Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-23
RECORD IN BATTLE
OF BRITISH ARMY
? Descriptive Account of 0pe-
rations Since September Ia
by Field Marshal French.
RESISTANCE BY GERMANS
ALONG THE RIVER AISNE
Fierce Fighting for Days Without
Material Advantage to Either
of Combatants.

OF C0mDatantS.
LONDON, September 23-The follow
ing descriptive account from Fiel
Marshal Sir John French's headquar
tiers of the British army's operation
up to September IS was issued las
night.
General Headquarters, 18th Septem
Der, 1914:
= AT the date of the last narrative
September IA. the Germans were max
ing a determined resistance along the
River Aisne. Opposition, which it was
at first thought might possibly be of a
rear guard nature. not entailing ma
tertal delay to our progress, has de-
veloped and has proved to be more
serious than was anticipated.
The action now being fought by the
Germans along their line may. it is
true, have been undertaken in order to
gam time for some strategic operation
or move, and may not be their main
stand But il this is so. the fighting is
naturally on a scale which. as to extent
OF ground covered and duration of re-
s1stance, makes it undistinguishable in
ITS progress from what is known as a
pitched battle, though the enemy GER
ta1nly showed signs of considerable dis
organization during the earlier days of
their retirement phase.
Whether it was originally intended
by them to defend the position they took
up as strenuously as they have done, or
whether the delay gained for them dur
ing the 18th and 18th by their artillery
has enabled them to develop their re-
sistance and force their line to an ex-
tent not originally contemplated, can
not yet be said.
Still Battle of the Aisne.
ego far as mo arc ooncernad III. ,o.;a,,
still being contested is the battle of the
Aisne. The foe we are fighting is Just
across that river along the whole of
our front to the east and west. The
struggle is not confined to the valley of
that river, though it will probably bear
it's name.
THE progress of our operations and
the French armies nearest US for the
18th. 18th, 10th and 18th will now be
described:
"On Monday. the 14th, those of our
troops which had on the previous day
crossed the Aisne. after driving in the
German rear guards on that evening,
prepared defensive positions on the right
bank, and could do little more than Sc
cure a footing north of the river. This,
however, they maintained in spite of two
counter attacks delivered at dusk and
10 pm. in which the fighting was severe
During the 18th strong reinforcements
of our troops we're passed to the north
bank, the troops crossing by ferry, by
pontoon bridges and by the remains Of
permanent bridges. Close cooperation
with the French forces was maintained
and the general progress made was good.
although the opposition was vigorous
and the state Of the roads. after the
heayy rain, made movements SLOW
"One division alone failed to secure the
ground It expected to.
Repeated Attacks Repulsed.
The 1st Army Corps, after repulsing
repeated attacks. captured 900 prisoners
and twelve guns. The cavalry also took
q number Of prisoners Many of the
Germans taken belong to the reserve and
landwehr formations, which fact appears
to indicate that the enemy is compelled
70 draw on other classes OF soldiers to
NIL the gaps in his ranks
There was a heavy rain throuehont
the night of September 14-15 and dur
ing the 18th the situation of the Brit
lsh forces underwent no essential
chahge- But 1t became more and more
evident that the defensive preparations
made by the enemy were more extern
slEe than was at first apparent
In order to counterbalance' these
measures were taken by US to econo-
mize our troops and to secure protec-
ton from the hostile artillery fire
which was very fierce, and our men
continued to improve their own in
trenchments- The Germans bombarded
our lines nearly all day, using heavy
guns. brought, no doubt from before
Maubeuge, as well as those with the
corps.
"All their counter-attacks. however
failed, although in some places the,
were repeated six times. One made or
the 4th Guards Brigade was repulsed
with heavy slaughter.
An attempt to advance slightly
made by part of our line, was unsuc.
cessful as regards gain of ground. bu
led to the withdrawal of part of tn,
enemy's infantry and artillery.
Further counter-attacks made dur.
ing the night We're beaten off Rair
came on toward evening and continues
3ntermittentiy until 8 am. on the 10th
soldiers holding the line. the Ne
weather. to some extent, hampered RI,
motor transport service, which wa,
also hlndered by broken bridges.
Enemy Less Active.
Wednesday. the 18th. there was it'll
ehanse In the situation opposite tn
iisn' the EFFORTS made by the enem,
were less active on the previous day
though their bombardment continue
throughout the morning and even,n,
our artillery fire drove the defender
on one of the salients of their position
Dut they returned in the eyenin,
Forty prisoners were taken by the :.
division e %
Thursday. the 18th. the situatio,
sun remained unchanged in its essen
tiais- The German heavy artillery Ar,
was more active than on the nrevinu
day. The only infantry attacks mad
Dy the enemy Were on the extrem
right of our position. and, as had ba n
pened before. were repulsed with heay,
loss. chiefly on this occasion by on
field artillery
In order to convey some idea of tb
nature of the fighting it may be sal,
mat along the greater part of GU
front the Germans have been drive
back from the forward slopes on tn
north OF the river. Their infantry ar
holding strong lines of trenches anon
ana along the edges of the numeroII
woods which crown the slopes. Thes
trenches are deliberately constructs
and cleverly concealed In many nIace
there are wire acknowledgements an
lengths q rabbit fencing.
Both woods and open are carefuu
aligned, so that they can be swent h
rifle fire and machine guns, which ar
invisible from our side of the vale.
The ground in front of the infantr
trenches is also. as rule, under eros
- ALL