Second Edition In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 61, 12 July 1915, Page 6

Second Edition In the West.

TjK€. BATTLE..OF FESTUBERT.

SUCCESS AFTER HARD WORK.

United Press Association. (Received 9.30 a.m.) London, July 10. Sir John French, referring to the battle of Festubert states; i,n pursuance of a promise given to General Joffre to support an attack by his troo'ps to be made on May 9 at Arras, - I directed General Haig to attack the trenches at. Ro’ugebank. He found i the position much stronger than anti's cipated,with • more extensive artillery-' 'and it was necessary to > / crush the resistance offered by Humeri’, ous fortified posts. Repeated efforts at progress weVe made on the 9th and 10th, but violent, fire from mai)hine : ' guns from posts on the flanks reuder- , ed the treficlies so difficult to hold that jtfc alltjie units of tile ' Fourth Army Corps had to retire. I sanctioned ; General Haig’S proposal to concen- ?’ trate all our resources upon a southern point, for attack, but misty weather prevented the action being recommenced before the loth, when I placed the Canadian division at Gere- .£•: . ral Haig’s disposal. During the night v ,of the 20th, the Canadians brilliantly seized several trenches, pushing out tjie whole line several hundred \ards, '’'V- and capturing machine-guns. By the *, 24th, the immediate object of the at- '' . tack did not exist, and so I directed Geileral Haig to consolidate on the . ■ ground won. The battle of Festubert resulted in six hundred yards being ?•’»/■ won along a .front of four miles. The enemy suffered very heavy losses. Wo u. captured ten machine-guns and des- - tfoyedva number of others throughout. Thfe Third Army Corps was active. > making-demonstrations in holding the enemy on its front. H' • ENEMY’S PROGRESS REPORT. ■ ~~ , , Times and. Sydney Sun Service. IV.' (Received 11 a.m.) “ ' * Amsterdam, July 11. A German communique states: The ’ British northward of Ypres on Saturday renewed the attack against our positions on the Canal, but were repulsed with considerable enemy losses. The trench we captmed north-west of Beauaejour on, Friday was lost on. Saturday, but it was again stormed and held despite five counter-attacks. Tha ' French attack on our new position at Bols le Pretre collapsed, with heavy, .•enemy The. attack against the German* positions east and south of Sondernach and south-west, of Meuenster were repulsed. Our airmen attacked the pailway at Gerardmer. ■ b ' - OFFICIAL REPORTS. The High Commissioner repots:— London, July 11 (5.35 p.m.). On Saturday evening the British 1 • : ' v an attack which had gained a footing in the first, line. North of Arras the French dislodged the enemy from the poltion of trenches in which the! Germans had maintained themselves in a line they captured on the 9th‘. North of Souehez on Saturday night, a German counter-attack was repelled'. This raornfng, near Alt- • kirch, a Prensh - aeroplane brought ; down a Gerinfin aviator within sight of the French Mines. • . ■ ■ ,