The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-04
GEN, FRENCH REPORTS ON DESPERATE
FIGHTING IN BATTLE Of THE A|SNE

Issued long reports from Field Mar
shall General Sir John French detailing
the operations Of the British expedi-
tionary force In France and their prog
ress from August 20 to October IS.
This covers the retirement Of the
British from Mons southwark to the
Seine and the advance back to the
River Aisne and the first stage Of the
desperate encounters along the line OF
that river. 1t was September 5 when
the allies took the offense.
The report contained this startling
information:
1T is a fact that between September
IL and October 8 the total Of killed,
wounded and missing among the Brit
ish expeditionary force has reached
Eel officers and 1880 men, proving
the severity of the struggle in which
u troops have been engaged"
Following is the statement issued
by the press bureau:
Sir John French's first report, dated
September II says:
In spite of very determined resis-
lance on the part OF the enemy, who
Is holding in strength and with great
tenacity a position peculiarly favor
able to defense, the battle which COM
menced on the evening of September
IL has so far forced the enemy back
from his first position, secured pas
sage Of the river, and inflicted great
loss upon him, including the capture
of over 1000 prisoners and several
guns"
The dispatch gives details Of the
retreat on August % and 20. Gen.
erals Cough and Chetwode, with the
Third and Fifth Cavalry brigades,
covered the retreat, repulsing the Ger
mans with great loss.
German Pursuit Vigorous.
"The pursuit by the enemy" coDtin-
ues the report, twas very vigorous.
Some five or six German corps were
on the Somme facing the fifth army;
on the Disc at least two corps were
advancing toward my front and were
crossing the Somme east and west of
Ham; three or four mor German
corps were opposing the Sixth French
army on my left. r....
"On September SGeneral Jofre de-
cided to take the offensive, as he
considered conditions very favorable
to success"
Field Marshal French believes that
about noon on the 9Th the enemy re-
allied that a powerful threat was
being made against the flank Of his
columns moving south and east and
began the great retreat which opened
the battle. z
y This battle, so far as the Sixth
French army, the British army and
the Fifth and Ninth French armies
were concerned, was concluded on the
evening Of September 10, when the
Germans had been driven to the Sois-
sons-Reims line, with the loss Of
thousands of prisoners, many guns
and enormous masses of transport.
On the 9Th both the First and Sec
ond army corps made large captures
and took some guns. On the 9Th
after forcing the passage of the Marine,
they inflicted a heavy loss in killed
and wounded on the Germans, while
the Second division took some hum
dreds Of prisoners and a battery OF
eight machine guns.
Field Marshal French's second re-
port, dated October 8, concerns the
operations of the British forces since
the evening Of September 10. 1t reads:
EARLY in the morning Of the 18th
three corps crossed the Ourcq, fur
Their pursuit Of the enemy being prac-
tically unopposed, the cavalry reach
ing the line Of the Aisne, two brig
AIDES south Of scissors and three brig
ades at Couvrellis and Carseuil, on
the afternoon Of September IL.
Battle Of A!sne Opens.
"The Fifth division approached Mis-
sy but were unable to make Roadway.
The west army corps reached the
neighborhood Of Vauxcere without
much opposition. In this manner the
battle of the Aisne commenced.
THE position Of the enemy was
very strong either for delaying action
or for defensive battle.
ION the morning Of the 18th I or
dered the British forces to advance
and make the passage of the Aisne.
The first corps and cavalry advanced
on the river. The first division was
directed on C%hanouville, via the canal
bridge at Bourg.
by nightfall the first division &C.
cupied the area around Moulins, Passa
and Geny. The Second division biv-
ouacked on the southern bank Of the
river, leaving only the Fifth brigade
on the north bank to establish a
bridge head.
Checked by Artillery.
I'm the approach to Missy, where
the Fifth division eventually crossed,
there Is some open ground, which
was swept by artillery fire from the
opposite bank. The Thirteenth bril-
Hade, therefore, was unable to ad-
vance, but the Fourteenth, directed to
q less exposed point, was RATED over,
end at night established itself on the
left Of Sainte Marguerite, where later,
with the Fifteenth brigade supported
by the Fourth division on their left, it
succeeded in ~repelling heavy counter
attacks on the Third corps.