Fighting on the Aisne

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 106, 28 September 1914, Page 8

Fighting on the Aisne

EEVIHVV OF Tirß POSITION". DKITISH ARTILLERY EFFECTIVE. INFANTRY MAKE GOOD USE OF COrdß. aiumex's adventure. TRLCKERY. Wellington, September 20.

The High Commissioner reports as follows, under dtvte London. Sqiituniber 24, 10.20 .p.m.:— The is still maantaininp' itself aJong ithe whole front, throwing into tho iiffht units from the active anmy, ■rescrvea and tho Landwdir. Our jwogrvsa in slow against the strength of tho defensive positions, hut in certSwn directions ft ia continuous. Tlie "resent battle may last some days. It is itow approximating siege warfare. Tho Gonmiana are using soareMighte, probably (smpll'oying the material collected for tihe siega of Paris. Tho FrenJi eotmmunder states: ''We liavo a feeling that we have been victorious."

On the I'StiH a German aeroplane was destroyed. The French cavalry demolished iptirt of 'the railway, temporarily cutting ono lime ol communication oi imiportanoe to .the enemy. On the lftth thu bouniblardmcnt betatne (more a matter of routine Tat'her than event, Auotiheir hostile aeroplane was destroyed. Ouir aviators dropped several bombri over the German lines, one failing with considerable olFoc-t im the 'transport park, near La Fere. A large buried store

containins somie of the enemy's ammunition was found near the Aisne.

On the 20ti» 'the German attack was rqpulsed, with lo_ss to the enemy. The trnmt of tili-e refldstanee hoa fallen/ upon the infantry. In spite of the drenching rains, the trendies being deep in mud and water, in -the face of inreesant night aliarma and continuous bombardments*, we have on every occasion been ready and repulsed the ecmy. The enemy is disappointed that the moral effect of the heavy gums has not depressed the British soldiers.

Oonsiderablo information! about the enemy was gleaned from prisoners, that our bombardment on the 15th produced a go-eat imprcwion; that ouir infantry jnake good use of tlhe ground, awl tint Gorman companies are decimated by our rille fiTe before a British soldier is seen.

From an official diary captured by the Kits! Army Corps it appears that one German corps contains an extraordinary mixture of 'units. If the composition of other coiipa ia (similar it mav ba assumed tlhat thte present efficiency of the enemy's forces ia in no way eomnparulule with what it was when the war commenced. The losses of ofl'icere are especially severe. A brigade is stated to bo commanded by a anajor, and some companies of foot guards are. commanded by one-year volunteers.

After the battle of Moninirail on regiment lost 55 to 60 officers.

Prisoners recently oa.ptured appreciate the fact that the march on Paris lias failed 1 , and that tiheir forces: are retreating into closer touch, with the supports, which have swayed too far to Uie rear. The officers are endeavoring to encourage the troops by telling "them they will be home J>y Christmas. A large numbur of men, 'however, believe they are beaten.

Tho fiMowing refers to fighting on I the Atone: —A letter was found on a (hotm officer stating: "Our corps lias the task of holding the heights souilh ! of Oiroy ill all circii/msstamceßi till 'the ' Utli Corps on o>ur left Hank can gr>i,p tlie enemas llank. On ojur right arj other corpa. IWe are fighting with English Guards, Highland-era and JSouaves. The lomis on 'both sides have been enormous. For the -mooit part this is duo to too brilliant French artillery. ; Tho I'lnglish are marvellously trained in staking use of ground. One nnver isoes tlliem, ami one id constantly under fire. French airmen perform wonderful- feats. Wo cannot get irid of t'hetrn. As soon as an airman 'ui-a flown over m ten rainuteu later we get their shrapnel fire in our position. We have little artillery in our corps, and without it we cannot go forward. Three days ago our division took ipossession of these heights and dug itself in, Two day-s ago, in t'lve early morning, we were attacked by immensely superior English forcoj—one brigade and two ba-ttalioM —and were turned out of our position. The British too* five guns. from us. J't was a tremendous liand-to-hanij fight. How I cactiped myself I am. mot clear. I then had to bring up supports on foot. Then caime n:|> the Guard Jager battalion, the 4th Jagur, the 03th Reginmiit., Reserve Regiment 13, Land-w-dhr .Regiments. 13 and IS, and with tho help of artillery drove badk the British ouit of our position again. Out ■machine gunu did excellent work. The English foil in heaipe. In coir battalion Iron Crosses wore given. During t!he firat two days' battle X hid on!iy one piece of bruad and no water. If we first) beat tho English, the Frendh resistance will soon be broken, aiul Russia will bo Tory quickly dealt .witli. Wc received splendid help, from, the Aub'trian heavy artafflcry at Maubeuge. They tboanibalrxteij Fort Oerfoyainc ai such a way that tlhere was not ten metres of parapet whitili did not show enormous craters made li/ the nlu-'l. Armored turrets -wore found upside down."

