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| The Daily Mirror reports the Germans' use of 'asphyxiating gas' in the trenches around Ypres, details some of the gains made by the Allies on the Western Front and provides the latest war news from around the world. |
Berlin claims Yser Canal is forced and 1,600 prisoners taken
Allies advance in big counter-attack - 'French troops had to retire overwhelmed by fumes,' says Sir J French
By using asphyxiating gas fumes the Germans north of Ypres have forced back French troops to the Yser Canal near Boesinghe.
Though Berlin claims sweeping successes in the fighting that ensued, Sir John French last night reported that 'our front remains intact except on the extreme left' and the French communiqué states that the enemy's surprise attack 'has had no grave consequences'.
Berlin's claim is that the Germans forced a passage across the Yser Canal, that Langemarck and three other places were captured, and that 1,600 French and British prisoners with 30 guns fell into German hands.
Even in the short time at their disposal the Allies have retaliated and a vigorous counter-attack has developed successfully.
An official telegram from Berlin says: 'The Admiralty Staff states that recently the German High Sea Fleet has repeatedly been cruising in the North Sea, and has advanced into English waters, without meeting any British naval force.'
The bombardment of the Dardanelles forts has been resumed, and the transports of the Expeditionary Force have arrived in the Gulf of Saros.
Sir J French Reports that British Had to Re-adjust Line to New Front
Sir John French last night communicated the following, dated yesterday: Yesterday (Thursday) evening the enemy developed an attack on the French troops on our left in the neighbourhood of Bixschoote and Langemarck, on the north east of Ypres salient. This attack was preceded by a heavy bombardment, the enemy at the same time making use of a large number of appliances for the production of asphyxiating gases. The quantity produced indicates long and deliberate preparation for the employment of devices contrary to the terms of the Hague Convention, to which the enemy subscribed.
The false statement made by the Germans a week ago to the effect that we were using such gases is now explained. It was obviously an effort to neutralise criticism in advance.
During the night the French had to retire from the gas zone, overwhelmed by the fumes. They have fallen back to the canal in the neighbourhood of Boesinghe.
Our front remains intact except on the extreme left where the troops have had to readjust their line in order to conform with the new French line. Two attacks were delivered during the night on our trenches east of Ypres and were repulsed.
Fighting still continues in the region north of Ypres.
This (Friday) morning one of our aviators, during the course of a reconnaissance which he completed successfully, damaged a German aeroplane and forced it to descend. Our Flying Corps also brought down another German machine about Messines.
Amsterdam, April 23: The following official telegram has been received from Berlin: 'A report from main headquarters dated April 23: Where at some places the French have penetrated our advanced trenches, but have been partly driven out again, hand-to-hand fighting still continues. Embermenil, west of Avricourt, which we recently occupied, was yesterday set on fire by the French bombardment and evacuated by our vanguard.' (Reuters)
Paris, April 2: Tonight's official communiqué says: In Belgium the surprise caused by the asphyxiating bombs used by the Germans to the north of Ypres has had no grave consequences. Our counter-attack, vigorously supported by the British troops on our right and also by the Belgian troops on our left, was developed with success.
The Anglo-French troops gained ground towards the north between Steenstraate and the Ypres-Poelcapelle road.
Our Allies took prisoners belonging to three different regiments.
In Champagne, at Beausejour, we demolished an enemy gun protected by a casemate which was enfilading our trenches.
On the heights of the Meuse, the enemy essayed three attacks at the Calonne trench at Les Eparges and near Combre. These were immediately stopped.
In the forest of Apremont, at the Cow's Head, our progress was continued. We found in the captured trenches about 200 German dead.
Our artillery blew up two ammunition depots and a company of German infantry in the vicinity was almost entirely annihilated.
We captured a trench mortar, a machine gun and some material. (Reuters)
Paris, April 23: This afternoon's official communiqué says: Yesterday evening there were fairly lively engagements in Belgium. In the bend of the Yser, to the north of Dixmude, the Belgian troops repulsed an attack directed against the Chateau of Vicoghe and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy.
To the north of Ypres the Germans, by employing a large quantity of asphyxiating bombs, the effect of which was felt for a distance of a mile and a quarter behind our lines, succeeded in forcing us to retire.
In the direction of the Yser Canal, towards the west, and in the direction of Ypres, towards the south, the enemy's attack was held up. A vigorous counter-attack enabled us to regain ground, making many prisoners.
In Ailly Wood, near St Mihiel, by an attack to the east and west of the position previously captured, we took 700 yards of trenches and made about 100 prisoners, including three officers. (Reuters)
Sir John French's Cheerful Report of Ypres Triumph - Air Hero's Raid on Ghent
Sir John French's bi-weekly report, dated Thursday and issued yesterday, is as follows: German attacks on Hill 60 just west of Zwarteleen, which had stopped at the time of my communiqué on Monday, have since been renewed several times. These attacks have all failed, and for the time being they have ceased.
We hold the entire crest of the hill and so deny its use to the enemy who attach great importance to it. There is not, and never has been, any truth in the statement published in the German official communiqué that the enemy had re-captured the position. During the course of the operations the enemy fired shells of 17-inch diameter into Ypres.
On Wednesday, in the neighbourhood of La Bassee, the enemy exploded two mines opposite our right. They failed to damage our trenches.
