New Russian move

Advance in two zones

Local actions in the west

Fighting in the dunes

Official reports as far as the western front is concerned, do not carry us much further and until we get more details of the La Bassee fighting, may also be said to discourage comment.

A great deal has been left untold of the last few days struggle in this area but possibly sundry misgivings are founded on nothing more than the disparity in the French and German accounts.

The afternoons Paris communique informed us that Thursdays operations were in the main confined to local actions with results favourable in the Aisne.

Further fighting in the Belgian dunes has resulted in the Allies gaining a footing in the Great Dune which was subjected to a destructive bombardment a fortnight ago and the Germans admit that their trenches were reached.

Lower down the line the operations appear to have been dominated largely by the artillery whose work in places was severe.

There were a few infantry attacks and one by the British south of La Bassee Canal not mentioned in the French report, the Germans claim to have repulsed this easily.

In the centre too, the big guns were at work, where on the Meuse and in the Woevre, calmness prevailed.

On the allies right the French artillery performed effective work at several points and the infantry busied themselves in strengthening the positions recently acquired.

Last night’s official report mentions two German attempts to cross the Aisne east of Soissons, but both were repulsed.

The German report claims that during Wednesday nights aerial raid on Dunkirk, many bombs were dropped on the English provision establishments but an unofficial message from the town says that none of the establishments were struck.

The German aviators exploit does not stand alone for two of the Allies aviators made a night raid in the region of Laon, La Frere and Soissons, the first two named place are understood to be important German supply depots.

From the eastern front news of a stirring character comes. The reports indicate a vigorous Russian offensive in two zones, East Prussia no the Carpathians. In the former the Germans have been repulsed to a town close to the Baltic Sea to the extreme North of the province.

The Russian communique states that the enemy has been compelled to retreat with such speed that they had to abandon ammunition and other materials. Everywhere in this region the Austrian offensive has failed.

On both banks of the Vistula the situation remains unchanged but the Russians continue to inflict heavy losses on the Germans south west of Warsaw.