THE BRITISH FORCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 126, 21 October 1914, Page 5

THE BRITISH FORCE

GENERAL FRENCH'S REPORT. ON EARLY OCTOBER ACTIVITIES. FIGHTING EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH. BEVEJU3 STRUGGLE! LUSHES OVER 13,003. By Telegrupk.—Per Press Association. Wellington, October 20. The Prime. Minister has received the following cable from tli* High Camfollowing cable from the High Commissioner:— Official.—Sir John French forwards two lengthy despatches, dated September 17 and October 8, giving details of the progress of operations of the British. The following are the main points: August 28.—-General Chetwode, with the sth Cavalry Brigade, encountered an eastern German column near Cerizy, moving south. Tile brigade attacked and routed the column, the leading German regiment Bufl'priiifr very urn-re casualties, being almost broken up.

LIKE-OF GOMiM' NICATION THREAT .-N ED. August 29. —The British retired to a position a few miles north of the line Compeigne-Soissons, as the right flank of .the (icTniauß was not reaching a point which appeared seriously to endanger my line of communications with Havre. I had already evacuated Amiens, and the order was given to change the base to St. Naziore and establish' the advance at Le .Mans. This operation was well carried out. In spite of a severe retreat inflicted upon the 10th Guards Regiment and the Guards Reserve Corps of the Germans, it was not part of General Jofl're's plan to pursue this to advantage and there was a general retirement to the line of the Marne.

Till: TABLB-J TUBKED. September I.—When retiring from wooded country to tlie south of Compeigne the Ist Cavalry Brigade was overtaken toy German cavalry, and tliey moImontarily lost a horse artillery battery and several officers and men were kill;fd and wounded. With the help of de- ! tachments from the 3rd corps, which was ! operating on their left, they not only recovered their own guns, but succced[ed in capturing twelve of the enemy's guns. There was a severe rearguard action at Villers-Cotterets, in which the 4th Guards Brigade suffered considerably. The enemy had thrown bridges over and crossed the Marne in considerable force, which was threatening the (Allies all along the line. ON TIIE OFFENSIVE. September 15.—The French Commander !in Chief informed me of his intention to take the offensive forthwith, and requested me to effect a change of front to my right, my left resting on the Marne and my right on the. sth Army to fill the gap between that army and the tith. I was to advance against the enemy in front and join in the general offensive movement. The combined movements commenced on September 0 at sunrise and eonclud(d in the evening on September 10, by which time Ihe Germans had been driven back to the line of Rheims-Soissons, with the loss of thousands of prisoners, many guns aiul enormous masses of transports.

ENEMY OILANGTJ-i HIS PLANS. About, September 3 the cncmv appears to have changed its plans and determined stop his advance south direct upon Paris. I should conceive that about noon, September 6, after the British bad changed their front to the right and occupied the line Jouy-le-Chatel-Fare-montiers-Yilleneauve-Lecooto it became apparent that the enemy realised that a powerful threat was being made against the (lank of his columns which were moving south-cast and began t,o jbeat a retreat which opened the battle of S""plemher 7. TSoMi on the still anil (ills the French armies were heavily engaged on our (lank. The Germans on the Ourcq vigorously opposed the advance of the French towards the hiver. The French threw the enmy back to the Petit, Morin river after indicting severe losses espeeia'ly about Moiite-.mx. whieh wan carried at the point of the bayonet. The enemy retreated before our advance. covered by his second I.K. flt'i and the Guard cavalry divisions wire'' suffered severely. Our cavalry acted with great vigour, especially General <le Lisle's brigade, with the 9th Lancers iand 18th Hussars.

