Bayonet work

British and French successes

Another Turkish defeat

Many transports sunk

WHEN the French took Hill 132 the performance was dismissed in a couple of lines, now that they have lost it, it is not necessary to write columns of explanation.

Ground secured at certain points along such an extended front may be retaken without seriously affecting the plans of the advancing forces.

Such an incident as that at Soissons, it has been pointed out, is an inevitable consequence of General Joffre’s feeling method, as it is that one day he will find a place whence no amount of enemy attacks will drive him out.

The French retirement across the Aisne was very largely influenced by the weather.

They are experiencing the same unpleasant conditions as are making the lives of upper river folk in Britain almost unbearable.

The rising of the Aisne threatened to carry away the pontoon bridges which the French had built and since cross the bridges not only supplies but also reinforcements were carried it was obvious that these very important communications were threatened not by the enemy but by the incessant rain and the general commanding operations in that part of the field was wise in the face of large German reinforcements, to withdraw his forces to the southern bank.

To the people anxious to know what this retirement will mean, in fact the worse that could happen has happened and even the pessimists among us may not expect to see any further retirement in that part of the field on the part of the ally.

Rather it is likely that he will speedily make good the lost ground immediately the Aisne returns to something like normal level. It is clear already that the enemy is unable to cross the river in face of the fire of the French artillery.

As a set off to the Soissons affair there was a bit of good news yesterday. It was unofficial but entirely reliable.

A brilliant piece of work by the British troops near La Bassee was reported from St Omar a strongly entrenched position on a hillside dominating the town being captured after a two hour struggle.

Artillery prepared the way for the infantry and the bayonet did the rest. The British losses are Sid to have been slight but the Germans loss heavy and in addition many prisoners were taken.

The capture of the hill secures a gain of nearly a mile.

The captured hill is apparently the German bastion which Sir John French stated in one of his despatches had defied all attempts at weakening.

St Mihiel is the strongest point of the German line to the east and it again clear that our ally is doing excellent work in this neighbourhood.

The Russians have celebrated the opening of their new year with an advance in Northern Poland but on the other hand the Germans have stated there is no change in the situation in East Prussia and Northern Poland and that west of the Vistula, their attacks are making slow progress.