Kecontly ft pilot and observer of the Royal Flying Corps was forced fuy a br<iukag© in lvis aeroplane to descend, in thu enemyV» lines. The pilot jnttnugcd to pancake Ik's down to earth, and the two escaped int-o some ' tfliick un*lerprowth in a wood. The enemy came up 6eflzod a.nd smashed the iiKU-liino, ibut tJasl Dot search for oiu- men with (much real. The latter In- hidden till daA, and then found their way to the Aisnc, «crocs Vhidli they swam, resveihing canip nafelly. Nunioroua floa-tin# bridges had been thrown aw«y tlhe Aisne and some permanent bridges repaired under fire. On September 21) a lieuitennnt «f the Royal Engineers vim unfortuiisaitely drowned whilst attempting to swim across the riven- with a. cnjjJlc in order to open no fresh IcJe-gi-flipDi coamiin'Mttiions with the north side.

Espionags is still carried on by the eJieniT tio a considerable eitest, Recently the suspicions of Frondh troops were aroused by coming a«ro»* a farm from wfaie-h the fcoreca hbi.4 not been rumored. After a search tlhey discovered a telephone oomnected by iswdergirouml cabJo 'with the Gunman lines. Th« oy/hw of tho farm paid th» penalty usual in war for treoeWy. It) ia reported by our off-kern that Gemma® attempted to approach to close tuartars by forcing (piißonera to ®irc'i ' ta front of them. "The Germans ua.ve __lieA fflie same trick on a larger r<? S^*B ain3 ' t Freß» b . R3 slwvu

by a copy of the following French order: —"JSeiptetmbor, 1!H4: During a recent mglro attack the Germans drove ■» column of French prisoners in front of them. This action is to be broug'ht to the notico of all our troaps> in order to put tlhem on tboir guard against- such a uii,staniiliT rase in larder fcliait every sofldier may know 'haw far the Germans treat their prisoners. Our trooip# must not forget if tliey allow tbeinwelvej tc foe taken -prisoners tfhat the German* will not fail to expose thcan to French bullets."

On September 17, Gorman ambulance waggons adivancod in ondler to collect wounded. The order to cease fire "was consequently given to our gnu®, wthfoh wero on this jjastiauJ'iir section of ground. Tho German batten- comanamdem at once took advantage of the lull ill the action to oliimb up their observation laddcire to locate our guns, vkich goon after came minder far more accurate ftro than any to wliwh they had been subjected to up to that tiara. A Britiifih officer captured by the Germans, and who lias since escaped, reports ibhai wJiiie a priflftne? hs aaw jnen. vho had been fighting subsequently jVi:t ■on Red Grow brassards. Men in tlie uniform of oomlbatamt units have been captured wearing tile lied Cross brassard lhastily slipped over the arm.

The Prime Minister lias received tlie following from London, dated September 25, 5.6 p.m.:— The Germans dropped bombs into Boulogne and Ostend, doing little damage. London, S'ispt. 60 (5.45 p.tn.) : There has been niiuch activity on the part of tho enwnry all along the lins. Bonie 'heaivy countiir-attaoks have been repulsed, and considerable fl'osa inflicted on tho enemy.