REPORT FROM SIR JOHN FRENCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 29

REPORT FROM S IR JOHN FRENCH.

SEVERE FIGHTING ON ""^ en ®v O' ober 2. Sir Join- P-eiuh reports Giat several German t’r- .its occurred ! Wednesday north west oT 1 • ••••.Inch There was severe fighting nil Jjq hmg. We main-

talneil all our position except on the

extreme left, where the Germans gained 150 yards of our trench. We firmly consolidated our position. The hostile counter-attacks have now weakened. The Germans fired a mine on Wednesday afternoon near Hooge, gaining a footing on our front line southward of the Menin road. By counter-attacks on Thursday we recovered all except a small portion of a trench. The situation on the British front on Friday was unchanged. Our aircraft last week were active. Out of 17 air combats there was only one in which a British machine was worsted. We brought down a Taube inside our lines. On Thursday our airmen attacked and damaged the main railway lines at 15 places, and partially wrecked five and probably six trains. They set fire to the locomotive sheds at Valenciennes and caused considerable interference with the railway organisation. October 3. Sir John French reports that we delivered a counter attack on Friday night and secured our objective, which was two German trenches southward of Fosse, which the enemy recaptured on the 26th ult. There are no other incidents on our front. BOMBARDMENT OF ZEEBRUGGE. RESULTS CAREFULLY CONCEALED. AMSTERDAM, October 1. Some wounded from Zeebrugge have arrived at Bruges. The results of the bombardment are carefully concealed, and Zeebrugge is isolated. The soldiers in the neighboux’hood are unaware of recent developments. October 3. The Germans recently shut off Zeebrugge, not only to hide the results of the bombardment, but to conceal the calamity. On Saturday, while the coast was plunged in total darkness for the protection of aviators and trains between Heyst and Zeebrugge were without lights, the authorities -opened a bridge to passing ships. A tramcar, the officials on which were unaware of this fact, ran into a canal with 40 German officers and 188 soldiers on board. The majority of them were drowned. PRISONERS ARRIVE IN BRITAIN. LONDON, October 2. A large number of the Germans who were made prisoners in the recent offensive have arrived. PARIS PRESS MORE CONFIDENT. LONDON, October 1. The Paris press is more confident in tone that the Allies will pierce the western front. The main difficulty is the acres of stout barbed wire, which is frequently electrified. The French are now firing cutters from rifles with good effect.