The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-10-30
GEN. FRENCH REPORTS ON DESPERATE
FIGHTING IN BATTLE Of. THE A|SNE

enal General Slr JOnn french detail Ing
the operations Of the British expedi-
tionary force in France and their prog.
ress from August % 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:
ut is fact that between September
IL and October 8 the total Of killed.
wounded and missing among the Brit
ish expeditionary force has reached
561 officers and 1880 men, proving
the severity of the struggle in which
our troops have been engaged"
Following Is the statement issued
by the press bureau:
Sir John French's first report. dated
September II says:
I'm 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. Cen
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" contin-
ues the report, was 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 more German
corps were opposing the Sixth French
eTmy on my left.
"On September General Joffre 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.
This battle. 80 far as the Sixth
French army, the British army and
the Fifth and Nir.h 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 prison ers, many guns
and enormous masses of transport.
On the 9Th both tbs 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 heavy loss in killed
and wounded on the Germans, while
the Second division took some hun
dreds of prisoners and 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
-ther pursuit of the enemy being prac-
tically unopposed, the cavalry reach
AIDES south of scissors and three brig
AIDES at Cow ellis and Carseuil, on
the afternoon of September IL.
Battle Of Aisne 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
1.-THE position of the enemy was
very strong either for delaying action
or for defensive battle.
ION the morning Of the 18th 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 Chanouville, via the canal
bridge at Bourg.
by nightfall the first division &C.
cupied the area around Mouths. 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 q
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 bri
gade, therefore, was unable to ad.
vance, but the Fourteenth, directed to
q less exposed point, was RATED over.
and 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.
"On the morning Of the 18th the
Third corps found the enemy estab-
lished in strength IN Vregny plateau.
The Twelfth infantry crossed at We
nizel, but the bridge was so damaged
that the artillery could only be man.
handled across it. Meanwhile the con-
struction of a bridge began close to
the road bridge at Venizel.