On enemy’s soil

French triumph in Alsace

Germans admit defeat

Britain’s part

Among the curiosities of official reports first place so far must be given to the fact that with regard to the fighting for Steinbach village in Alsace, the Germans admit more than the French in equally time claimed.

First of all Berlin denied most emphatically the the place had been entered by the ally, next they spoke of French artillery destroying house by house and now though there is no proviso that fighting for the village still continues they now admit that the enemy succeeded in capturing and demolishing trenches and subsequently the village of Steinbach.

After the German report had been issued all that Paris claimed was that at Steinbach, we took possession of the church quarter and the cemetery.

It was not until 11 o’clock last night that the two reports came into line. The French communique then stated that in the morning after losing and reoccupying the church quarter, they carried the entire village.

It is evident that most desperate fighting has been going on at this point and just as evident that French superiority has again been established.

What the allies plans are we are not permitted to know, we know that the heavy going in some parts and the fact that the ground is mainly clay means that soldiers are losing their boots and so making charges in their stockinged feet.

There is no essential change to report in the situation in Poland, stubborn fighting continues on the left bank of the Vistula and the Russians recaptured a trench which had been run by the Germans, many prisoners were taken.

The Russian advantage in Western Galicia continued with further large captures of prisoners including a battalion with eleven officers and the staff in one column.

The Germans it is said, are making laborious preparations to spend the winter at Lodz.

From South Africa comes the cheering news that the Burghers are readily responding to the government’s commandeering order and the hope is expressed that every possible man will rally to the colours in order to put paid to the German account at the earliest possible moment.