TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 30

TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT.

LONDON, October 4. An artillery officer stated that for every yard of trench four shells must have fallen within five minutes. Each shell had a radius of destruction of 20 yards. A.fterwards the guns were switched to longer ranges, their business being to search the enemy’s supports. The second bombardment lasted half an hour. The German artillery was surprised and overpowered, and made a feeble reply. Our men carried the first trench with ease, the second with some loss, and then turned their attention to the trench forts. At noon they had accomplished the set task and had a fine bag of prisoners. REPORT FROM HIGH COMMISSIONER. The High Commissioner reports, under date London, October 4 (0.55 a.m.): In Artois we progressed, capturing a blockhouse and some entrenchments south of Givenchy. There has been a general bombardment south of the Somme and in the Champagne, and the Argonne. A squadron of French aviators bombarded this morning the station, bridge, and military buildings at Luxemburg. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. BERLIN, October 4. A communique states : Monitors bombarded Westende. The English abandoned their attempts to recapture the ground north of Loos, after bitter fighting and heavy losses. There has been hand-grenade fighting at Souchez, Neuville, Lemesnil, and Ville Sur Lourte Tombe. We forced a French airship in Alsace to descend, and the crew were made prisoners. ENEMY COUNTER ATTACKS. PARIS, October 3. A communique states : Between Souchez and Givenchy Wood the enemy’s four attempts to retake by bombing portions oi their lost trenches were everywhere repulsed. The enemy bombarded part of our reserve trenches in the Suippes Valley, stall using asphyxiating shells. We silenced several of the enemy’s batteries. CLOSE TO GERMAN SECOND LINE LONDON, October 3. A French official report states: In the last battles in the Champagne we established ourselves in close proximity to the second German lino on a 12-kilometre front.