Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-10
Enemy Pressed Advance Steadily,
and the Fighting Continued
Day and Night.
LITTLE HELP FROM ALLIES
Chief of British Army Has Words Of
Praise for His Commanders
and Conduct Of the
Rank and File.


a.m.--The text OF the report Of
Field Marshal Sir John French,
in command of the British forces
in France, covering the British
operations since they landed in
France, was made public today.
The report is addressed to Earl
Kitchener. the secretary OF war,
md its publication indicates that
he government is responding to
he public demand for fuller in
formation on the progress Of
peratlons SO far as the British
.orces are concerned in France.
Text Of the Report.
The report Is published in the London
Gazette. the official organ. 1t follows:
"The transportation of the troops from
England by rail and sea was effected in
the best order and without n check. Con-
centration was practically completed the
L
able to make dispositions to move the
force during Saturday to positions con-
sidered most favorable from which to
commence the operations which Gen.
Jof:re requested me to undertake Tho
line extended along the line OF the canal
from Conde on the west. through Mons
and Binche on the east.
During August % and % the advance
squadrons did some excellsMk work, some
OF them penetrating as far as Soignies e.
town OF Belg. um, ten miles northeast of
Mons) ana several encounters took place
In which our troops showed to great ad-
vantage.
Sunday, the sd, reports began to come
In to the effect that the enemy was COM
mencing an attack on the Mons line, ap-
parently in some strength, but that the
right of the position from Mons was be-
Ing particularly threatened.
Binche Is Evacuated.
'"The commander of the 1st Corps had
pushed his flank back to some high
ground south Of Bray. and the 5th Cav
airy evacuated Binche. moving Slightly
south. The enemy thereupon occupied
Binche.
The right of the Sd Division under
Gen. Hamilton was at Mons. which
formed somewhat dangerous salient,
and l directed the commander of the
I'd Corps. If threatened seriously, to
draw back the center behind Mons This
was done before dark.
In the meantime. about 5 in the after
noon, l received most unexpected mes
sage from Gen. Joffre by telegraph tell
ing me that at least three German corps
were moving on my position in front, and
that a second corps was engaged in
turning movement from the direction oil
Tournai. He also informed me that the
nd
9Th French Army Corps on my right
were retiring, the Germans having on
the previous day gained possession Of the
passage of the S;imbre between Charieroi
and Namur.
I'm view of the possibility of my being
driven from the Mons position, I had
previously ordered position III the rear
to be reconnoitered.
Position Difficult One.
'This position rested on the fortress of
Maubeuge on the right and extended west
to Jenlaine, southeast of Valenciennes, on
the left. The position was reported diff
cult to hold because standing crops and
buildings made the sitting Of trenches
very difficult and limited the fire In many
important localities. 1t nevertheless af-
forded a few good artillery positions.
when the news of the retirement of
the French and the heavy German threat
ening on my front reached me l endeav-
ored to confirm 1t by aeroplane recon-
no:ssance, and as a result of this l de-
termined to effect retirement to the
Maubeuge position at daybreak on the
24th
"a certain amount of fighting continued
along the whole line throughout the night,
and at daybreak on the 9th the I'd Divi-
sion, from the neighborhood of Har-
mignies. made powerful demonstration.
t.,1r rl,i.
ported by the artillery of both the 1st
and I'd Divisions. while the 1st Division
took up supporting position in the
neighborhood of Pessant. Under cover
of this demonstration the I'd Corps re-
tired on the line of Dour. QuaroubIe and
Franieries The Sd Division, on the right
of the corps, suffered considerable loss in
this operation from the enemy, who had
rstaken Mons.
1.-The I'd Corps halted on this line, where
they entrenched themselves, enabling
Sir Douglas Haig. with the 1st Corps,
to withdraw to the new position, and he
reaching the line from Bavay to Mau-
beuge about Z o'clock i'll the evening.
Heavy Fighting at Midnight.
Toward midnight the enemy appeared
to be directing his principal effort against
our left. I had previously ordered Gen,
Allenby, with the cavalry, to act vigor-
ously in advance of my left front and
endeavor to take the pressure off.
"About 80 O'Clock In the morning Gen.
Allenby received message from Sir
Charles Ferguson, commanding the 5th
Division, saying he was very hard pressed
and in urgent need of support on re-
ceipt OF this message Gen. Allenby drew
in his cavalry and endeaVored to bring
direct support to the 5th Division
"Durfng the course of this operation
Con ia I.isle of the ID (>ayolr1,