1917-06-07 — Page 2

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INTIMATIONS

TER BONGKONG DAILY PRESS. THURSDAY, JUNE 7TH 1917.

A VICTROLA

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Marte XX

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THE

TEL. 686,

ADVANCING ON LENS. BRITISH PROGRESS THROUGH MAZE OF REDOUBTS HUN DESTRUCTIVENESS,

FROM THE MORNING POST'S

*COREESPONDENT]

*~ British Frost, April 18th, Leng is an insceure bastion of the waver ing German front line. The British infantry have taken the coalfields west of it, and rest to-day at the edge of the For the moment the enemy is throwing the weight of his troops against

town

scuro his grip on Lens Every sing heap, every group of red-roofed miners cottages, every colliery, from. masa of aver turned, rusting waggons to the window doza double-fronted house of

of the mine mannger, every pile of refuse had its

cam and peaceful. A keen west wind had driven away the mist, and in the clear" sunshine every tool and deserted street in the valley of mines and villages could be seen distinctly Scarcely a gun broke the silence until the British batteries von

OUR LAUGHING ARMY. Some of us had just returned, from six days leave and we were exchanging ex- periences over the barrack-room fire,

Frankly, we had been somewhat dis-

valno for defence, and the the enemy redoubts that still, held up our appointed in our expectations-those

of trenches engulfed them

the slopes above began a harassing fire on. infantry mudden among the houses

AT WORK

INCENDIARIES The tower of Lens Cathedral stood out sharp and white above the grey roofs of the town whenever the wind swept away the shoke that rolled up from the mass of burning buildings near the market-place The Hun was still at work. As I watched

the

hill the signals of his of flame

of passing from

glowing expectations which for many. months brightened the monotony of drill and lightened the labour of fatigues.

For a long time no one would voice his disappointment, but its influence per mented the atmosphere and acted as a drag on the cheery gossip

I don't care what you say," exclaim- ed a red-faced Yorkshiresun suddenly. If I were offered my discharge this

Lens itself, bilf sheltered in a hollow by the Souchez River now in floud--lies from a mile and a half to three miles fum the old British front, which swings round it from north to south-west. The Curian network of defences confronting us is continuous through all the inter vening ground right to the edge of the town. The whole countryside is so ing to check our advance until the guns villages, each having a mine-head and stores of this great garrison have contre, that it appears to be one vast been removed and the destruction of the straggling town running haphazard this

We tried to laugh sceptically, but the mines has been completed. There is no way and that over slightly rolling

remark had cleared the air. these Thare's something the matter with the singlitest doubt of his being forced to ground, with here and there a few rist give up Lens, for the entire client of his brown fields, broken by a broad white

Fugme. Yorkshire. It's all right at home original line enclosing the coalfields south belt of trenches.

of Livin and the

in twos, at intervals perhaps homa always is all right--but when, you of Bethune became a position of extreme ergo into the

might also trace Heming shafts of Avion, the dreary streets of fifteen minutes. Cho peril when Vimy Ridge was lost, began on Friday afternoon to yield to of Angres reach almost to those of Living his backyard progress among the cinder go to look up your friends it's like going falling back from Givenchy, and it seem possible to walk from the heaps and mineshafts by the upward khaki, tell you I was glad to get back Our

trench German fire trenches of their deserted unfolding of the dense black curtains and the two villages

sty Innus defimces desperately endeavour thickly covered with separate collier of Our beavy smoke spurted high minute I wouldn't take 1:

system around Levy, and the

great fountains above the red roofs of the villages on the north-Saints Emilie and Theodore and Elizabeth. He was blowing up the mines, I have never seen gigantic volcanoes suddenly singly

The towers of Lens the lighting of by the Civvies, continued the man from

Ard to a funeral. There's no fun out of

British infantry in the mass of buildings which to barracks.

revealed when the singke drifted followed the German rearguard throut leaving the shadow of the houses. were Not a sign of sign of life could corporal dashed into the room. his face.

