LATE WAR NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144714, 24 June 1915, Page 7

LATE WAR NEWS.

ATTACK ON DARDANELLES. LATEST FROM THE FRONT. OUR MEN IN GOOD SPIRITS. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT. (Received Juno 24, 10.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, Juno 21. Captain Roan, in a message from Gaba. Tope on Juno .15, says that, save for a few bomb exploits at Quinn’s Post, fighting has been confined to sniping and artillery duels. Chuf snipers have lately shown a marked superiority, which is daily increasing. Referring to the artillery, he says that in the early days during night attacks the Turks were killed within ten yards of our guns. The gunners sat all night hy the guns and laid with the firing lover in their hands, while others converted them into glorified shotguns with the shell fuses set at zero, and the 'shells burst on leaving the muzzle. Our artillery lias plenty of targets in the sbn.no of mule trains in the distance. Lately he has noticed enemy troops drilling" behind Achi Baba. These arc apparently new recruits. The _ fighting is undoubtedly as difficult a.s in Flanders, but thcro is gradual progress. He says that the F.uropeau sources of information other than Realtor and Mr. Ashmond-Bartlett are untrustworthy. The men, including the New Zealanders, are in splendid spirits, and just now flies aro far more annoying than tho Turks. The sea-beach resembles Manly during a holiday.

AUSTRALIAN CASUALTY LIST

(Received June 21, 1.10 p.ra.)

SYDNEY, Juno 24. The J3icl casualty list includes: Wounded, Captain Shell-shear: killed in action, 124 non-cotmnissioued officers and men, including Lance-Corporal 1, Tansley, Privates L. Edwards, P. Bush, and F. S. Binns, New Zealanders; died of wounds 3, illness 3; wounded, 99, including J. H. Moore and J. Smith, New Zealanders; missing, 104, including J. 11. Cameron, a New Zealander. Disehargcd on furlough _ from hospitals in Great Britain, previously reported wounded, Lieutenant Turner and 31 non-commissioned officers and men, including L. C. "Wood and G- Gusher, New Zealanders. THE COMPLETE FIGURES. (Received June 24, 10.10 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Juno 24. In the House, Air. Jensen stated that, including a list to be issued to-morrow, the casualties total 9617, including 1729 killed or died of wounds or disease, 7138 wounded or missing, 167 ill, 593 missing (including two reported prisoners of war at Constantinople). Of those who had returned, 160 were disciplinary cases, 903 were physically unfit (including 351 cases of venereal disease), and 73 had returned for other reasons. , , , , The total number dispatched was 63,524.

ITALIAN WARSHIPS TO HELP. (Received Juno 24, HAS' a.ra.) COPENHAGEN, Juno 23. Advices from Berlin state that several Italian cruisers and smaller ships have left Taranto with tho object of joining the Anglo-French squadron at the Dardanelles. ' LETTER FROM SIR A. GOD LET. HIGH PRAISE FOE THE TROOPS. (Received June 24, 9.45 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 24. Mr. Pearce quotes extracts from a personal letter from Sir A. Godloy, dated May 7, paying a tribute to the gallantry of the 4th Brigade and tne Otago Battalion, adding: “I am afraid it is impossible to send accurate casualty lists for some time. We are so spread, fighting in companies. Even battalions have to bo pitched into tho. fight immediately wherever wanted. As tho result tho men got very intermingled. At present it is impossible to tell what proportion of tho brave men reported missing have been killed.” The letter concludes with praise of the splendid spirit of tho men. They como out of the trenches exhausted, hungry and harassed, and twelve hours later go back fresh as over, “I can never say,” adds tho general, “how proud I am to have such an excellent, gallant body of men under mo as I have tho honour to command.”

MR. LLOYD GEORGE. PUTS THE POSITION CLEARLY. (Received Juno 24, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, June 23. In concluding his Speech on the Munitions Bill, Air. Lloyd Geqrgo said that they were getting as many skilled engineers as possible back from tho army. If the supply of labour was inadequate compulsion was inevitable. Germany bad prepared for years and remained on tho best terms with everybody, while she accumulated war stores in order to take her neighbours unawares and murder them in their sleep. If that kind of trickery among nations succeeded all basis for international goodwill would crumble to dust. It was essential for the peace of tho world that it should fail, and it was up to us to see that it did fail. It depended more upon Britain than upon anyone.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES. POOR THOUSAND NAMES. (Received June 24, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, June 23. An addendum to Sir John French’s dispatch of April 5 includes four thousand names, occupying 38 pages of the Gazette, recommended for gallantry and distinguished service in the field, including many Canadians, Indians and fifty-eight nurses. The following military honours are announcedGeneral Birdwood has been made a K.C.M.G. Colonel Doughty Wylie and Captain Wollford have been given Victoria Crosses. The latter organised the attack at Sedd-el-Bahr on Colonel Wylie’s death. Both were killed in the rnomenk

Flight-Lieutenants Wilson and Mills, who sot fire to a Zeppelin shod and Zeppelin north of Brussels, have been awarded tho Distinguished Service Cross.

Companions of tho Bath.—-Colonel Chaytor (New Zealand), Colonel Howse (Sydney). . . O.M.G.—Colonel Hayes (Victoria). Royal Red Cross.—Matron Grcavos.

