Russia strikes hard

Turkish army reeling

Irritation against Germany

Progress on both wings

Maybe it has not been made clear how useful to Germany has been the assistance of Turkey and there is no doubt that the southern menace has hampered Russia pretty considerably, hindering the development of certain plans directed against the Austro-German forces and generally delaying a campaign which otherwise would have borne fruit much earlier.

The news of the Turkish disaster was very welcome.

The latest communique states that the 9th Turkish Army Corps was annihilated and the losses to the Turks in killed and wounded were enormous and many machine guns and large quantities of ammunition were taken.

Climate is an issue

The Turks are falling back in all directions, they will not be able to take much more than this and it is believed that preparations are almost in place from another direction for inflicting another staggering blow.

The Turks were jockeyed into the war by their German taskmasters and the German officers may shortly discover the climate of the Ottoman Empire not quite suited to their health.

A Turkish colonel taken prisoner has spoken bitterly of the destruction of Turkey and he declared that not a single Turkish officer was fighting of his own free will.

His picture of the state of the Turkish army and the murderous discipline enforced by the German officers helps further to indicate morale and point further to the end.

Turks lose 40,000 soldiers

Turkey’s loss at one swoop of 40,000 men may well mean Germany’s loss of Turkish support, if not their active opposition.

With regard to the rest of the eastern battlefield it would appear that in Poland and Gallicia there is no material change in the situation.

In the west the news continues to be good, following the seizure of the village of Steinbach in Alsace the French have maintained their position.

Additional details of the capture of Steinbach emphasised the desperate character of the fighting, the French making repeated bayonet charges before the enemy’s defence was finally broken.

At the northern end of the battle front the Allies infantry, overcoming the difficulties of rain and mud and well supported by the Belgian artillery, have progressed eastward along the dunes from Nieuport and, at St George, have gained ground which has carried them into the enemy’s trench formations.