BACH SUBURB A HASTION.

the tangle of colliery buildings, dump It was a position so strung, so well and groups

ps of deserted minors cottages up to the last defences of Lens itself, protected by the multitude of mines, that There they shelter to day in drizzling rain an army of assault might have perished

beyand THE WOOK OF HATE.

away

The

.༥,

The door was flung open and a young wrinkled and curved with merriment and his open mouth emitting yells of laug ter I say, you chaps, he blurted out, you ought to see the sergeant-major. Her's shipped down in a snow puddle

nice new clothes. ummy pressing.

The room rang with infectious laugh- ter, and, with a start, I realised what I had missed in my leave; it was the hearty laughter of the healthy, care-free man. Like the blunt Yorkshireman, 1 streets, in the trains, in my old office, and in the club I missed the merry laugh.

A strong rearguard detachment still the apption of Lens. A scare the battle front, with the shells of the was all right at home, but out in the

WAS D

I could look down ho seen anywhere. empty streets where the grass was auront ing between the pavement stones and into the windows of deserted houses, and in country crowded there was not a From tint first streets of the empty town, llaga sprests, and save access to the signs and the British army

that lie only a few hundred yards place of Jens Trenchcs ran through the with villages and towns of vanishing just as he was going on parade in hia

between the houses. soul save f with the smoke of many fires blackening the lenden sky above and the constant front lines and tunnels linked up one forward in pursuit, eliatter of machine guns hidden in recesses vinder heap with another Machine Of all the thousands of people whose of the ruined buildings hey

gunners could stick on the sheltered sides homes were there not one remained. The of the tall

pyramidal piles of refuse and population of Lens, after living for more shower

with bullets Enchilian two years almost on the threshold of lurks in the excellent cover of Bouser of saints are commemorated in these opposing armies singing overhead, had behind the temporary barrier word grimy little hamlets-Emilie, Elizabeth been evacuated on the eve of this retreat, Been moving along the roads, we our Laurent, and Edouard are the northern They went, so I was told today by an shells sought them out and sent them outposts guarding the Bothne road and eye-witness of this mouraful pilgrimage

It may lie we laugh so much in the currying among the cinder heups, your Lons approaches; Theodore, Jeanne with only what possessions they were working as well as fighting, for the 'Are, and Anne barred our progress on carry on their backs, turned ont of their Army that normal laughter seems to us homes at a few hours notice, old men, a poor imitation of the real thing. As shock of niany heavy expisidna rattled the west the window-frames of Lievin and brought Had the defenses been stormed as Loos women, and children marching alike I am writing, now & core of soldiers are down broken bricks in the disused colliery

was stormed, the breached front-line between Bies of mounted eld gendarmen preparing to plant potatoes in a patch blow plants. Pioneers continued to

system, nearly a quarter of a mile in to one of the concentration derous behind of ground between the buts, and the ring the mines, all the eastern roads in depth, would have brought us to this new, the new German lines

of their spades, mingles with the ready joke and the merry laugh. Half a dozen craters, and throw down groups of rubbish as is being destroyed as redoubts, und behind it there would still During the night there were occasional more are larking in the sunshine. jogs so as to fill the streets with tons of barrier, with its clusters of command

retain wide, equally strong grou of machine-gun duels, and a few prisoners An officer gove past smiling at some horoughly as possible. Whatever true in the encircling Lens 118011-ere taken from advanced. posta in the secret joke or pleasant reflection. Our tures survive, when the British troops veritable wilderness of machine guns, western suburbs of Lens This morning professional "grouser" is lifting up

