counter-at-tacktkl, but were broken at the outset. We resumed the offensive and gained ground in the direction of the sugar refinery at Souchez. ‘ (After a violent engagement we seized the cemetery at Neuville-Saint Vaasti, which the Germans had strongly organised. .“Wo had now reached the' fourth line of German trenches in the district. ’ We continue to take many prisoners.” BELGIANS CROSS TO RIGHT BANK OF YSER (Received May 12, 3.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 12. A Etelgian communique states:—“Some of our troops crossed to the right hank of the Yser, north of Dixmude, yesterday.” GERMANS REMOVE AIRSHIPS FROM MAUBEUGE (Received May 12, 3.30 p.m.) AMSTERDAM. May 12. The Germans are removing airships from Maubeuge to Charleroi. ENEMY’S MASS FORMATIONS MOWN DOWN ; (Received May 12, 9 p.m.) LONDON. May 11. Sir John French reports that the Germans attacked Menin road on Monday aftiernoon, and although they subjected the trenches to a very heavy bombardment, and made an infantry advance under cover of poisonous gases, their attack 1 failed, our shrapnel inflicting very heavy casualties, and mowing down the enemy’s mass formations. THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE AT NIEUPORT (Received May 12, 9 p.m.) 1 DUNKIRK, May 12. It was capected that the German offensive at Nieuport would have commenced on the ninth. The wind j recently has been so strong that it would have dispersed the asphyxiating £*nses. The Germans finally attacked amid blinding whirlwinds of sand blowing upon tho Allies’ trenches. In accordance with a prearranged plan the Allies’ centre yielded, .while the wings held their ground. 'Hie Germans followed up their success and established themselves in' the abandoned trenches. . Then the wings doubled in and enfiladed tho Germans from both sides. The fiercest struggle was carried on on the beach. The Germans* were forced to retreat, leaving their wounded. HliOH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT LONDON, May 12, 0.5 a.re. The High Commissioner reports:— London reports. —North of Dixmude the Belgians, having thrown a brideghead to the 1 right bank of tho Yser, were violently attacked by thice German battalions- who were repulsed with heavy lassos. The Belgians gained ground south of Dixmude. A largo fort and chapel at Notre Dame do Lorette, which 'were defended with ardour for months by the Germans, and which were transformed into a veritable fortress, were invested and carried on Tuesday, by the Allies. The ewccc.ss was vigorously followed. The enemy wore driven back and trenches captured. Prisoners declared that it was ordered that t!ic> chapel and fort were to be hold at all costs.