GREAT ARTILLERY DUEL
From end to end of the Western battle front, 500 miles in extent, thousands of great guns are incessantly roaring as the greatest artillery duel in all history proceeds between the rival armies.
For seven days the French and British guns never ceased to rain fire on the enemy’s trenches, which at parts of the line have suffered very serious damage. The bombardment seem to have reached its highest pitch of intensity on the Yser, in the vicinity of Arras, and in the Argonne.
A statement in the Paris “Temps” reveals German’s desperate need and her no less desperate resolve to fight to the bitter end. It is stated that all men up to 60 are to be called up for military service. At the outset of the war the Kaiser’s Chancellor said Germany would at need arm every dog and cat in the Empire. The “cat and dog” stage is now apparently approaching.
TAKING THE TURKS IN REAR.
Chief interest in the Gallipoli operations centres in the fighting which has followed the landing of the new force at Suvla Bay. A report from General Sir Ian Hamilton is of a highly satisfactory nature, and shows that in the fierce fighting which has marked the advance of this force success has again attended the British attack.
The object of the new landing is to take the Turks in the rear, whilst the remainder of our forces on the peninsula keep the enemy occupied in front of Achi Baba, the strongly defended peak nearer the entrance to the Straits, and so cut off the Turkish Army from Constantinople.
The Suvla force has achieved an important success by capturing a hill which dominates the Turkish line of communications.
LAMENTABLE AIR TRAGEDY.
The Paris “Petit Journal” records a touching tragedy of the air, the heroes being two English aviators. After risking a fall in the German lines the English monoplane came down among the French. It was the lamentable spectacle of an aeroplane accident, with apparently two dead bodies under the shapeless mass.
After a time it was noticed that the pilot still breathed, and as he was being carried away he began to show further signs of life, and was heard to whisper, “I am blind. Never mind; bring Major X to me. before I was blinded I saw all that was wanted.” The major was fetched, and the heroic pilot told him he had successfully accomplished his mission, after which, at a height of 4,500 feet, shells suddenly began to burst all round him, killing his companion, as he thought, and depriving himself of sight.
Discouraged, he let go the levers, when he heard his look-out feebly cry to him to rise quickly. “I thought they had killed you,” cried the pilot. “I am blind.” The look-out, in a still feebler voice, continued, “Rise to the right and come down after. We are now over the German lines.” The voice suddenly stopped, but, following the directions, the pilot returned alone in the darkness, his comrade having in reality breathed his last.
RUSSIA’S STRUGGLE.
The neighbourhood of Riga is the centre of chief interest at the moment in view of the Petrograd admission of the German success near Friedrichstadt, to the south-east of the port. The menace to Russia’s chief Baltic port will be still more serious if there is truth in the German claim, which comes, however, via Copenhagen, that they are in possession of the Gulf, owing to the evacuation by the Russians of the sentinel island of Dago at the entrance.
From Copenhagen also comes a report of a declaration by the President of the Duma that Russia is prepared to fight ten years if necessary, and, if needs be, to give up Petrograd and Moscow.
ZEPPELINS VISIT ENGLAND.
Three Zeppelins visited the Eastern Counties on Tuesday night and bombs were dropped. Official details of the raid show that ten persons were killed, and 43 injured, whilst three missing are believed to be buried in the debris of wrecked houses. All the casualties were to civilians except one – a soldier wounded.
Anti-aircraft guns were in action. Aeroplanes went up, but were unable to locate the airships. Fifteen small dwelling-houses were demolished or seriously damaged and a large number of doors, windows, &c., were broken. Several fires were caused, but were promptly extinguished. There was no other serious damage.
THE CZAR HEADS HIS ARMY.
The Czar, in accordance with the tradition of the rulers of Russia, has gone to the front to place himself at the head of his valiant armies. General Joffre – the Allies’ Generalissimo – has been on a visit to the Italian front, and in conference with King Victor Emmanuel and General Cadorna. Along the Western front violent artillery engagements are maintained. This has been the stat of affairs for a fortnight.
BRITISH AVIATORS DROP BOMBS.
In co-operation with the British naval air service the French airmen on Wednesday bombarded the aviation sheds at Ostend. One of our air squadrons also dropped some sixty shells on the aviation ground at Saint Medard and on the railway station at Dieuze.