only hidden occupy the town will have escaped only

pitfalls,

and death-traps, a rabbit we drew near the city on the north voice to high heaven over a broken basin, because the Hun had no time to finish, the warren teeming with avenues of attack through the mining suburbs of St. Theo but there is humour is his voice wher work begun on Friday. He has boasted and alleyways of escape concrete cham dore and St. Emilie, clearing out a num-ever I turn I see jovality--and faces that he intends to leave the coal country bers in minera cottages and gardens and her of anipers posts. Our machine-gun-ready to smile. of Northern France a desert, without

mecres, look-outs nesting in the bent iron mers did most effective work, raking stick or stone to give shelter to his frame work of colliery towers. The easy German trenches parallel to the Bothume Yes the Army is all right. All the enemies, and the emissaries chosen for

progress of our advance guard through road just outside Lens, one gun account misery scems to be in multi. It is not this work of hate laboured steadily in this labyrinth reveals the broken spirit of ing for more than 100 men who were the effect of the war that is making you their sodden clothes to-day.

By Staff may

its evicted tenants lodged in a communication alley-way, doleful civilians it is the look of good Whatever fears the German Stalf have had of the British advance beyond They went slowly and sullenly back and was were eaught by enflade fire comradeship. You have not yet found a thrusting forward during the common hond as we have found it. You keep intact their front round Lens, They line from Taevin, through the straight

of your next-door neighbour. You do planted hundreds of guns among the narrow streets of that former German two-thirds of a mile of the village of collieries and spent incalculable labour in frontier village, firing at random from Acheville, south east of Lens, thus making not know your own qualities for com system which house corners, occasionally bating the it a great crescent with its northern horn panionship. You all require inoculating rfecting he

the pre with the humour of the Army. There in enclosed sprin

the CannaVAN TAK JAaching Kunstsna close contact with

pivot of the German Ridge the Germans ratififiged beers, English, and Trish, who wore towards Denn now being in all the theatres or music halla of

a footing on itu lignes Canadians,

The line the

the enemy after them.⠀⠀ pressing steadily and not until this, too, was lost,

EXEECTIVE MACHINE GUN WORK

his

Array, they were firmly determined to from the uncleared dugouts of their front Patront, the British line within do not understand the splendid qualities.

A PHONE 29.

my retain

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195

AIDE DE CAMP

CIGARETTES-

SOLD EVERYWHERE.

ground

Highest

the

for a brief angry outburst.resting new008 Crassiemet more real joy in one barrack-room than

The first hours of this gradual

the B

with the Bois-en-Hache, on the oppowers unbroken by the tumult of battle rough

side of the Boucher

hez River, did they begin hurried preparations to evacuate the bustle of their impending doparture could not be hidden from the watchful eyes looking down from the heights of Vimy When 20,000 grenades were thrown into quent explosien was itself sufficient warn ing of their fitting, and this was but one of many upheavals witnessed while their

the old front line.

the

German

holding

Londen,

·D:

western coalfield skirts, the sweep

of Lens and swings around the What is the use of winning the war f Meticaurt ache lose laughter is not a difficult vile, and Francs. Thus user want to get we, de lanildren and an oldies will So quickly had the crisis come to the stern side of along the road to Douai and Oignies in into Lens. All the troops who have help-show yoit the way. the night of Friday without pausing to ed to hold the British front in the coal- complete their final effort of destruction. fields and they are comparatively few Loos and the notorious Double Crassier Only the rearguard machine gunners and that have not been in the trenches around mobilising all available explosives re-

the wained to do what burning and blowing of its occupation, and those dwelling in quiet parts of the line are envious of ameng the up might be posible in the scanty time r maining. smoke of the first fare their comrades now

of well fires streaked the sky above Vimy cinder heaps

realis their two days ago, and our outposts could hear

one mine shaft near Lovin, the subs pioneers expert mcendiaries hurried at some time or other--are talking day

HASTY A curious little incident marked the

Liévio.

in

HONGKONG POLICE RESERVE.

