FRENCH CAPTURE STEINBACH IN ALSACE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2351, 6 January 1915, Page 5

FRENCH CAPTURE STEINBACH IN ALSACE

V: ••■• ■■ . i ■:'";'. POMS OF SUPPORT SEIZED _,■ ■'■■■'•■'■'■ : - : -V v ■'• • ' ARTILLERY DUELS AT MANY POINTS r.i - • ■■■•■■ ;• ~„. . , . ' ParlSi January 4. A .communique states: "We seized several points of support at Mesnil and Perthes. lesHurlus,'and made further progress in the Le'Pretre wood also at Stembach, and carried important heights west of Camay. There worn artillery duels at. many points." a

GERMANS ADMIT THE LOSS OF STEINBACH.

„iV _ - • Nu ~ , ' Amsterdam, January^. .. 'A 1 German communique, after 'denying it, now admits that the Frenoh' have, taken Stembach, and adds: "The French captured the German positions on the heights west of Sennheim, which the Geimans have since retaken" [Sennheim is in South Alsace, eight miles north-west of Mulhausen.] '

ENEMY'ABANDONS HIS DEAD .AND WOUNDED.

...■ ,Tbe expulsion .of. the Germans from'Steinbach, 'Alsace' due to the French three-inch guns. , * The enemy abandoned 2300 dead and-wounded.

\ THE ROAD TO *GHENT, MINED BY GERMANS, , Sluisrewrts. that the road from Mosterzelle to yards, which is intended to hamper the Allies' artillery advance. PREPARATION FOR SPRING CAMPAIGN NEARLY COMPLETE. Military experts, who earlier in the campaign expected the Germans to be expelled from Belgium by March, now anticipate that it will require summer campaign. t _ —- Tho preparations for the campaign in the spring, which will staener hu manity, are now; nearing' completion. °? "."' VIOLENT FIGHTING NEAR CERNAY. (Rec. January 5, 7 p.m.) Official.—Violent fighting continues in the region of Camay" Last night we lost and then recaptured the church/ quarter of St«in bach. To-day we captured the entire village. ' ' . .' '.' We also lost'and regained after a violent counter-attack the German works west of Cernay, numa On other parts of the front there : is nothing to report.

GRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE CAPTURE OF STEINBACH "BRILLIANT CHARGE BY FRENCH CHASSEURS! ' (Rec. January 6, 0.35 a,m.)

. ■ ' The fighting at Cernay was formidable. Th« roar of ™ s s „ n . ceasmg for three days, and the valleys were filled with the bodies of cattle and the debris of rmned villages. u When the- French drove the Germans from Thann, the French ottsmptwi to throw a bndge acroas the Ihur River* west of Ceroaj, On, J39 M

German guns forced 1 thorn to retreat. Tho Frouoh crossed 'onrlj' on December 30 threo miles higher, and opposite to Tliann'. Tho German batteries cut to piocos tho Fronch guarding; tho bridgo, and destroyed the pontoons separating tho French troops from t'lfo right bunk. Bofore tho French guns could reply the Germans, disappeared in tho forests nnd prepared to climb tho hill dominating tho Fronch position. Tho French were in gravo dangor. Then thoro began a rnco for. tlio hcighite. Tho chasseurs scaled, two glacis and a barricado of tree trunks, and aftor ta. rough and tumblo with bayonets and rifle butts tho chasseurs, made a brilliwnt chargo of throe miles uphill. The Gormans advancing saw tho French in position, unci tried to turn,, but it was. too late. Tho Fronch guns opened firo on tho flanks at a thousand yards, horses and drivers wore killed, and the 'Ammunition wagons exploded. One gnu was toppled to tho bottom and smashed to atoms. Thus Steinbach was surrounded.

GERMANS BEING FORCED BA CK YARDtBY, YARD,

(Rec. January 6, 0.55 a.m.) y Amsterdam, January 5. Yard by yard the Gormans axe being forced towards tho Dutch frontier. A large force of German Marines is constructing defence, works two and a half miles from the frontier. Fifteen houses at Heyst have bqen demolished to clear the was; _of the cuna commanding Zee bruggo. ''