THE WESTERN FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16508, 7 October 1915, Page 5

THE WESTERN FRONT

GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. AMSTERDAM, October 5. A German'communique states: We , repulsed British grenade attacks north of Loos with heavy enemy losses. We recaptured portion of the trenches held by the French north-east of Givenchy. Our artillery in the Champagne prevented a French advance. THE LOOS BATTLEFIELD. MASS OF DOCUMENTS TAKEN. GERMAN ARMY FILLED WITH FOREBODING. 1 LONDON, October 5. A vivid picture of the Loos battlefield, is given by Mr Philip Gibbs in the Daily ' Chronicle.. Ho writes: , "I went to-day to the centre of the great battlefield,, where heavy fighting was still going on. I stood near the famous Loos redoubt. A little distance away, looming grim and gaunt against the grey sky, rose ,the tall steel columns of the mining works. I can hardly put into words a picture of the scenes through which I passed.and the dreadful aspect of • the battlefields upon which the sun shone with splashes of light through the stormclouds and the turmoil of war. In the „ . background thousands of men were moving

in steady columns forwards and backwards in the- queer, tangled way they do in battle; Passing over the parapets I saw \ the whole panorama of the battleground. It is but an ugly, naked plain, rising to Hulluch and Haisnes on the north, and falling to Loos on the east, rising again i to Hill 70. I saw two men clad in khaki, v carrying a German gas cylinder across open ground, "whistling as they passed the German trenches. The-dead are still heaped about them, 'A MASS OF HORROR. v , Down: below in' the town of Loos they / were digging # out the dead from, deep cellars, removing them for burial, and piling ■up German, helmets, letters, weapons, and a great store of booty. One warning must be written. We,made a successful advance, but there for the present it ends, . »nd people at Home will, be bitterly disappointed if they expect to read of the capture of a town every time they sit down to breakfast. We achieved a magnificent success, but the way is still far ' to go before the end comes." Vast. convoys of transports choked the roads, with trains of motor ambulances packed with wounded men and infantry plodding through slush and slime. The' heroes of-the, battle passed and repassed in dense masses arid small battalions. Legions of tall lads, who a few months ago marched' in smart trim down English lanes, trudged under a burden of heavy packs, their smartness soiled by war, but splendid because of their hardiness and endurance. It is a long walk through the narrow trenches towards Loos redoubt, and the , ' < SMELL OF DEATH ' is in the narrow winding ways. Soldiers killed at the . entrance way knelt with head ) bent as though in prayer. The booty included a big bronze bell used in the German trenches to signal a British attack. But, best of all, apart from the guns, is an enormous mass of documents taken in Loos and the trenches. They reveal.the mentality of the German army, and are very curious. -• An instructive letter was one by a German girl writing to her sweetheart and complaining that all the young manhood of the country had gone. The 1916 recruits had been called to the colours, and the 1917, and 1918 classes registered ; so every ■ boy in the Fatherland is on the roll call. . A sense of depression fills most of the documents, and shows that half the German army is filled with foreboding. * * : GENERAL MARCHAND. AWARDED THE WAR CROSS. (Times and Sydney .Sun Services.) ■ ' LONDON, October 5. General March'and has been awarded the War Cross, an order of the day stating that he inspired his men with unconquerable determination, and was followed anywhere by them. JL SNIPER'S FATE. / LONDON, October 5. A correspondent the front describes how a notorious stalwart German sniper ■ met his fate. One of our . volunteer, listeners, in vicinity of the enemy's trenches concealed himself at night in a large shell crater. The German entered, rt, approached ' within v two yards of the listener, and peered through the darkness. i He was immediately bayoneted, and died without uttering a sound. The listener crept back to our lines, bringing the sniper's rifle; with him. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE, PARIS, October 5. A communique states: Our artillery north of Verdun hit a train,' causing a violent explosion. A French aeroplane squadron dropped SO bombs on the Biaches. railway station, near Peronne (Oiso-Aisne region).

FIRST OBJECTIVE ATTAINED. GREAT SACRIFICES FOR. GREAT ENDS. >(Times and Sydney Sun Services.), LONDON, October 5. (Received Oct. 6, at 5.5 p.m.) Colonel Repington says that it may be stated,generally that the first objective of 'the British in the north and the French in Artois and the Champagne has been attained. ' The accounts from the- Champagne suggest that only a'small part of ' the French armies attacked. The second phase -will begin when the offensive is continued. In the interval gains will be secured and time will be allowed for the German reserves to become exhausted in the customary counter-attacks. Great sacrifices aTe necessary to gain great ends, and particularly necessary when Germany is displaying lassitude and gloom owing to the prolonged and terrible losses. We must demonstrate emphatically our power not only to maintain the strength of otir tToops but continually to place new forces in the field until the arms of our vila enemy drop out of their hands. . AMONG THE KILLED. LONDON, October 6. i (Received Oct. 6, at 11.30 p.m.) Lord Crichton-Stuart, Unionist M.I?, for Cardiff, and Air Rudyard Kipling's- only son, John, aged 17, who was delicate but persuaded Lord Roberts to nominate him for the Irish Guards, have both been killed in action.

A 1 NEW APPOINTMENT. LONDON, October 6. (Received Oct. 6, at 11.30 p.m.) . Major-general Sir Archibald James Murray has been appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff. [Major-general .Sir A. J. Murray served in Zjjluland in 1888, and in the South African war. He was dangerously wounded in the latter, several; tiihes mentioned in despatches, and received the Queen's Medal. 5 clasps; the King's medal, 2 clasps, and D.S.O. _ From -1907-12 he was Director of the Military Training Headquarters, and from 1912-14 Inspector of Infantry.]