COMPLETE DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 93, 15 September 1914, Page 5

COMPLETE DISASTER

GERMAN ROUT DEEPENS. ' "HOME, HOME, THE NEAREST WAY!" Received M, 9.50 p.m. . London, Sept. 14 (morning). Latest reports are that the rout is deepening into a complete disaster, the invaders turning homeward via St. Qucntin and llezieres. I Paris, September 14. An English officer states that he i.as seen a German stall ollicer's letter, written shortly before he was shot, in which it was stated that "the German .position is becoming critical. The transports have broken down, and there is very little ammunition left. Two thousand Germans are reported to have surrendered to-day without firing a shot, through lack of ammunition/' The English ollicer quoted above is full of admiration for the Germans' stand at La Ferte and Soiis-Jouarre. l'hey posted their machine-guns in a position commanding the river for a distance of several miles, and delayed the Allies' advance for a 'whole day, enabling the Germans to.retreat northwards unmolested. They are now anxious to return to tile frontier by the quickest route, their direction tending to become east of north.

(Travelling to the north-east between St. Qucnlin and Mczieres. the German army would seem to be making for the Valley of the Sambre, hoping to escape by the devastated Nanmr-Liegc line. The Anglo-Belgian forces should make sueh:a march exceedingly costly.)

t BRITISH OFFICER'S STORY. j GERMANS STUBBORNLY DEFEND THEIR HEAR. | THEN SUDDENLY CRUMPLE U.P. EVIDENTLY SHORT OF AMMUNITION FIRST TASTE OF BRITISH FRONTAL ATTACK. Received 14, 11.IS p.m. London, September 14 (morning). Another wounded ollicer, writing of the fighting further from tlie extreme, left, near Fcrt-Gaucher, says: "The general engagement there was extremely hot, and w'ent on with varying results throughout the whole of Sunday night, but tlie severest fighting was on Monday morning. Then suddenly the enemy's resistance collapsed. We advanced for 20 miles, the enemy seldom turning even to treat us to a volley, ilt looked as if tliey had run completely out of ammunition. The retreat Heft the ground littered. They made nil effort to carry off their wounded, and a German detachment was cut off. Ten guns were found in one German trench # alone, near Meaux.

"Even on Holiday the German com- | •manlier did not perceive that his southward movement was placing him in considerable danger. On that day the battle changed with dramatic swiftness, the Allies taking a vigorous offensive at :<rvcry point at which the German genc'ral had supposed them to he not strong: 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 guns, but the fire was j ineffective. Then we moved forward. It was a sight to see. There was almost 'too much elan at times, and some severe losses were experienced by neglecting to entrench and by not taking effective, cover; but nothing could stay the steady advance. "At one. little village we got right home with the bayonet. We could see we were driving dead-tired men, who at times rallied. Beyond the village tho enemy entrenched, and it required a costly charge to clear them. We had to advance over barbed wire. It wa3 terrible to see how our men fell. We reached the trenches and cleared them. Then came ten minutes' unopposed advance, then another fusillade, followed by a quarter of, an hour's unceasing slaughter. On' again, anil the German extreme right simply crumpled up." ALLIES' RAPID PROGRESS. RE-CQVERKGTHE COUNTRY. Received H, U. 30 p.m. Paris, Sept. 1-1 (morning). An official communique states that the Allies' left wing has crossed the Aism. A GERMAN SUCCESS CLAIMED. CROWX PRINCE AT VERDUN. Paris, September 14. A Berlin message claims that the Crown Prince captured a fortified position south-west of Verdun, and is attacking the forts with the heaviest artillery.

•WHOLE FRONT ADVANCING. CONTINUOUS PURSUIT OF THE* ENEMY. KEEPING IX TOUCH. Received 15, 12.53 a.m. Paris, September 14. A communique states tlmt the Allies' advance is being continued along the whole front, and contact with the enemy is maintained. DRIVING HOME A WEDGE. TO SPLIT THE GERMAN CEXTRE. TERRIBLE LOSSES 0"F THE ENEMY CONFIRMED. LEONINE COURAGE OF THE GERMANS. RETREAT BECOMES A ROLT. Received 14, 11.40 p.m. London, Sept. 14 (morning). The French troops on the outer left of the Allies are driving' a great solid 'wedge into the enemy's positions southeast of Soissons, whore the British have also steadily advanced. All reports from the Held speak of the terrible German losses. Again and again they rally and Cght stubbornly, only to be overthrown 'by the. Allies' dash. The light on the line of Grand Morin was kept up to the last possible moment by the leonine courage of the Germans at Estei'nuy. Their losses are estimated at 800U dead alone.

On Wednesday the country on the banks of Little Moriu, which is less favorable for defence, was completely car. ried. The retreat is being followed up in force, and has begun to assume signs ot a precipitate rout. < PROBLEM FOR GERMAN' GENERALS. SELECTING BEST LINE OF .RETREAT BELGIUM PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. GALLANT GERMANS REFUSE TO SL'RRKNDER. EXCELLENT FRENCH AMBULANCE WORK.

Bt-eeived 14, 11.40 p.m. London, September 14. Officers from the front believe that the Germans will be unable to retreat along the lines of their advance, and will be forced to go by way of Luxembourg. The light from La Ferte-Charupcnoise to Vitry was stubborn on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday two battalions of the enemy were surrounded, and one after the other were cut up, refusing to surrender. During four hours 11 trains of wounded passed Paris-wards from the battleHeld. The French army service.corps gather tho wounded with extraordinary rapidity. The organisation is so excellent that a soldier has seldom long to wait for first aid. It is estimated that 40 army corps were engaged in the Marne battle. «S ADMIRATION FOR OUR MEN*. TIRED AND IH7NORY, BUT FIGHTIXG GRANDLY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, September 13. ! An officer of a cavalry division, writing on August 30, said: "Our troops are wonderful. Though dead to the world, tired and hungry, they fought grandly. They haven't changed anything for a week, or taken off their boots for five days. They look too filthy for words. The infantry are also too pitiable for words in some cases, but they stagger on. We have never once met n straggler who did not cling to his rifle and force a smilp, whether wounded or not. They have been very hungry at times, j and"-never had more than three hours' sleep a day for the last week, and not I always that."