DRIVING 'EM BACK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11207, 13 October 1914, Page 1

DRIVING 'EM BACK.

BRITISH AND FRENCH. IN BATTLE FORMATION. GERMANS OUT-MANOIIIYRED. SMART WOK ON THE SOMME. (Received October 13, 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 12. Renter's Paris correspondent says that provincial newspapers give details of the operations at Roye and Lassigny from September 24. The German right rested successively »t Peronne, Albert, Baupaume and Arras, but found it impossible to go beyond owing to the plains in loweE Flanders leaving'no hills or valleys to provide natural defences. The Germans on September 28 accordingly commenced numerous coun-ter-attacks in the hope of piercing the Allies' line, the heaviest fighting being between Amiens and Peronne. On October 1 the French from Boye functioned at Mericourt with British jeicforcements, the Allies forming three divisions, having a large quantity of artillery to cover their crossing of the Somme. Meanwhile the bulk of the .Germans were awaiting the Allies before Bray. The Allies decided to attempt - tho

crossing on a front extending ore three and a half miles between Vaire and Mericourt, where the ground is swampy, wooded and easy to defend. ! The Germans, however, did not believe that the Allies would cross at this J point and neglected to fortify the position; . At ten o'clock the French three-inch guns opened fire on Mericourt, and the Germans replied vigorously, but the Allied infantry, swerving westward, descended the Somme towards Cortice., At midday the troops, wading through the bogs and marshes, began the crossing by means of rafts and frail canvas boats, and one regiment crossed by means of a'rope stretched between the two banks. ! The cavalry crossed by a ford. at Sailly, three divisions crossing in forty minutes. •Before the enemy discovered the movement the Allies were in battle formation, marching to assault Bray, while the infantry attacked to the westThe cavalry then captured the enemy's eastern position, the artillery at Mericourt continuing the cannonade. Finally to trumpet calls the whole line of infantry, with colours flying, advanced to the assault. A great shout arose as the tricolours were seen waving on the crest of the hill, the Germans retreating north, wards. The French cavalry near Albert charged, the enemy, obliging them to abandon guns and retreat unchecked I until Baupaume was reached. The " Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent states that during last week the Allies fought four battles. The most important, that at Lille, was begun on Sunday, and ended at nightfall on Friday. At the outset the Germans were reinforced by a strong force from -Belgium, mainly cavalry. But the French were not cuught napping, Th© German lino 3tret-cbed from Ar«

mentiores, Roubaix, Croix to the out- 1 skirts of Lille, where there was heavy i lighting at close quarters, the Germans j sometimes entering the suburbs. j The fight ""as renewed on Tuesday, when the Germans were reinforced. Though now outnumbered', they had a preponderance of artillery. It is believed that many German guns were'sent to Antwerp. Further reinforcements, however, enabled the Germans to continue the battle well into the night, but by dawn the result was certain. By Friday the Germans had been thrown back a dozen miles. Meanwhile a battle was being fouglit j at Lens, where the Germans also lacked | artillery and showed no desire, to await bayonet attacks. Their losses were much greater than those of the French. Jhese fights mad'e a gap in the German line, which extended to within ten miles of St Omer 3 the cleared stretch of country reaching to St' Meuen, over the Belgian frontier, necessitating preparation for a retreat along the valley of the Scheldt and the Lya.