BATTLE GOES STEADILY IN ALLIES' FAVOUR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2254, 14 September 1914, Page 5

BATTLE GOES STEADILY IN ALLIES' FAVOUR

GERMANS STILL FALLING BACK HUGE SUPPLY OF AMMUNITION CAPTURED CRec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) > Paris, September 11, evening. A communique' 1 says:—At the very outset of the operations the German Sght wing, which on Sunday was north of Pro vine, was obliged to fall back )ecause of the danger of envelopment. The enemy by . clever and rapid movement escaped the Allies' grip. The greater part of its forces threw themselves on our enveloping wing north of Harne. and west of tfke.Ourcq, but the Frenchmen, aided bravely by the British, inflicted considerable losses, and gained the necessary time to allow the offensive to make progress elsewhere. The enemy is now retreating towards the line of the Oise. ' In tho meantime tho Anglo-French forces south of the Marne continued the offensive, and opened out, some from the-south of the forest of Crecy (26 miles east of Paris), others from the north of Provins (45 miles south-east of Paris), and south of Esternay. ■ - . , The German armies under General von Kluck and General von Buelow have fallen back before the Allies. The most desperate fighting occurred between the plateaux to the north of Sezanne and Vitry-le-Francois (respectively sixty and one hundred miles east of Paris), where the German left, comprising General von Buelow's army, the Saxon army, and part of the Wurtemburg army were engageti, , . The Germans, despite repeated violent attacks, failed to break our centre, and our success on the plateaux north of Sezanne enabled us in turn to take the offensive, and in the course of Thursday night the enemy stopped fighting on our front, between St. Goud and Sommesons (halfway between Sezanne ana ,Vitry|, and fell back to the west of Vitry-le-Francois. . Fighting continues on the Ormain River, between the Argonne and the Meuse, where the Crown Prince's army and the other portion of the Wurtemburg army are operating, alternatively in advance and retreat, without any great change. Thus the first phase of the battle of the Marne is in our favour, since the ' German right wing and centre are retreating. There is no notablo change in the Vosges and around Nancy, which the Germans have tried to bombard with long-rahge guns. The general situation has been completely transformed during the last few days, both strategically and. tactically, for not only have we stopped what, looked like a victorious German Biarch, but the Germans have also fallen back at nearly every point* MARKED SUOCJESS ON ALLIES' LEFT WING. ■ CRec. September 13, 6.5 p.m.) Paris, September 12, An official communique says:—On our left the Germans are in general retreat between the Oise and the Marne. • Their cavalry are exhausted and resist feebly. _ In the centre and right the Germans have evacuated the fortified position of Vitry-le-Francois, and tho course of the River Saulx. At the Sermaize and Revigny they abandoned much material, and are retreating from the Argonne northward by the forest of Bellenoue. The' success of the Allies on the left wing was most marked. The advance continues to the north of tlio Marne far toward Soissons and Compiogne.- The British nave captured eleven guns. Tho Germans have not fallen Lack on the •Argonne. The position- is, unchanged in Loriaine and the Vosges. The Oise joins the Seine seme miles below Paris, and the Marne flows into jthe Seine just above Paris. The distance apart of the two rivers during the first forty miles of their course is about 30 miles, but thereafter it rapidly increases. The River Saulx lies east of Vitry-le-Francois, and Sermaize and Revigny are respectively fifteen and twenty miles north-east of the same town. Soissons and Compiegne lio from 20 to 25 miles north of the general course of the Marne. ■ ALLIES ADVANCE THIRTY-SIX MILES. \ Paris, September 11. 'A communique states: "On the left wing the Anglo-French forces have ferissed tho Marne, pursuing tho retreating enemy. The British have captured many prisoners end machine .guns. ' "During tho four'days' battle the Allies, on this area, have advanced lipwirds of sixty kilometres .(thirty-six miles), The army of the centre has reposed tlio Prussian Guard. The action continues with great violence."

