WESTERN PROGRESS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9077, 23 June 1915, Page 7

WESTERN PROGRESS

GERMAN TRENCHES FULL OF CORPSES

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. PARIS. June 21. A communique states: —We have carried further trenches, and are now approaching the north-west of SouchezIn Lorraine, near Reillon, we followed up tour advantage and captured all the enemy’s forts and trenches along a front of 1500 yards. The enemy s counter-attack was dispersed. Our scouts have advanced close to Chazclles, Goudrexou. anti Les Remabois, the enemy having abandoned the territory. All the German trenches were full of corpses. . . In the region of Be Bonhomme* we carried by assault the spur ot Calvairo Ju Bonhomme, and reached the outskirts of Lc Bonhonune. We have advanced beyond the cemetery of Metzeral- Hand-to-hand lighting continues to the south-west* where wo gained ground and captured 150 prisoners. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT The High Commissioner reports;— LONDON, June 21, 6.0 p.m. In the sector north of Arras, the French progressed towards Souchez, taking several trenches approaching north-west of the village. There was an artillery duel all night. Near Dompierre, west of Peronne, an enemy attack, preceded by the explosion of mine chambers, was stopped dead by artillery and infantry fire. ■ Un the heights of the Meuse, on the sector of a trench at Catenae, the French maintained all yesterday’s gams, despite a counter-attack of extreme violence at four in the morning. In Lorraine, near Reillon, the French pursued their advantages; all the first lino of the enemy was taken on a front of 1500 metres. At the end of the day a strong enemy column essayed a counter-attack and was dispersed. French reconnaissances reached the proximity of Chazelles, Gondrexon and Les Remabois, the enemy having abandoned the battleground. All the German communication trenches which the French occupied were full of corpses. About twenty prisoners were taken. In the region of Bonhomme, the French took, by as-, sault, a spur to the east, of Calvaire du Bonhomme and.progressed to the, nearest .slopes, reaching the borders of the village of Bonhomme. In tie* valley of La Fecht they are still progressing, having passed the cemetery at Metzeral. There has .been hand-to-hand fighting south-west, where they also gained ground and took, one hundred and fifty prisoners, including four officers. CLAIMS OF A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE (Received June 22, 7.40 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, June 22. A German communique claims that the Germans repulsed attacks at Souchez, but admit that they withdrew before a superior force at Goudrezon. and evacuated Metzeral according to a prearranged plan. THE OFFENSIVE ‘SOUTH OF FESTUBERT (Received June 22, 11 p.m.) LONDON, June 22. “Eye-Witness,” describing the offensive commencing on the fifteenth south of Festubert, states that after a moderately prolonged bombardment, the Allies immediately captured the first line of German trenches about a mile in length, the enemy retreating towards Rue d’Onvert on the north of Chapelle and Saint Rocs on the south. - “Our men then penetrated well behind the first'lino bombing their way literally along the trenches to the second line. German bombing parties made strong counter-attacks. At night our troops withdrew to their original position. The British assault on the right was prepared by the firing of a heavilycharged mine which killed a considerable number who had collected because our artillery fire was less hot in that section. Many bodies were found.” (Received June 22, X a.m.) LONDON, June 22. “Eye-Witness” continues: —“On the left, we took longer to cross No Man’s Land. The Gormans were able to return to the ruins of their first line of defences and open fire on the infantry stumbling across the ground pittedj with craters, and cumber a w.th debris and wife entanglements. An artillery officer, however, luckily saw what was happening, and when the Germans rose to shoot they were greeted with an unexpected outburst of shrapnel and high explosive shells. . i “After a further bombardment on Wednesday our troops recaptured some points, the net gain at Festubert being one hundred yards depth on a three hundred yards frontage. (Meanwhile, at Ypres, we regained a .section of the front lost by the gas attack on the twenty-fourth of May. The Germans had constructed their usual network of defences west of Bellewarde Lake, the projection extending westwards from the Chateau Hooge to the Roulers line. Our infantry rushed the German first line on a front of one thousand yards al four o’clock on Wednesday motmifg, reaching the lake a; some pom>». xhougn there was no progress on the right near Hooge.” “Eye-Witness” adds: ‘(Fighting continued during the day. At one point the Germans were massed in the woods north-east of the lake, but the advancing infantry were caught by the cross-fire of our guns, and were driven back leaving a large number of dead. By the evening we had them driven back'to the German first line, having taken many prisoners. “Some Saxon prisoners accused the Prussian artillerymen of firing on their trenches when there was a possibility of the Saxons surrendering. , “Among the acts of gallantry at Festubert was-the case of an officer who was seen lying limp in a mine crater wh&re he was hidden from the Germans, but could be bombed. The space between him and our lines was swept by nflofire When he gave signs of life, a non-com., under cover of the fire of British snipers, crawled out, with a rope, which was made fast to the wounded officer, who was slowly dragged to the British trench. The non-com. stayed behind, his place being continuously bombed until later, when he was able to crawl to safety.” FRENCH LINE BENT ASCERTAIN POINTS The High Commissioner reports:- Juno 22. 3.35 a.m., In the sector north of Arras French squadrons bombarded the enemy’s aviation parks and set fire to four hangars, and struck two machines and a captive balloon'. , „ On the western borders of the Argonne the Germans on Sunday night delivered a violent local attack prepared by an intense bombardment with |, ent po j ntS) two companies being buried in the de.stroyed_trenches. By an immediate counter-attack almost the whole of the former French position was reconquered. • , , At Calonne the French repulsed German counter-attacks and enlargeo their earlier gains. . , ... ~ In Lorraine the reconnaissance parties, keeping m contact with the enemy, reached the works west of Gondrexon and found them unoccupied. The Germans in retiring stopped at the trenches south of Ijemtrey. Progress corftinued in Alsace, the French having captured the cemetery of Metzeral and also gained possession of the railway station and then earned the Following a* hot'combat the line was pushed five hundred metres beyond the outskirts. . . , ' The actions yielded numerous prisoners.