Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-15

of the Germans, who now were has
/ tily retreating northwards. One of
our corps was deia yed by an obstinate
defense made by a strong rear guard
with machine guns at La Ferte Sous
Jouarre, where the bridge had been
destroyed
On Thursday, Sept. 10, the French
sixth army continued its pressure on
the west while the fifth army b.
forced marches, reached the line of
Chateau Thierry and Dormans on
the Marine. Our troops also continued
the pursuit on the north of the latter
river. and after a considerable amount
Of fighting captured some 1900 prison
erS, four guns, six machine guns and
fifty transport wagons.
Many of the enemy were killed or
wounded and the numerous thick
woods which dot the country north of
the Marine are filled with German
stragglers. Most of them appear to
have been without food for at least
| two days. Much brutal and senseless
damage has been done in the villages
| occupied by the enemy. Property has
been wantonly destroyed; pictures in
chateaus have been ripped up and
houses generally have been plllaged.
1t is stated on uniInpeachable author
ity, also that the inhabitants have
been much iH-treated.
Interesting incidents have occur
red during the fighting. On the 10th of
September part of our second army
crops advancing into the north found
itself marching parallel with another
infantry force at some little distance
away. At first it was thought this was
another British unit. After some time,
however. it was discovered that it
was a body of Germans retreating.
Measures We're promptly taken to
head off the enemy who were sur
rounded and trapped in sunken road,
| wnero over 400 men surrendered.
'On Sept. 10 a small party Under
| commissioned officer was cut off
| and surrounded. After a desperate re-
sistance it was decided to go on fight
in gte the end. Finally the non-eom-
| missioned officer and one man only
were left. both of them being wound
ed. The Germans came up and shouted
to them: Lay down your arms. The
| German commander, however, signed
to them to keep their arms and then
asked permission to shake hands with
the wounded non-commissioned officer,
| NEO was Carried on oll his ST. sShSh
with his rifle by his side.
"The arrival of reinforcements and
the continued advance have delight
ed our troops who are full OF zeal ana
| anxious to press on.
"One of the features of the cam
paign on our side has been the sue
cess obtained by the Royal Flying
| Corps. In regard to the collection of
| r-e-sl. n.
| award too much praise to our ayiators
! for the way they hnxe carried out their
| duties or to over estimate the value
of the intelligence collected, more es-
| pecially during the recent advance.
ITO give a rough idea of the amount
| of work carried out it is sufficient to
mention that during period of 20
| DAVIS up to the 10th of September &
dailv average of more than nine recon-
Nuisance flights of over 100 miles each
has been maintained.
1.-THE constant object of our aviators
| has been to effect an accurate loca-
ton of the enemy's forces and. incl
dentally, since the operations cover
SO large an area, of our own units.
Nevertheless, the tactics adopted
| for dealing with hostile air craft are
| to attack them instantly with one OF
more British machines. This has been
SO far successful that in five cases
| German pilots or observers have been
/ shot while in the air and their ma
| chimes brought to the ground.
| How far it is due to this cause, 1t
is not possible at present to ascertain
definitely, but the. fact remains that
the enemy have recently become much
less enterprising in their flights.
Bomb dropping has not been in
dulged in to any great extent. On one
occasion patrol bomb was success
fully exploded in German bivouac at
night. while from diary found on
dead German cavalry soldier it has
been discovered that high explosive
| bomb, thrown at cavalry column
from one of our aeroplanes, struck an
ammunition wagon, resulting in an ex-
nlosion which killed 10 of the enemy"