POLICE SCHOOL, 5,45 P.M. Thursday, June 7th Class 14 (Inspector

Gerrard).

final day of their occupation. Towards the dull roar of successivo barata of dream of 8000 luck. Lens has been a Friday, June 8th-Class 12 (Inspector

PIZTEGE

the evening of Friday a British aeroplane

had been cireling above the mining hamlets behind it was seen to drop slowly into the German lines and settle in an open field Watchers on the ridge thought it had been winged by Ger man shrapnel and forced to alight. Thuy waited for the observer and pilot to leave the machine before ordering our see the ahell it, and wero puzzled to occuparts of the aeroplane calmly walk round it, leisurely surveying their sur roundings and stamping their numbed feet with no sign of perturbation. No German saldiers arrived to take them prisoners. Quite soon it was realised that they were alone. The enemy had slipped quictly away from that part of his line, and the aeroplane had volum tarily descended to complete the work it had begun aloft.

aird colliery building Toss of dwellings

DEMOLISHING THE MINE WORKINGS. Feverish efforts were made to destroy Lievin. The 83rd Pioneer Battalion received orders to blow up the great Liévin eraseier and demolish the mine workings, and they laboured throughout

little stoves, blankets lay in the wooden conta

the

Tatter many days for the dwellers in and with happy. Tired the red chilly wire the rain and wind that beat on them incessantly after a

achay

of glorious sun shine, but they are really happy.

among

the burning

cause 18 InstASL

Grant). Monday, June 11

June 11th Class 13 (Inspector

PARADES, 5.45.EM. Thursday, June 7th No. 1 Section and

No. 2 Platoon Friday, June 8th-No. 3 Company. Alan

Recruits of all Companies. There will be no parades during wook commencing blonday, June 11th.

(gd) F. O. JENEIN,

D.B.P. (R).

DISCOVERY IN INDIA."

now forming the south-west division of the lieutenant-governorship of Bengal, in

THE SPIRIT OF VICTORY. spirit of the men who are lying in the rain round the burning city of Lene to night is the spirit of victory, and it will take them far beyond the destroyed explosives, which was suplemented by coalfields of France. You will find it all all the odd stores they could find in the along the front where our infantry, homb depots. They threw in every avail having punislied and broken seven divi- able hand grenade, even clips of carsions of the enemy, now face saven fresh ridges, and made one great pile which divisions with equanimity. You will find INVOKING THE KAISER IN INDIA. detonated during the nights. They it in other side of the picture.

Look ab wrecked as many dug outs as possible, but The Prussions hidden they could not make a thorough these stout fortifications. The German embers of Lens are men steeped in the

Natives of Orissa, where German mis engineers built not wisely but too wall, dregs of despair They have been haled and in many places the charges hurriedly out of hiding places among the collieries, thrust into

did but wet, miserable objects, too heaten down by sionaries have worked for many years, underground galleries

the weight of defeat to show their teeth were discovered invoking the Kaiser 28 The Hun had gone, and that night he little damage.

native deity to assist in the overthrow he groups of in the traditional hatred of mined the gro went still further. Our patrols began As they hastily

Fule (says an Australian co pushing into his deserted fret line houses, some of the bridges group the or to beast of phantom victory English of British rule (says an Befóru four o'clock in the afternoon they Lens Canal and the Souchez Hiver were The ronds that lead to the cast are full temporary) an ancient kingdom of India,

Orissa is night with many much discouraged men wore along his trail, which was strewn sent flying into the air before the British with abandoned equipment Whole advance guard was able to come up with in groy, arching away from the land groups of dug-onts were still habitable them. I believe, however, that the they sought to conquer. They may halt Many remained exactly as the inmates destruction accomplished in the colliery and fight again, but there is no Lope in all about half the size of England. From left them. Fires still smouldered in the area immediately behind the German their heavy hearts, and they know their about the middle of the sixth century B.C to the latter part of the fifth century is much less than anticipated.

