In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 299, 16 December 1914, Page 5

In the West.

A CURIOUS POSITION.

ARMIES BACK TO BACK.

TIMM AND SYDNEY StlN SIBVIOM. (Received 8 a.m.) London, December 15.

The disposition of the forces defending Verdun is most curious. The second and thirl French armies are back-to-back, and thus oppose two German forces in opposite directions along the sides of the St. Mihiel pocket mouth, which stretches from Fresnes to Thiancourt. - .

GERMAN SPY SYSTEM CHECKED.

Times and Sydney Sun Sbbviom. (Received 8 a.m.) London, December 15. The growing frequency of German aeroplane flights indicates that the enemy's spy system has broken down in consequence of special French efforts.

DIRTY GERMAN DOGS.

COWARDLY TREATMENT OF BRITISH PRISONERS.

Timbi and Sydney Sun Sbbvioii. (Received 8 a.m.) London, December 15.

An, escapee from the German camp at Wesel reports that special favors are granted to French and Belgian prisoners, i while the British are given the most menial duties and are also ill-treated. The'Germans make, signs of cutting their throats, and endeavour to teach the French and Belgians to say: "God punish England" and "English are swine."

IN NORTHERN FRANCE.

MORE FIERCE FIGHTING.

ALLIES POSITION IMPROVED.

United Peess Association. (Received 8.45 a.m.)

London, December 15

The Press Bureau states that after a period of quiet, fighting has recommenced in Northern France. The Allies made a combined attack on Monday at a line from Hollebeke to Wyteschaete and captured several trenches and a number of prisoners, and made substantial progress. ■An eye-witness relates that the wea. ther has been very wet though it did not seriously affect operations. A l-eport:—We. have considerably improved our ■ situation generally. Our artillery on the eighth put German field guns out of action and ignited the railway station, some rolling stock being destroyed, and a chimney which was being used for observation. In spite of high winds the aviators made several valuable reconnaisances.

Referring to the censorship, it is considered better to preserve a tantalising reticence than to satisfy curio>sity and risk endangering national success.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

(Received 8.45 a.m.) London, December 15

< Three hundred postal clerks and sorters have been sent to France to assist with the Christmas mails. There have been a stream of parcels flowing to the front for several weeks, and the work is growing enormously.

ALLIES AVIATORS' GOOD WORK.

(Received 8.45 a.m.) . Paris, December 15

A French aviator ignited a German train at Pagny-sur-Moselle.' Another aviator saw some Germans trying submarines on the Bruges Canal.

PROCRESS REPORTED.

Paris, December 15.

A communique states: The British captured a small wood west of Wyteschaete. We retained the ground won on the Ypres canal west of Hollebeke, notwithstanding a vigorous counterattack. We progressed at Argonne. The enemy violently bombarded Saint Leonard and south Saint Die. The enemy's artillery in Alsace is very active, but we held our ground except at Steinbach where the German infantry gained a footing.

COWARDS OUTWITTED.

GERMANS SHELTER BEHIND LITTLE CHILDREN.

(Received 12.40 p.m.) ■ Paris, December 15

The Germans at Vermelles collected women and children at a school, wherein they placed machine guns. The French commander was in a dilemma as he had been ordered to assault the village, and feared to injure the children in» the school yard. Fortunately one of the attackers noticed a deaf mute conversing with the child, ren on his fingers, and the soldiers were able to attract the mute's attention. Speaking on their ringers they directed him to push the children umder cover. Meanwhile ten sharpshooters picked off the German machine gunners, and a few minutes later Vermelles was taken at the bayonet point.

GENERAL.

Paris, December 15

During the fighting at Dixmude a company of French bluejackets was surrounded. The majority were killed. The survivors surrendered, with their officer. The German officers demanded to be shown a safe passage across the Yser. The French officer, led the way to the Dixmude bridge,

where the French had a strong force. The prisoners shouted to their comrades, "We are captured!" The German officer attacked the French officer, but the latter shot him, and the detachment escaped to the French lines, covered by their comrades' tire. The officer has been decorated. London, December 15.

Press correspondents in the north of France who expect a general advance by the Allies shortly point out that the situation Is fraught with danger to the civil population in the towns occupied by the enemy. The sympathies of the civilians will very likely lead to attempts to assist the Allies, and as a result probably the Germans will be compelled to resort to severe measures.

The Daily Chronicle's co-respondent at Dunkirk says that the weakening of the German cannonade and infantry demonstrations is noticeable in Flanders. The enemy has abandoned many trenches. A constant re-shuffl-ing is apparent behind the enemy's lines.

Some native troops from the Belgian Congo co-operated in the repulse of the attack on the Yser. . Amsterdam, December 15.

An important concentration of German troops near Courtrai is interpreted as an indication that the recent plans for an advance on Calais have ibeen abandoned in favor of an attempt ito break the Allies' lines further inland.

The Germans round Bruges are being hurriedly transferred to the interior of Belgium. The German authorities at Thielt announce that anybody carrying arms in East Flanders after the 15th will be summarily shot.

The whole of the public and his. torical buildings at Ghent have been mined.

Paris, December 15. Official: We progressed on the Ypres Canal, and west of Hbllebeke. We repulsed several violent counterattacks. The German, offensive northwest of Cernay was repulsed. Havre, December 15.

Official: The German Governor of Belgium has summoned the provincial Councils to take steps for the payment of the war levy of fourteen millions sterling.