WESTERN OPERATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9075, 21 June 1915, Page 5

WESTERN OPERATIONS

REPORT FROM FIELD-MARSHAL SIR JOHN FRENCH By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. ■ LONDON, June 18. Field-Marshal Sir John French reports:—“The fighting on the northern and southern portion; of our front continued throughout the 16th, with the co-operation of our Allies in the attack about Arras. “All the first line trenches captured eastward of Ypres remajn in our hands, despite two counter-attacks, which were repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy. . . ' , . “We, however, were unable to retain those ot the enemy s second line trenches occupied in the morning. . ■ “We slightly advanced eastward ,of Fe.stubert as the result of further attacks, and,' judging by the numerous dead Germans in the trenches, our artillery fire was very effective.” (Received Juno 21, 1 a.m.) LONDON. June 20. Sir John French reports:—“We occupied 250 yards of German trenches north of Hooge, which our successes forced the enemy to abandon. We captured 213 prisoners, three machine guns, and a cylinder full of gas in the Hooge region. We exploded several mines north-east of Armentieres and inflicted'' casualties on the enemy trying to escape after the explosion. Our airmen successfully bombed the electrical power station at La Bassee. ’ GERMANS SET FIRE TO METZERAL (Received June 21, 1 a.m.) PARIS, June 20. Official.—“ After a very sharp struggle ,we invested on ail sides and carried by assault Buval Bottom, which the enemy obstinately defended since the ninth of May. We captured some machine guns, and only ten prisoners, as the German resistance had been desperate. Wo captured several trench*! on tht slopes east of Lorette -and took three hundred prisoners. We hold the slopes of Hill 119, Where the troops cling to the ground heyorid the last German trenches, despite the enemy’s attacks. South of these slopes our line has advanced to the north-east of the Labyrinth. A German battalion at Embormenil captured a small post. We immediately .counter-attacked, though our forces were numerically inferior, reoccupted the whole position, and put our assailants to flight. The advance in Alsace on both banks of the Fecht continues. Despite a dense mist and torrential rain wo bombarded the station at Munster and blew up the'ammunition depots. We completely invested Metzeral, which the Germans set on fire before evacuating.” ALLIES HOLD ENEMY’S COMMUNICATIONS (Received June 20. 3.30 p.m.) PARIS, June 20. Official. “There was a violent artillery duel northward of Arras, where the front is not modified. Wo reached the outskirts of Metzeral and hold the enemy’s communications between Metzeral and Munster under artillery and infantry fire. We have taken more prisoners, and captured machine guns and a large quantity of rifles and cartridges.” THE HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORTS The High Commissioner reports:— , LONDON, June 18, 11.20 p.m. Sir John French reports;—“Fighting on the northern and southern portions of our front continued on Wednesday in co-operation with our Allies’ attacks near Arras. East of Ypres all the Germans’ first line trenches were captured and retained, despite two counter-attacks which were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy. We were unable to hold the enemy s second line trenches, which were occupied in the morning. East of Festubert we made a further advance. Our artillery fire was very effective.” ■ „ LONDON, June 19,. 1,53 a.m. In Alsace the Allies have gained, ground on both banks of the river Fecht, capturing prisoners and a largo quantity of munitions. French patrols have reached the borders of Metzeral. ■ LONDON, June 20, 2.50 a.m. General French reports to-night:—“Yesterday, north of levoge, the British occupied German trenches on a frontage of 250 yards which enemy were forced! to abandon. Wo captured during the week 213 prisoners, including two officers, three machine guns, and one full gas cylinder. Northeast of Armentieres the British exploded several mines yesterday, and destroyed a portion of tho enemy’s trenches. Our artillery and rifle fir© inflicted casualties on the enemy, while they were trying to escape after the explosion. The electrical, power station at La Bassee was successfully bombarded yesterday by our airmen.” • ■ „ , LONDON, June 20, 3.10 a.m. North of Arras, after a fierce struggle, Bural Bottom, which has been stubbornly defended by tho enemy since May 9th, was carried by assault. On the slopes east, of Lorette, in the direction of Souchez, the French captured several trenches, making 300 prisoners. Tho advance in Alsace was continued on both banks of the Fecht. Tho French bombarded Munster railway station and blow up ammunition depots there. Metzeral, which tho Germans set on fire before evactuatmg, has been completely invested. BRITISH SMASH ENEMY’S BIG PLAN (Received Juno 20, 4 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, June 20. During nine days closing of the Bolgo-Dutch frontier, four hundred thousand German troops "traversed Belgium, whereof three hundred thousand were sent into the fighting line where the French pressure was dangerous, while our hundred thousand, with two hundred heavy guns, were held in reserve at Oourtrai und Roulers, hoping for an opportunity to break through, but in the last three days they were hurriedly sent to defend the trenches at La Bassee and Ypres. The' British attack in force was a magnificent surprise and smashed the enemy’s plan. A BERLIN OFFICIAL MESSAGE LONDON, June 18. A Berlin official message states that tho British north-west of La Bassee suffered a now defeat. Tho attackers were annihilated ; only a few escaped.

IMPERISHABLE GLORY FOR TERRITORIALS

(Received Juno 20, 4 p.m.) LONDON, June 19. An officer of the Thirteenth London Territorials describes its share in the advance at the Bois Grenier and Festubert, in the operations, at Richcbourg on May the fourteenth. He says:—“What the official and unofficial reports dismissed in a towlines was to us fifteen and a. half hours’ desperate and bloody fighting. Our battalion was on the extreme, left, and tho pivot of the whole attack. . Wo were the only battalion that succeeded in doing the work allotted to it. The moment our bombardment ceased, we were over tho parapet. Charging right through, we captured three lines of trenches with the bayonet. While two companies were turning the right, the left bayoneted and bombed the Huns back along the trenches for two hundred yards on either side. Then, we settled down to hold the ground. Some regulars should have advanced in the same wav. Their front was connected with us. but they were unable to get through. Meanwhile, we held on against steadily increasing counter-attacks. We stuck to it grimly for eight hours, with guns on both sides carrying on a deafening bombardment, and shells pitching everywhere. Wo suffered a nasty enfilade fire from machine guns, which we were unable to locate, and snipers. We then got a promise of reinforcements. Wo .saw mem approach and lade away, and the Germans advancing in force on tho flanks. Wo were ordered to retire, and had to fight our way through to our trenches across ground raked by a withering cross-fire.” „ . General Bawlinson, commanding the Fourth Army, declared:—‘By your splendid attack and dogged endurance you and your fallen comrades have won imperishable glory for the Thirteenth Battalion. Its feat has been surpassed by no battalion in this great war.”