A.D.

the kingdom belonged to the bunks, well thumbed newspapers of the

morning our One of the last acts of the German com dynasty, of the Yavanas, during most of the blank tables, patrols went yesterday.

rapidly thst Previous and the

Atmosphore was still un-petoro me dag her ad apiched the mandant in Lens was to commandeer, all which period the religion was Buddhixxi. pleasantly reminiscent of a long tenancy centre of Liévin,

, held the roads north and the remuluing supplies of the American It was captured by the British from the

Town Light railways still linked up his support south, and were pushing

into scle support of the famished population. lines with the roadways behind Lovin. shattered treas of Biaumont Bh the Relief Commission which had been the Marathas in 1803. Piles

The inhabitants of some of the neighbour- of freshly cut timber lay along

the streets them,

of Riaumont village «North of Two truck-loads of bombs rested where Lens we had taken the Arst and supporting mining towns east of Lens received a the carrying parties had paused in their lines of trenches near Loos crassier, but portion of the foodstuffs intended

sad temporarily before concentrated them, the remaining occupants of Ballia

mines, for retire There were

example, being given 83b fire from Cité St. Laurent, ters mac deck did not delay nar advance on

the Germans took while

the pach and field gana stacked neatly near battery. This

forward Despite the clearance of Lens and some pits in Liévin boxes of grenades and Lens, for wo continued to go entrenching tools, and a variety of other from the south, working round towards of its environs, the enemy had got time supplies, which he left behind when it the lower tip of Avion The Inner Lens to send back all the civilians from the wretched became imperative to evacuate his defences cross the Arras road at La Cou territory he has given up. “ trenches immediately.

lotte where machine gun batteries procession of nearly two hundred

and many women and children, among STRANGE DIFFICULTIES, endeavoured to turn back our patrols difficulties. Our troops, rushing towards gunners stuck to their redoubt patil the east of Lens, yesterday, told to elift for the burning town early yesterday morn middle of the afternoon, when they fall ing, had to travers, a bewildering maze back through Avions and were lost to view

ats and leg road from Lens in direction the of defences enclosing the invaded coal amid railway embankments and slag morning fields, the northern face of which had been heaps, rendered, all the more secure by the Very little German artillery opposed British character of the country stealf They out advance during the morning

red with the stepped scross No Man's Land into a Shrapnel was flung irregularly and

of slag heaps, rained factory fully above some of the approaches 11 the Biaff was absorbed in erness

strange

skeleton towers, harri Leus, and on occasional 59-inch shell unded pitheads a black country, detted burst in a colliery village, but nothing the important task of moving forward with drab villages of chess board exact more than the firing of a few stray guns these forces. One officer looked up from faded by the smoke of years, and left behind to give some semblanes of his map and paused in his work to give miggrl's cones pa on a fee of vinders resistance and encourage the beaten directions that these refuges should be The Hun had utilised erey foot of this pioneers who were hanging to the tail of ret, seen safely into our lines, and given seamed and pitted valley to make more the procession, I was all singularly food and shelter.

work of delivery to onells for bowitzers

the summons to paused

reat.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS.

Tuesday, 12th June

B18pm Bicari Opon Go, vi the Theatre

Royal-The Happy Day

The road to Lens was hiseb with strange prevent the town being outflanked. The were put on the road from 81st July

the

and sent westward to meet the British army

We heard this tant

coming along": they were

diately arrange beats, were made for their apfely and headquarters can- on Lens this

Noan Anation of Valuable Leweshold Pro- porty from the Liquidston of Momen Jehan & Co, at Bales Brooms, by Mr Geo, P. Lammert,

Monday, 13th Aug,

3pm--Auction of Valnabis Lourohold Pro-

perty at Sala Rooms, by Messrs. Hughes

Hong

Monday, 27th Aug →→

perty from the Liquidatre of Nomen Neon-Anton of Valasble Lesseboli Proj -Witska & Go at Balen Rooms by M

Geo, P. Lummert