FRANCE 4 BELGIUM

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144666, 28 April 1915, Page 3

FRANCE 4 BELGIUM

GENERAL GERMAN ATTACK. ALLIES HOLDING OUT WELL. LONDON, April 27. Sir John French reports that severe fighting north-east of Ypres still continues, the general situation remaining unchanged. The British left flank, in readjusting its lino to moot the altered conditions due to the original forced.retirement of the French was compelled to face north extending west beyond St. Julicn. This extension weakened the lino temporarily, and, after a gallant resistance by the Canadians against superior numbers. St. Julien was captured hy the enemy. Onr line is now running south of that place. Our trooms east of Ypres bore the brunt of repeated heavy attacks, which they stubbornly opposed throughout tho’ battlo in an entirely unexpected situation, demanding the exercise of gallantry in the men and quick resource in the officers. The Germans attacked yesterday the cast of Ypres salient, but in spite o', the use of asphyxiating gases they were repulsed. Officers and men wore captured. There were heavy German casualties during tho last three days, the British losses also being heavy. The Gennan wireless report that four English heavy guns were captured is untrue. PARIS. March 27. Official. —The Allies made marked progress norli/ of Ypres on the left lighting front, where they have driven back the enemy, inflicting heavy losses. The Germans again employed asphyxiating gases, but the Belgians and French devised means of protection, with the best results. The Germans, after an extremely fierce bombardment, succeeded in sotting foot on tlie summit of Hartmanns Weilcrkopf. V.’o occupy the position a hundred metres from the summit, from whence wo attacked on March 25.

FURTHER DETAILS. .GERMAN SUPPLY OF POISONOUS GAS. DUNKIRK, April 26. The battle for Calais continues to rage fiercely. The Germans brought up largo reinforcements, at least a hundred thousand, to the fighting line, and made repeated efforts to break through between Boesingho and Zuydschoote. It is untrue the Germans captured many guns. Thirty were abandoned by the French in the marshes and remain between the lines, tho French artillery frustrating tho German efforts to capture them. It is believed tho Gormans have the largest concentration of artillery in the present war. including 16in. guns and 17in. howitzers. The Allies rocrossed the Vs or. marching on Bixsehonto. Despite tho terrible fighting the enthusiasm of the roiiiforccing troops is irresistible. The French push forward chanting ‘'The -Marseillaise.”

The Zouaves greatly distinguished themselves at tho rapture of L-zcnic. A narrow river channel adjoining the village had been lost and retaken several times. Tho bodies of Germans were piled a yard high. The accumulation of corpses is unequalled since the bloody battle of Dixmudo in November. Tho Germans already have suffered ten thousand casualties.

The French and Belgians began a combined counter-atlaek between Pilkom and St. .1 illicit on Sunday night. They aro still fighting. Prisoners state that prior to Thursday’s attack the German officers told tho men that tho lines wore very weak and that it was easy to get to Paris. They made the men swear they never would surrender. When the Gormans first saw the result of the asphyxiation they thought immediate victory was in their hands. Tho prisoners add that tho Germans were preparing for the asphyxiation for three weeks. They laid a pipe-lino from the rear of tho trenches to convey the chlorine to metal cylinders planted in tho front trenches. It was intended to plant the cylinders all along the Belgian, French and British front whero an attack was contemplated, hut tho British attack on Hill 60 prevented the completion of tho plan. Most of the observers agree that a greenish-grey irridesccnt vapour preceded Thursday’s attack. Victims state that men, dressed diver-like, used yardlong generators to which a hose was attached. Others sprayed the earth with fluid, afterwards igniting it. A third method was the use of explosive shells, containing blinding chemicals. Many rescued victims have since died. Tho Canadians’ chief claim to distinction was that they held on in dofianco of every tactical rule. They were left fully exposed by the French retirement. Tho men in the rear trenches were forced to faco about. They were thus assailed in the front- and rear, and also enfiladed, yet they resisted for hours and made many prisoners. Finally they retired in good order, conforming to the new alignment.

Wounded men state that during the retirement the Canadians left tho wounded behind. After tho counterattack they found that all had been bayonetted to death. They took terrible revenge—they made only two prisoners. A Canadian states that the Gormans continuously shelled tho dressing station, despite tho Red Cross flag. They were 48 hours without food, some for 72 hours, ’nicy lost tho bulk of their officers. The stations aro full of wounded. It was a fine sight to soo the Indian and French lancers. Crowds of British troops were proceeding to hold the position tho Canadians won.