Having discovered German mining operations in the neighbourhood of La Touquet, near Armentières, we forestalled their efforts this (Thursday) morning by exploding a mine, which we had prepared there.
On Monday one of our airmen carried out a very bold and successful single-handed attack on an airship shed near Ghent. He had to run the gauntlet of the fire directed from a captive balloon, as well as from the ground, in order to attack his objective. In spite of this he descended to within 200ft and effected his object, causing a large explosion in the shed.
Transports with Expeditionary Force Arrive In Gulf of Saros - Turkish Panic
Athens, April 22: Information from Greek sources states that there has been a resumption of operations in the Dardanelles. A section of the Allied fleet is lying off Enos, and a number of transports are in the Gulf of Saros. A bombardment of the Dardanelles forts by Allied warships took place both yesterday and today. (Central News)
Sofia, April 23: Two British warships appeared off Dedeagatch yesterday and saluted the Bulgarian flag.
Refugees from Turkish Thrace, who have arrived in Bulgaria, state that panic reigns among the inhabitants along the whole Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea, owing to the bombardment of Enos. They also report that the Allies have again landed troops at Enos, and that the garrison has been withdrawn. (Reuters)
Petrograd, April 23: A dispatch from the Headquarters Staff of the Commander-in-Chief says: In the direction of Lutovisk we made successful progress, capturing a portion of the enemy trenches on Hill 1,001 to the north east of Lubnia. We took prisoners seven officers and over 200 rank and file.
During the night of April 21-22 the enemy took the offensive on the front Lubnia Bukowetz Stanki, but the movement failed everywhere, the enemy being repulsed with enormous losses. On the rest of the front there was intermittent artillery fire.
To sum up, nothing of great consequence happened during the day, and the position remains unchanged. (Reuters)
A thrilling story of his escape from a German submarine in the North Sea was told yesterday on his arrival at Grimsby by Captain J Hines, of the trawler St Lawrence. The Germans, he said, attacked the trawler with shell fire, which was continued for two hours.
Seeing that the pirates intended to destroy the trawler, Captain Hines launched his small boat, and seven of the crew got into it under the fire of the Germans. Two other men, the third hand and deckhand who had gone below to get life belts jumped overboard to swim to the boat. The submarine commander refused to allow the boat to pick up the two men, and they were drowned.
When the boat got clear the Germans blew up the trawler with bombs. A Blyth (Northumberland) fisherman yesterday reported that when five miles out at sea he saw a Zeppelin flying high towards the coast. About 20 minutes later he saw the airship returning seaward.
Shells that Gave Queen Elizabeth Her Baptism of Fire at Dardanelles
(From a Special Correspondent)
Eastern Mediterranean, April. The importance of Malta cannot be over-estimated. Both the English and French fleets and transports are based on it - over 100 French ships and an even larger number of British.
We left Malta on Friday, April 2, in the oil-tank steamer Sunik, under ideal conditions but on Monday morning we ran into a storm of wind and rain, which continued for three days and nights. Many of our merchant captains and their crews have never traversed the waters of the Mediterranean: its currents, changing weather conditions, its lights and the innumerable islands of the archipelago are a new field of discovery to them.
Amazing as it may seem the charts are also old and very inaccurate, all of which adds to the difficulty of correct navigation.
But we are a Fleet messenger, under orders to arrive at our destination without delay; the same blood and spirit of enterprise of the Elizabethan era courses through the veins of the officers and men, and we press on, groping our way blindly and risking bumps with the archipelago.
After dawn next day we sight two little black dots a long way to port, and the captain pronounces them to be trawlers. When they come up we can make out on the tiny bridges two figures covered in oilskins, but nevertheless drenched through and looking like drowned rats.
They are two young sub lieutenants, not out of their teens who have been placed in charge of these trawlers to take them to the Dardanelles. For the last 48 hours they have been swept fore and aft by the huge waves, and their officers have not been able to leave the bridge. But both are cheerful and happy and perfectly frank. They hail us through the megaphone: 'We are quite lost, haven't an idea where we are. Where are you bound for - can we follow you in?'
Our captain gives our destination, which I am not allowed to do, and once more we get under way. Now we round a bend and come in sight of a portion of the Fleet.
The first sight which greets our eyes are the fighting-tops of the mighty Queen Elizabeth, the most powerful warship afloat in any waters. Her huge body is hidden by some low-lying land. Shades of Nelson! But suddenly we see a destroyer, dashing her way towards us and flying the French flag. We give our number and the destroyer retires satisfied and we make our way slowly in.
A pinnace takes me across to the Queen Elizabeth to visit the admiral. This, the latest of our super Dreadnoughts, is a revelation. She only carries eight great 15-inch guns, and a secondary armament of six-inches. But those eight make every other gun you have ever seen look ridiculous and contemptible.
The gunners say they can almost land on a penny at 15,000 yards even with three-quarter charges.
The great ship has in turn received her baptism of fire, and has been struck by three shells, one of which came through the gun-team, but fortunately all the midshipmen were at their stations, and no one was hurt. Another came through her unprotected side, high up but burst without doing any damage. The third, I think, hit her funnel.
A short distance from the Queen Elizabeth lies the dreadnought cruiser Inflexible. This ship has seen more fighting in the war than almost any other vessel in the Fleet.
Published on BBC History: 2002-01-01
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