VICTORIA CROSSES. Captain Scrnmgor (Canadian Medical Service), for removing wounded under heavy fire from dressing station at Ypres in April. Ho also carried a wounded officer, and when unable to carry him further remained with the officer under lire until relieved. Lieutenant George Roupcll (East Surreys).—Though several times wounded lie led ids company and repelled a strong Gorman assault at Hill 00. Later, when his company was weakened, ho returned to headquarters, obtained reinforcements, and brought them up under heavy firo and held tho position with magnificent courage. Colour-Sergeant Hall (Canada). — Afortally wounded when bringing in a wounded man under heavy enfilading fire. Lance-Sergeant Belcher, who, with six men, held a trench which luid been Mown to pieces and by rapid firo bluffed tho Gormans into thinking tho trench w as strongly hold, Lance-Corporal Fisher (Canada), for coveiing with a machine-gun a retreating battery at St. Julion. Later Fisher was killed while covering the advance of supports. Private Mariner (King’s Rifles). — Loft tlie trenches near Cnmbrin and crept up to the Gorman entanglements, readied the emplacement of a machinegun, which was hindering onr working parties. He climbed to the top of the German parapet and threw a bomb under the roof of the gun emplacement. Tho enemy fled, but returned. .Mariner threw a second bomb and crawled hack to the trench. GERMAN SPY SHOT. (Received June 24, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON. Jnno 23. The Press Bureau states that Muller was shot in tho Tower of London this morning. Rosenthal will bo tried by courtmartial. A WHEAT SHIP TORPEDOED. (Received June 24, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 23. The steamer Timissian, bound from Afontrenl to Hull with a cargo of wlioat, was run aground at Pnkofleld after being torpedoed. Tho crew is safe. A STEAMER TORPEDOED. (Received Juno 24, 11.16 a.m.) LONDON. Juno 33. Tito steamer Belgrade was torpedoed off Pembrokeshire and towed to Broadhaven bottom upwards. The crew are missing. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. (Received Juno 24, noon.) PARIS, Juno 23. A communique states; lf We repulsed counter-attacks -near tho cemetery at Neiivillo and the labyrinth. Wo recaptured a fresh position of the second German line at Calonne. Tho enemy at Foutonolle and Bandesapt, after firing four thousand shells in a few hours on ono of our advanced works, on a 200-metro front, gained a footing and attacked tho neighbouring trenches, but wore immediately checked by a brilliant counter-attack. Wo recovered almost tho whole of the lost ground, taking 142 prisoners, including three officers. We occupied Sondernach and reached the slopes to the eastward of the village. POPE’S STATEMENT CRITICISED. TOO FAVOURABLE TO GERMANY. (Received June 24, noon,)

PARIS, June 23. The Pope’s speech has caused a great sensation in France. The Journal dos Debate says: “The Popo shows too much humility in renouncing the right to judge Germany’s crimes.’’ Le Temps says: “The Popes easy acceptance of Germany’s explanation does not prepare him for tho role of mediator to which his children aspire.”

BELGIAN PAPER INCREDULOUS.

(Received June 24, 10.20 a.m.) HAVRE, June 23. A Belgian Catholic newspaper, owing to the Pope’s reported references to Cardinal Meroier, believes thot tho interview never occurred, and emphasises Cardinal Mercior’s own affirmations. It quotes the official report of-the massacre of 49 Belgian priests. , THE CAPTURE OF LEMBERG! WILD ENTHUSIASM IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. THE SULTAN ALSO DELIGHTED. (Received June 24, 2.25 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, June 23. Tho second Austrian Aimy recaptured Lemberg after violent lighting. There was a great outburst of joy throughout Germany and Austria. Tho capitals were beflaggecl and the Kaiser and the Emperor Franz Josef exchanged congratulations. Tho Sultan also expressed satisfaction. Tho Kaiser created the Archduke Frederick a Prussian Field-Marshal to mark tho occasion. Austrian war correspondents admit that tho Russians fought magnificently and retreated .eastward in perfect order. The Austrians did not find any booty and took few prisoners. A LOAN TO FRANCE. (Received June 24, 0 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 23. France has arranged for a fifty million dollars (£10,000,000) 5 per cent, loan, with a currency of a year, ■with Morgan and Co. and Rothschilds’ Paris branch, on the security of high-grade American railway' bonds. NEW APPEAL FOR MEN. (Received Juno 24, 10.50 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Juno 24. In tho House, Mr. Fisher stated that Britain had appealed for more men, with or without equipment, within the .R»i forti-cigkl kcura.

AN AUSTRALIAN WAR LOAN. (Received J uno 24, U 0 p.m.) AIELBOURNE, Juno 24. Air. Fisher states that be considers Australia should issue a war loan similar to tho British loan. NEW AUSTRALIAN FORCE. OF 12,000 AIEN (Received Juno 24, 9.45 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Juno 24. It is stated that, in view of Air. Pearce’s statement that every man is wanted, tho Commonwealth will probably shortly raise an additional contingent consisting of throe infantry brigades, one from Now South Wales, another from Victoria, and a third amongst tho remaining States. PROSPECTS OF SHELL-MAKING. (Received Juno 24, 11.15 a.m.) AIELBOURNE, Juno 24. Tho first report of tho Munitions Committee states that ninny firms are capable of producing shells and bodies onco they aro furnished with specifications, and that still moro difficulty is anticipated in the manufacture of high explosive shells, owing to the greater need for reliability. It is anticipated that the Work Committee may expand and become a large, department, tho functions of which aro at present not fulfilled by tho naval and military branches. NEW RECRUITING SCHEME. (Received June 24. 11.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 24. In the Assembly, Mr. Holman announced a recruiting scheme in tho House involving tho co-operation of the Members of tho House. Asked to endeavour to relax tho censorship in order to get fuller news to stimulate recruiting. Air, Holman replied that ho teas not prepared either to take or suggest action to obtain an alteration. He was inclined to think that tho censorship had been most beneficial. Mr. Hall announced that tho wheat shortage was 2i million bushels.