A GERMAN REPORT

BERLIN. April 27. Official.—We still hold Lizerhe, and have captured forty-four guns. Wo. continued the attack north-west of Ziilebeke, capturing over 1000 Canadians, tho total prisoners being over <SOOO. GERMANS REPEATING OLD TACTICS. TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES. (Received April 2S, S -a.m.) LONDON, Abril 27.. The Times’ military correspondent says the magnet calls and still lures the Germans to face the. hated English. There is no proof that the Germans’ old plan of campaign has been changed. Troops are coming in from ail parts of Germany, They will hiiye cause to regret if they fail to send every man -who can be-spared, and-the AUies-wiU

have cause to rejoice if the Germans come on in force. . There is reason to hope for a German onset in Flanders, yet we hardly allow ourselves the gratification of believing that it is coming. FIGHTING FROM YSER TO THE SEA. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SEE VICES. (Received April 2S, 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. The Times’ correspondent in the north of France soys that the mines which blew tip Hill 60 started a conflagration from Yprcs tp the sea. There is fierce fighting and the thunder of many guns along the whole line. The Germans have been long preparing to recapture Hill 60 as an essential preliminary to a general advance. THE FRONTIERS CLOSED. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received April 28, 8 n.m.) LONDON. April 27. The German authorities are keeping the frontiers of Germany and Belgium closed and there are no mails from Belgium or Germany to Holland. For several days the Belgians have been expecting the gravest developments. ■BURNING SULPHUR EMPLOYED. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received April 28, S a.m.) LONDON. April 27. It is believed that the asphyxiation was due to the Gormans feeding wood fires with sulphur. GERMAN PRECAUTIONS AGAINST GASES. (Received April SS, 9.5 a.m.) PARIS, April 27. Many Gorman prisoners possessed cotton wads, and state they inserted them in their nostrils when they charged through the gas fumes. SIR JOHN FRENCH’S REPORT.

ALLIES TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. (Received April 28, 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. Sir John French reports:—We repulsed all the attacks north-east of Yprcs and took the offensive and progressed towards Si. Julies, There have been successful air raids on tho railway stations and junctions at Tourcoing,' Roubaix, Ingelmn'nster, Staden, Langeraarek, Thiclt and Roulcrs. We took the offensive yesterday afternoon. the French co-operating on tho left, and retook Hot Sas. on the Vser Canal. Our artillery took full advantage' of several opportunities of inflicting severe casualties. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT, (RoceTvcd April 23, 9.5 a.m.) PARIS, April 27. A communique slates: Wo consolidated our positions north of Vpres and on the Meuse heights. Wo recaptured Hartmanns Weilerkopf and took prisoners. OFFICERS’ CASUALTIES. 'WELLINGTON, April 2S. The High Commissioner reports under dare London, April 27 :—Army casualties: Ten officers killed, 27 wounded. CHARITY SWINDLES IN FRANCE. PARIS. April 27. Astounding results have followed the investigations of wav charities. . Out. of 147 societies in the Department of Seine seventy-six were fraudulent, whereof thirty-live have been founded by shady financiers, most of whom have served terms of imprisonment. One society w as installed in a German house and controlled by a secretary who had eleven times been imprisoned. There aro several eases of Austrians and Germans who had escaped the concentration camps acting as presidents with false titles. Two women.who were penniless before the war are making £4O per day. Another,is earning £BO daily by moans of a spurious agency which purports to trace missing soldiers. The .societies have sold goods at exorbitant prices, which the customers bought believing tho profits were to be devoted to charities.. Some employed aghnts to collect subscriptions from house to house. Several of these agents received commissions averaging 120 s daily.

A tailor going to the front gave his stock of clothing to charitable purposes. Tho tailor met tho founder of the society wearing one of the gift suits. HIGH COMM ISSioN'RH’S REPORT. WF/LLINGT’ON. April 28i The High Commissioner reports under date London, April 27. (10.50 a.in.): On the Polangen littoral, Kurland, on Sunday an enemy cruiser bombardoi two villages without result. At dawn on Sunday a Zeppelin discharged several bombs on the town of Bielsto-k without damage. In the Carpathians on Saturday the Russians successfully repiilsbd enemy attacks on the heights of Pqlcij in tho direction of Stry. On ■'Saturday and Sunday a desperate battle was begun and still continues. The Black Sea fleet on Sunday bombarded the Bbsphorus forts. ' Groat explosions wore observed iu one fort-. A Turkish battleship in tho Straits made a futile reply to tho Russian fire. On Sunday.the Belgian infantry replied throe German attacks south of Dixmude. The Germans, who were us■ing asphyxiating gases, suffered heavy loss. , The enemy's artillery was active, but the Belgians replied with success, their strong firo proving useful to the French, who attacked Lizerne, wresting it from the enemy, into whose hands it had fallen on Sunday. Sir John French reports that yesterday the German attacks north-east of Ypres.were repulsed and in the afternoon tho British took the offensive and made progress near St. J alien and west of that place. The French co-operated bn the left and further north retook Hethars. In tho course of yesterday’s fighting the artillery took full advantage of several opportunities of inflicting severe "casualties on. tile enemy. The Canadian casualties w'ere:— Officers killed 20, wounded ■ 58 ;, men killed 10, wounded 43. British casualties: Men killed 86, wounded 137, pris-oners-35.