ANOTHER BRITISH SUCCESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 19

ANOTHER BRITISH SUCCESS.

PARIS, October 15. Important British successes were achieved between Ypres and Loos on Wednesday night. After a most sanguinary temporary check through a German counter-attack, the British, aided by an excellent artillery preparation, attacked north-east of Vermelles, capturing several trenches. RECIPROCAL BOMBARDMENTS. PARIS, October 15. A communique states that there was a violent reciprocal bombardment last night at Loos, north-eastward of Souchez, lively grenade fighting southward of Bois-en-Hache, and an intense cannonade at Lihons. Our batteries energetically replied to the enemy’s concentrated artillery against our positions eastward of Auberive. We checked their violent artillery and machine gun fire before Lemicourt, and we directed a hurricane of fire upon the German works northward of Reillon. There was a violent struggle with trench engines at Chapelotte, Lingekopf, and Barrenkopf. GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS. PARIS, October 15. A communique states ; After a violent bombardment the enemy gained a footing in part of his former trenches east of Auberive. We recaptured the trenches, which the enemy had held since the 9th, north of Reillon. The enemy in the Vosges delivered a violent attack along a five-kilo-metre front from Rehefenen to Hartmans Weillerkopf. They used burning petrol, and succeeded in reoccupying trenches on the summit of Hartmans, but''were repulsed elsewhere. LOST TRENCHES RECAPTURED. SEVERE FIGHTING PROCEEDING. PARIS, October 17. A communique states: We completely repulsed German attacks at Bossenhache, Artois, and on the northern slopes of the Souchez Valley. Trench fighting continues south of the Somme-Libore-Guesnoy-San-terre front, the enemy using “ tear shells, so called because of the effect of the gases upon the eyes. In the Champagne bomb and grenade fighting is proceeding. In the Argonne, north of La Houyette Vanquois, a vigorous counter-, attack enabled us to recapture all the positions on the summit of Hartmanns Weillerkopf, and also to capture the fort. A squadron of our aeroplanes on Saturday bombed the Sablons station and Metz. Numerous hits were observed on the station and a moving train. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. BERLIN, October 16. A communique states : We have again driven the English out of our positions north-east, and east of Vermelles. They now only retain a email portion of the trenches on the western fringe of the gravel quarry. The Saxons east of Auberive captured a French place d’armes, from which an attack could have been made on our positions. We took 300 prisoners and captured several machine guns. GERMAN REPORT CONTRADICTED. LONDON, October 15. Sir John French reports, with reference to the German communique: “ The only change in the situation south of La Bassee Canal is that we have further improved our position in the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and hold all the ground gained on the 13th inst.” MORE REINFORCEMENTS. AMSTERDAM, October 15. The Belgo-Dutch frontier has been closed. Reinforcements are arriving at the Ypres-Arras front. TELLING THE ENEMY. HAVRE, Octobed 15. Belgian aviators raided Zeebrugge and Antwerp, and dropped Belgian flags and newspapers announcing the successes on the west front. GERMAN “ FRIGHTFULNESS.” PARIS, October 15. Since the occupation of Belgium the Prussians, under the orders of their officers, have shot over 5000 civilians. LONDON, October 16. The United States Ambassador has informed the Foreign Office that Edith Cavell, lately head of a training school for nurses at Brussels, was arrested in August and executed on the 13th. It is understood that the charge was of harbouring fugitive British and French soldiers and Belgians of a military age, and assisting them to escape to Belgium to join the colours. ENEMY DEFEATS REPORTED. HEAVY TURKISH LOSSES. PETROGRAD; October 16. A communique states : An artillery duel is developing with great intensity in the Dvinsk region. We carried the village of Gavarantzy, west of Lake Obole, and threw the enemy across the Pripet near Nobel. A flank attack west of Tarnopol threw the Germans back towards the Strypa with heavy losses. We repulsed a strong attack at Haivoronka, the enemy retreating from their trenches in disorder. In the Caucasus the Turks sustained iieavy losses and fled towards Gopak The enemy were driven out of the Wastan Pass, south of Lake Van.

FURTHER SUCCESSES. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. PETROGRAD, October 17. A communique states: The Germans at Dvinsk made several attacks along the Illuxt road and south of Lake Mcdum. We captured a farm between Lakes Demmen and Drisviaty after a desperate fight. Good reports have been received of th® enemy’s very heavy losses in recent fighting around Dvinsk. The enemy’s desperate attacks at Hivoronka, west of Trornbowla, following a hurricane of artillery fire, were repulsed.