GENERAL JOFFRE'S VISIT TO LONDON

Otago Witness, Issue 3216, 3 November 1915, Page 17

GENERAL JOFFRE'S VISIT TO LONDON

A BIG) SCHEME AFOOT

IMPORTANT FRENCH SUCCESS. ADVANCE IN CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT. PARIS, October 25. A communique states ; We achieved an important success in the Champagne, capturing the so-called Courtine work, north of Mesnil les Hurlus, 1200 metres long and 250 metres deep, forming a salient before the enemy's second line, and comprising intensely strong trenches and - tunnels, despite a desperate German defence. We held the whole work at the end of the day, after fierce fighting. The enemy’s losses were serious, and they left 200 prisoners, belonging to three different regiments. October 26. A communique states: We repulsed a very violent counter-attack at Courtine, and remain in possession, except a portion of the trenches in the centre. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. AMSTERDAM, October 25. A German communique states : We immediately ejected the enemy who had penetrated our positions north-east of Souchez. Enemy airmen unsuccessfully bombed Ostend, also the railway station at Noyon. During an aerial fight a German shot down a British biplane westward of St, Quentin, both pilot and observer being killed. German airmen attacked with good results the British camp at Abbeville at the mouth of the Somme River, and also bombed Verdun. BRITISH ADVANCE AT HULLUCH. A TEST OF ENDURANCE. LONDON, October 25. A correspondent with the British headquarters writes; “Our capture of Kernal and the Hohenzollern redoubt and the maintenance of the ground won has had a most tangible effect. Our attack on October 13 was another triumph of tenacity. The British infantry attack was launched at two o’clock, after a severe bombardment of gas. The enormous strength of the German first-line fortress was then revealed. Despite our heavy artillery preparation, our men were met with a violent cross-fire from machine-guns; yet they made a brilliant advance. While our centre streamed into the main trench and redoubt, the right and left wings hurled themselves into the communication trenches. The men were over-impetuous in these wing attacks, and were compelled to give ground under the German machine-gun fire. They took shelter in innumerable shell-holes with which the redoubt was pock-marked. “ The struggle resolved itself into a test of endurance and combats between bombing parties. While some, under cover of smoke bombs, consolidated the position at Kernal, others forced a way up the trenches stretching out in the centre. Bombs were continually used in large numbers. Our • losses in this arm were heavy, but the enemy’s were greater. “ This sort of confused fighting puts a premium on personal initiative and coolness. I have heard few finer stories than that of a colonel, shot in the knee, being discovered sitting up in a wrapper and a rug directing the fight. The struggle for the Hohenzollern redoubt was only an episode in a huge whole. The fact that we have maintained and even slightly increased our initial success in the face of strong German positions and repeated heavy -shelling is encouraging.” AT HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT. LONDON, October 25. Reuter’s correspondent at headquarters, describing a visit to the Hohenzollern redoubt, says: “ The debris from fighting was everywhere—broken rifles, bloodsoaked clothes, bayonets, and innumerable articles of equipment. On the ground from the redoubt to the old British lines lie the bodies of many of our brave men; they must be recovered by stealth. Burial parties file out and bring them back one by one. A cross, with the name on it, is erected at the graves for identification after the Avar. Reaching a point within 30 yards of the German trenches, and using a periscope, I saw heaps of German bodies, many half-buried in ruined trenches. Within the past Aveek we nibbled several pieces of the enemy’s line, tending to improve our position,”

CHECK TO EQUAL THAT OF THE MARNE

IN THE DVINSK REGION. ACCURACY OF RUSSIAN GUNFIRE. PETROGRAD, October 25. The Novoe Vremya states that thera are 80,000 Germans now on the Dvinsk front, between Illutz and Leisniaty. They liave already lost over 40,000 men. They have an immense weight of artillery, but their officers’ letters remark on the power and accuracy of the Russian gunfire. October 26. A communique states : We repulsed fiv* determined attacks south of the Ikskul railway, on the left bank of the Dvina. During the sixth the Germans entered one of our works, but we cut up the majority and took the remainder prisoners. The enemy pressed us at one point ia the Komarova district, but reinforcement* saved the situation. GERMAN PRISONERS. LONDON, October 25. The Daily Telegraph’s Petrograd correspondent writes ; “ Nothing like the full tale of the prisoners taken has been told in the communiques. Later information shows that 7500 Germans were taken ai Baranovitchi (east of Slonim) on October 20 and 21, besides 6000 more in the operations astride the Kovel-Kieff railway. This haul of prisoners recalls the palmy days of the Galician campaign. Without over-indulging in optimism, it is undeniable that recent events encourage hopes of an early and decisive turn in the tide on the Russian front. GERMAN REPORTS. AMSTERDAM, October 25. A German communique states : Tha Russians who forced a landing near Dome Ness (southern headland of the Gulf of Riga) returned to their vessel before tha approach of the Germans. We ejected the enemy from positions north-west of Dvinsk, and stormed Hlutz, taking 3000 prisoners. October 26. A German communique states : We repulsed Russian attacks south-east of Riga. Our weak forces which crosses the Ilukst withdrew to the . western bank before superior enemy forces. Russian attacks north of Lake Drisviaty were unsuccessful. The Austrians, west of Komarev, on sc 42-g-kilometres front, penetrated the enemy positions. General von Koevess has reached the line from Lanzarevac to North Arangelover and Rahova. General von Gallwitz stormed and captured Livadsea Ziboari, and advanced to the Presedna height, south of Peterovar. We occupied th* heights west and north-west of Kuchevo. BRITISH OFFICER LOSSES. LONDON", October 26. For the fortnight ended 11th inst., British officer losses were : —Killed 383, wounded 646, missing 107; including Major-generals Thesiger and Capper, two colonels, and two lieutenant-colonels dead, two brigadier-generals wounded and one missing. The losses of officers since the beginning of the war total 5559 killed, 11,Ho wounded, and 1536 missing.