September tfth.—The second army corps encountered considerable opposition, but drove back the enemy at all points with great loss, making considerable captures. The 3rd Army Corps drove back considerable bodies of the enemy's infantry which were made captiye. PASSAGE OF THE MAENE. Sept. A.—The Ist and 2nd Army Corps forded the passage of the Marne. During the day's pursuit the enemy suffered heavy loss in killed and wounded, and some hundreds of prisoners fell into our hands. A battery of eight machinepuns were captured by the second division. The fighting in the neighborhood of Montmiril was very severe. Thirteen guns, seven machine-guns, and 2000 prisoners and quantities of transports fell into our hands. The enemy left many dead on the field. Although I deeply regret to report heavy losses in killed and wounded, T do not think they have been excessive, in view of the magnitude ef the great fight and the demoralisation and loss in killed and wounded known to have been caused lo the enemy by the vigor and severity of the pursuit. From August 23 to September 17, from Mons lmck to the Seine and from the Seine to the Aisne, the army under my command was ceaselessly engaged, without one single day's halt or rest of any ; kind.

ENEMY STAYS RETREAT. "On the aftcruoom of Oc'tobeT 12. from apposition encountered by the French to the west, of Soissons, and certain indications all along the lines, I formed the opinion that the enemy had arretted his retreat, and was preparing to, dispute the passage of the Afene with vigor. The tract of country north of the lAJsne was well adapted to concealment, and it) was impossible to guage tihe real nature of his opposition t'o- our passages of the river, or to aceiarately gauge his ' strength. I (have reason to conclude that lie had strong rear guard. Our three army corps were holding t'he passajjes. BRITISH ADVANCE. 0* the morning of the 13th, I ordered : tile British to tulvance and mafe; good | at the Aisne. The 60tli Infantry Bri- | gade was able to cross in single file under considerable shell lire by nwnna of tie broken girder of a {bridge. Thi

construction of a poii'toon bridge was completed in the, afternoon. On the extreme left the i'.k Guards Brigade mwt severe ojuposition at Chavonne, and only in tilie afternoon were t'hey able to establish afootlhold on the northern tank of the river % ferrying the kuitaliwi across in boats at Vendresse. The 2ind Division bivouacked on the southern bank of the river. The second corps iound all the bridges in front of ih«m ■destroyed except at Conde, whioh was in possession of the enemy., and remained so until the end of Mie battle.

FIGHTING LNCHRSAXTLY, KlttllT AND DAY. "During the night of the Kith, 14th and following dayw the field companies were incessantly at work, night and day. Kighi, pontoon bridges and one foo:. bridge were thrown across the river umler very ilicavy artillery fire, which was incc.swuitly Jc< i>t up during most of the crossing and after vta completion. Ihe operations of the field comipankfl during tihis moist trying time w«v<> worthy of tli o 'beet traditions of 'the Royal Engineers.

'■l4'Jh, evening.-—lt was impossible' to decide whether the enemy was only making a temporary halt, covered >!>-,• his rearguard, or whether !h« in: ended to stand and defend his position. With a view of clearing un> the situation, 1 ordered a central advance. The aoi'ion of the First Corps on thi B day, under command of Sir Douglas Ilaigh, was so skilful, bold, and decisive, that lie gained tflic positions which alone lias enabled me to maintain my position for im>pthan three weeks. Severe fighting on •t'lie north bank o-f the river at about 4 o'clock, the weakening of the ewimtcr attacks by the enemy, and other indications showed that his resistance was decreasing.

A GENERAL ADVANCE. "A gcnural advance was ordered by the Army Corps commander. Although mooting wi'lh considerable opposition, and coming under very heavy artiilerv and rifle lia'e, we- at t!i e end of the day's operations extended from Clienundcs Dames on the right, through Chivy, to Le Couer and Uesouiner, with the Fin*, Cavalry Brigade extending to the Chuvonny-S'Oist-xma road.