AMMUNITION COLUMN FOUR MILES LONG TAKEN. ' (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 12, morning. The battle at the Menus resulted in the clearing of the Ourcq Volley of Germans, whose right wing was composed of some of the finest German Imperial troops. Generay Pau (of the French Army) operating on the British left, scored a tremendous advantage by capturing an ammunition column, seven kilometres (about four miles and a third) in length. This he destroyed, leaving the German right very short of ammunition. (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, September 12, morning. Official.—The German right wing has abandoned great quantities of munitions, and the centre has given way on the entire, front from Sezanne to Revigny, sixty miles to the ©ast. The German Army Corps reported yesterday as being qut off in the Senlis triangle sacked deserted houses at Manteiul-te-Baudouip, and also in many villages. SIGNS OF GERMAN DEMORALISATION. • , London, September 11. The Press Bureau states: The enemy's general retreat was continued yesterday. The British captured fifteen hundred men, several guns and maxims and much transport. Tlie enemy is retiring very rapidly cast of Soissons in some disorder. Considerable bodies of infantry were found hiding in the woods. They had been left behind by the rapidity of the retreat. They surrender at sight. This and the rifling of villages and evidences of drunkenness point to the demoralisation of the enemy, Tie pursuit is being vigorously pressed. / ' BRITAIN'S PART IN THE BATTLE. (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) * London, September 12, evening. The Press Bureau states the British' crossed the "Ourcq moving in rapid pursuit of the enemy, and to-day captured two hundred prisqners. The Allies' cavalry has been as far north as Soissons and Fismes, between 15 and 25 miles north of the Marne. The enemy is retreating north of Vitry. The Third French Army Corps captured one corps' artillery. British aeroplanes report that the German retreat is very rapid. (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 12._ The "Daily Express's" Paris correspondent says during the fighting with the Prussiau Guards on Wednesday the British completely wiped out the Jaeger Regiment of three thousand. Router's correspondent says the British played a leading role in driving back General von Kluck's army. They advanced to meet the Germans by forced marches, took a few hours' sleep, and pursued the enemy op the Marne Valley with bulldog tenacity. (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 12, morning. During the German advance on the Marno a body occupied a position in the forest of Orecy. British patrols discovered them ard warned the cavalry and infantry, who took up a position at midnight on two sides of the ■ wood. The Germans were incautiously finding their way about the woods by means of stable lamps, and the British maxims and rifle fire devastated the wood and mowed down the German's. Finally the cavalry charged, yelling, and cleared and routed the remnants. Next morning scores of broken lamps were found, and many Germans were taken prisoners. Twenty Germans,' encouraged by a temporary German advance, attempted to recover their rifles, but a volley wiped thein out. BRITISH CORRESPONDENT'S NARRATIVE. (Rec. September 13, 5 p.m.) London, September 12. Mr. Maxwell, the war correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," says the Germans are fairly on the run, for they have been utterly routed. Their centre has been defeated and demoralised. Both flanks are retreating along the roads by which they marched in triumph a week ago. The remnant of their cavalry has been destroyed. The following wireless message to Berlin was intercepted, and boars evidence to the oneiny's plight: "We badly need horses and supplies." Mr. Maxwell states that a non-commissioned officer related that the enemy was driven back fighting for three days until they came to a river where a desperate stand was made. The Germans were in an enormously solid mass and kept up a terrible rifle and machine-gun fire. Our infantry advanced in short rushes in open order. Shells wore rained on tho enemy and the rifle fire opened great gaps in their ranks. Suddonly our cavalry swept on their cavalry in an avalanche of men and steol ; and huge gaps were torn in the enemy's ranks. The wholo thing was over in a few minutes. The German horsemen seemed to vanish into the earth, and the enemy retreated in confusion. The Germans have lost their guns and ammunition columns and aro surrendering in large, bodies. A Gorman General was overheard telling his officers "a great disaster has overtaken us." ■ Mr. Maxwell adds that tho Germans have undoubtedly suffered a great defeat at the Marne. A NEW AND TERRIBLE EXPLOSIVE. (Rec. September 13. 5.5 p.m.) ~v London, September 12, morning. Visitors to the battlefield between Meaux and Penchard saw hundreds of German bodies piled in beans, covered with straw, which was burning. M. Tarpin'fl new nnil terrible explosive was used at Meaux. A member of the American Red Cross states that he saw German trenches after the French gunfire; they -wore- filled with dead, but with doad in such n posture as though, a blight from heaven had fallen upon them._ Tho corpses stood in lino, rifle to shoulder, with no'horror or agony in their silent faces, only there was over them a film of fine reddish powder. It was as if a deep and sudden sleep had overtaken them, only that their eyes wore open. M. Tarpin is the inventor of melinite, and it was announced shortly after the outbreak of the war that the French Minister of War had accepted a new explosive invented by him which would make the shelter of trenches illusory. AMAZEMENT IN GERMANY. (Rec. September 13, 6 p.m.) Now York, September 12. Latest Berlin advices show amazement in Germany at the unexpected military efficiency of Britain, and the zeal being shown by the Dominions. The Germans are now beginning to recognise that the i composition of the British Expeditionary Force, it's efficient transport, its striking power, and its dogged determination were chiefly responsible for Germany's failure quickly to sinash France and return in time to deal with Russia. The Press correspondents emphasise .several features in which the Germans failed to "make good," notably the failure to estimate the difficulty of transporting big guns, and the danger of leaving the communication thinly protected in. the desire to fling every available man upon the Anglo-French forces. BRIDGE SMASHED SIXTEEN TIMES. (Rec. September 13, 5.5 p.m.) Bordeaux, September 12. During their attempt to oross the Marne the Germans endeavoured to build a bridge of boats, but the French artillery .reduced them to' matchwood sixteen times. « - SIX THOUSAND PRISONERS AND 180 GUNS. (Rec. September 13, midnight.) London, September 12. The Press Bureau, summarising the operations of the Anglo-French forces during the last four days, says they have resulted in the capture of six thousand prisoners and 180 guns. The enemy is retreating along the whole line west of the Meuse, and is suffering gravely-in morale and from its heavy losses in personnel and material. . ' | NO PETROL FOR ENEMY'S MOTOR TRANSPORT. (Rec. September 13, midnight.) London, September 12. The "Daily Chronicle's" Bordeaux correspondent reports that the Germans have exhausted their supply of petrol for motors, whicn is causing a shortage of ammunition. ENEMY EVACUATES ST. DIE, (Reo. September 13, midnight.) Paris, September 12. It is officially stated that the Germans have evacuated St. Die, on tho French side of the Vosges. FRENCH OCCUPY SOISSONS, (Reo. September 14, 0.45 a.m.) Paris, September 13, morning, , It is reported that the French occupied Soissons on Saturday evening.'