FRANCE & BELGIUM

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144713, 23 June 1915, Page 3

FRANCE & BELGIUM

THE BATTLE OF SOUCHEZ. ENORMOUS FORCES ENGAGED. TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES* % (Received Juno 23, 8 a.m.) LONDON. June 22. The Times’ correspondent says that the fighting at Souchez, which has been progressing lor a month, has reached an intensity entitling it to be called one of tho big battles oi the war. Along a front of six miles tho enemy has forced a concentration of eleven divisions., In tho fighting on both sides a quarter of a million are engaged. Tho French losses have been heavy, but the results more than justify them. Tho bootv exceeds that at tho victory of tho Marne. Ten thousand prisoners have been taken by the French. FIGHTING AT FESTHBERT.

SOME BRITISH GAINS

LONDON. Juno 22. “Eyc-witncss,” doscriihag tho offensive commenting on the loth south of Festubert. says:— Alter a moderately prolonged bombardment we immediately captured tho first line of Gorman‘trendies about a mile in length, the enemy retreating towards Rue. o’.Enfer on the north and Chapellc Saint Roc on the south. Our men then penetrated well behind, the first line, bombing their way literally along tho trendies of tiro second line. German bombing parties made strong counter-attacks. At night our troops withdrew to their original position Tho British assault on the right was prepared by firing a heavily-charged mine, which killed a considerable number who had collected because our artillery fire was less hot on that section.. Many bodies were found.

On the left we took longer to cross “no man's land.” The Germans were able to return to tho ruins of their first lino of defences and open fire on tho infantry stumbling across ground pitted with craters and cumbered by debris and wire entanglements. An artillery officer, however, luckily saw what was happening, and when the Gormans rose to shoot he greeted them .with an unexpected outburst of shrapnel and high explosive shells. , After a further bombardment on Wednesday our troops recaptured some points, tho not gain at I'estubert being a hundred, yards in depth with a three hundred yards’ frontage. In the meanwhile at Ypres we regained a section of tho front lost by a gas attack bn May 21. The Germans constructed tho usual network of defences west of Bollowardo Lake, a projection extending westwards from the Chateau Hooge to the Roulers line. Our infantry rushed tho German first lino on a front of a thousand yards at four o’clock on Wednesday morning, reaching tho lake at some points, though there was no progress on the right near Hooge. Fighting continued all day., At one point tho Germans massed in the ■woods north-east of the lake, hut the advancing infantry were caught by the crossfire of our guns and were, driven bach, leaving a largo number dead. By the evening we had driven them hack to tho German first line, having taken many prisoners. Some Saxon prisoners accused the Prussian artillerymen of firing on their trenches when there was a possibility of the Saxons surrender, ing. s Among.tho acts of gallantry at Festubert, an officer was scon lying on the lip of a miuo crater, whore ho was hidden from the Germans but could be bombed. The space between him and our lines was swept, by rifle-fire, and when ho gave signs of life a “non-com.” under cover of fire from British snipers, crawled out with a rope which he made fast to tho wounded officer, who was slowly dragged to a British trench. The “non-com.’’ stayed behind, his place being continuously bombed, until later he was able to crawl to safety.

FEENCH OFFICIAL EEPOET. PARIS, Juno 23. Official. —The situation at Auras is unchanged. Our air squadron bombarded German aviation parks and set fire tq four hangars, and hit two aeroplanes and a captive balloon. The Germans on tho western outskirts of tile Argonnes violently attacked on Sunday evening with asphyxiating projectiles. Our lines were bout back at some points, two French companies being buried in the wrecked trenches, but an immediate counter-attack enabled us to recover almost tho whole position. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, June 23. The High Commissioner reports under date London June 22, 5,20 p.m:— Fourteen largo shells foil at Dnn,kirk last night and civilians wero killed. The Belgian troops captured a trench south-west of St. Georges. All tho defenders wero killed or made prisoners. North of Arras there was an intense bombardment and several points were attacked during tho night. The enemy was completely repulsed excepting south-west of Souchez where he succeeded in regaining a footing in a trench section.- There wore heavy Glerman losses in the region of the labyrinth. A German counter-attack last evening, east-of Chcmieviercs farm, was chocked by the infantry and artillery. The enemy, used asphyxiating bombs. In Lorraine a fresh attack by the French extended their positions 300 metres northward of the crest east of Eeillon and occupied hills south of Remabois. They easily repulsed a counterattack from Leintrey and another southeast of Parroy taking prisoners. '

In tho valley of. La Focht tho French gains were maintained and they continue to progress. - The French arc beyond Motzeral north and south. In tho region of Soudernaeli they took prisoners and thre.o mitrailleuses.