Progress in Alsace

French near Altkirch

Russian pursuit of the Turks

The feature of Wednesday’s fighting in the western theatre of war as recorded in the French communique was again the long range artillery duels all along the front.

From the sea to the Lys between the Somme and the Aisne in the Argonne and in the region if Altkirch the operations were of this description and the French claim that they hold the upper hand almost without exception.

In the Woevre the recent French success appears to have been of more importance than was at first reported, a portion of the first German line having been taken.

Progress is also reported from the direction of Altkirch while from Thann the charge is that the Germans shelled the hospital for the whole of the day.

German aviators have shown much activity of late and the official message from Paris announces that certain Taubes which apparently were making for Dunkirk were driven off by the French batteries in Flanders.

Fighting of a desperate character is evidently going on in the Alsace where according to an unofficial telegram the Germans are losing heavily.

Sunday night’s fighting at Steinbach appears to have been indecisive.

Bad weather is hampering the operations in Poland and the Germans are said to be unable to move their artillery owing to the heavy roads.

It will be some time before the full extent of the Russian victory is known, the pursuit of the retreating Turks continues and it is stated that whole regiments are surrendering.while batteries of artillery and other war trophies have been captured by the Russians.

The Turkish defeat is regarded in Petrograd as putting an end to the menace to Egypt while it also renders unnecessary the transfer of troops from Poland.

Further progress

German airmen put to flight

Yesterday from the sea to the Lys there were only artillery duels in which almost without exception we had the upper hand. Our batteries put into flight German aviators who were making for Dunkirk.

The enemy violently bombarded the Belgian bridge head to the south of Dixmude and in the region of Lille we successfully repulsed a German attack upon one of our trenches.

Persistent rain and the conditions of the ground have rendered all movements very difficult indeed.