MENTIONED IN DESPATCH EM. "Throughout the bat:fle of the Aisne I cannot speak too highly of the valuable services rendered byi Sir Douglas Haigh and ilhe army corps under his command. Day after day. and night after night, the enemy's infantry has buen hurled against his, in a violent, counter 'attack which never on any one occasion succeeded, whilst the 'trenches all over his position were under continuous and lkavy artillery tire. The casualties were very severe, one brigade alone losing three of its four colonels. "The Third Division commenced a further advance, and had nearly reached the plateau of Aig/., when they were driven hack by a powerful couiKer-at-tack, supported by heavy artillery. The division fell hack in the hest of order, and finally entrenched. The Fourth and Fifth Divisions were unable to do more than maintain their ground, "Oil lliu nnornin" of the loth, nfier a close examination of the position, it became clear that fjhe enemy wad making a determined stand in a strongly entrenched line of defence up from the north of Compegne, eastward and southeastwards along the whole valley of the Aisne beyond liheims. A few day's previously, the fortress of Maubougo fell, and a considerable ■quantity cf siege artillery was brought down from that place to strengthen t!he enemy's position in front of us.

ENEMY'S BIG GUNS ARRIVE. ''Oil the 17Ll', 18th, and tilth, the whole of our line was heavily bombarded. The tiist curjw was eon-i!aim 1 y an;! heavily endangered. On thu afternoon of the 171 Si, on '.ilic, right Il.m'k, the First Division win st-riousV.i tlirralvn.'d. A counter-attack wan made by the Norihamptoiishiie Regiment, in conciliation wiilh the Queen's Northamptonshire Regiment. Under cover of a mist they cri-pt up within a hundred yards of t/lic enemy's trenches, and charged wi'fh the bayonet, driving l them out of the trenches and up the hill. A very strong foice of hostile infantry was then disclosed oil the cre»t of the. line. This new line was enfiladed by part, of the Queen's and King's Royal illiiles, which, wheeled lo thciir left on tlio extreme right of our infantry line. The enemy's attack was ultimately driven back with heavy losses.

"lSih. —During the night, the Cloueisteivhire Regiment advanced from their positions near Chivy, tilled in the en- < niy's trenched, and captured two Maxim lt.ni*. Ou the extreme rigjht the Queen's v ere 'heavily attacked, bitt' the enemy Has repulsed with great loss. Shortly after midnight, an attack was made on ihe left of £lui Second Division with considerable foix'6, which, was* also thrown Itack. ALLIES' NEW PI AN. "Oil 'ibis day, information reached me from General Joffre that he found il necessary to make a new .plan, and tu attack and envelope the Grnnau I'W'ii tiank. Thu cavalry had rendered mo,-t efficient and ready help. In. the trenches we had done all we nossiWv could to lighten the arduous task, which had of 'necessity fallen to the infantry. "On the evening of the 19th, and 'throughout the •2(H'h, the enemy commenced to show considerable activity. On the former night a severe counter-at-tack on the Third Division was repulsed with considerable loss. The enemy Buffered another severe repulse in front of tlhe Second Division, losing (heavily in the attempt. In the course of 'he afternoon the enemy made desperate attempts against the trenches all along the front of the First Corps, Ibuc with similar results. After dark the enemy again attacked the Second Division, and were, again driven back. Our losses, on these 'wt days w L e:e cousi.l-jiable, '.'.it the number as ob',lined of the imnrv's killed and wounded vastly exceeded 111 -.T

'On tille liigW of (sie 2ksl -another violent, counter-attack was repulsed by the Third Division, tile enemy losing heavily. During the night of the 27th and 28;lh t'h.e enemy again made most determined attemipts to capture tili-e trenches of the First Division, but without the slightest success. Similar attacks wore made during these three days all along the line of the Allied front.

'WE LAST GREAT EFFORT."' "It is certain that the enemy Hum made one last great effort, t'o establish ascendancy. lie was unsuccessful everywhere, ami is reported to have suffered heavy losses. The same futile attempts were made all along our front uip to the evening of tihe 28th, wlieu they died away and have not since been renewed. "Attack and counter-attack occurred at all hours of the night and day throughout the -whole posi'Uon, permitting only a minimum of rest from the 12th September to Bth October. That tlhe killed, wounded, and missing reached 561 officers and 12,9801 men proves tho severity of the struggle.