STIRRING STORY OF BRITISH VALOUR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2255, 15 September 1914, Page 5

STIRRING STORY OF BRITISH VALOUR

HOW THE GERMAN LEFT WAS { CRUMPLED UP c 1 TWO DAYS' HOT FIGHTING (Reo. September 14, 11.15 p.m.) London, September 14, morning. Another wounded officer states that he was fighting further "from the extreme left, near La Ferte Gaucher, and the general engagement there was ex- f tremely hot. It went on with varying I results the whole of Sunday night, but ! the severest fighting took placo on Mon- i day morning. "Then," he relates, "sud- 1 deiriy,the enemy's resistance collapsed. 1 i Wβ twenty miles, and the ( enemy seldom turned, eveu to treat us to a volley: It looked as if they had run completely out of ammunition, and in their retreat they left the ground Jittered .with dead. They made no effort to oarry off their wounded. A German detachment was cut off, and ten guns v/cre found in one German trench alono near Meaux. "Even on Monday the Gorman commander had not perceived that his southward movement was placing him in considerable danger. On that day the battle changed with dramatic ewiftuess. The Allies' vigorous offensive at every point at which the German general supposed them hot to be strong was enough to make his southern march dangerous. Here the British were in great strength, and for the first time on a large scale showed the Germans what a British frontal attack was like. They shelled us with their big guns, but the fire was ineffective. We then moved forward, and it was a eight to see. There was almost top much elan at times, and some severe losses wore experienced by neglecting to entrench and taking ineffective cover, but nothing could stay our steady advance. : "At one little village we got right home with the bayonet, and could see we were driving dead-tired men, who at times rallied. Beyond the village the enemy entrenched, and required fl ■ costly charge to clear them. We had to advance 'over .barbed wire entangle- ■ ments, and it was terrible to 6ee how our men foil. We reached the trenches, however; and cleared thorn out. Then came ten minutes of unopposed advance, then another fusillade, followed by a quarter -of an hour's unceasing slaughter. On again, and the 'Germans simply were crumpled,up." CAUGHT IN A TRAP THE SLAUGHTER AT MARNE ■i■ . . ■ (Rec. September 14, 8.55 p.m.) London, September 14, morning. At the battle of the Marno, the enemy advanced in considerable force, and were obviously unaware of the strength of the Allies. They attempted to cross the . river unsupported by artillery, and wero swept off with considerable loss. An officer relates that early on September 6 "the Germans approached us again, with the intentio'n of outflanking .us, and poured forward on our extreme left. How they swarmed 1 Wave after wave approached, thinned out, slowed down, and fell away before a hurricane of lead. God I but they were bravo 1 Wβ oannot deny that, but their artillery did not seem to bo as effective as usual, . and their rifle fire., was strangely erratic." . ~ . '.' -BATTLE flf THE MOONLIGHT FIGHTING ROUND MEAUX \ London, September 13. A "Daily Mail" correspondent, describing the lighting round Meaux, says the French carried- the heights above the town after a tremendous struggle oil Monday afternoon. The Germans determined to attempt its recapture, und that night a terrible infantry battle raged in the moonlight. On Tuesday it was continued in. the form of an artillery duel. . Late on Wednesday the German guns were completely silenced. - ■■■''' The buildings of the surrounding villages and farm-houses were demolished, and trees blasted by shell fire. Dead soldiers ivero Jying all round, half hidden by clover. Piles of brass field-gun cartridge cases scattered amongst rings of dead horses showed-what a hell the place had been. Line after line of motor ambulances passed bearing away the wounded.

Another correspondent, describing the retreat from Meaux, says: "All round us, and for two miles back, lay mingled j German and French dead, among the corn, on the stubble, in the turnip ■ fields, in ditches, and in woods. Dead horses, too, were everywhere, and cows, killed by the shells. The whole fair countryside, radiant under the golden t harvest sun, sent up a sickening stench ] of death." • • ■ i