Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-11

which confronted them. The artillery,
although unmatched by at least four to
one. made splendid fight and inflicted
heavy losses on their opponents.
AT length it became apparent that
| if complete humiliation was to be
avoided, retirement must be attempt
ed, and the order was given to COM
mance it about $50 in the afternoon.
The movement was covered with most
! devoted intrepidity and determination
by the artillery which had itself suf-
fered heavily and the fine work done
by the cavalry in the further retreat
from the position assisted materially
| the final completion of this most diff
! cult and dangerous operation. Fortu-
nately the enemy had himself suffered
| too heavily to engage in an energetic
/ pursuit.
II cannot close the brief account Of
this glorious stand of the British
troops without putting on record my
| doep appreciation of the valuable SER
vices rendered by Sir Horace Smith
! Dorrien. l say without hesitation that
! the saving Of the left wing of the
| army under my command on the
morning of the goth could never have
been accomplished unless command
| err of rare and unusual GOODNESS. in
| trepedity and determination had been
| present to personally conduct the
! operations.
The retreat was continued far into
the night of the goth and through the
27th and the 2Sth, on which date tee
troops allied on the line from Noyon.
Chauny and lie Fere. having then
thrown off the weight Of the enemy's
pursuit
"On the 27th and 2Sth | was much
indebted to General Sordet and the
French cavalry division which he
commands for materially assisting my
retirement and successfully driving
back some of the enemy on Cambria
| General Amade. also, with the 61st
and 62nd reserve division, moved
down from the neighborhood of Arras
on the enemy's right flank and took
much pressure off the rear of the Brit
ish forces.
This closed the period covering the
heavy fighting which commenced at
Mons on Sunday afternoon, Aug. %,
and which really constituted q four
days battle. At this point therefore I
propose to close the present dispatch.
II deeply deplore the very serious
losses which the British forces suffer-
ed in this great battle, but they were
inevitable in view Of the fact that the
British arrny-only few days afer
concentration by rail--was called upon
to withstand the vigorous attack of
FIVE German army corps
1T Is impossible for me to speak too
highly Of the skill evinced by the two
general officers commanding army
corps, the self-sacrificing and devoted
exertions of their STATS the direction
of troops by the divisional brigade and
regirnental leaders the command Of
small units by their officers and the
magnificent fighting spirit displayed
by the non-commissioned officers and
men.
L wish particularly to bring to
your lordship's notice the admirable
work done by the Royal Flying Corps
under Sir David Henderson. Their
SKILL energy and perseverance has
been bringing all praise. They have
furnished me with most complete and
accurate information, which has been
OF incalcalable value They were fir.
ed at constantly, both by friend and
zoe. and not hesitating to ffy in ey-
cry Kind of weather they have re-
NAMED undaunted throughout. Fur
ther. by actual fighting they destroy
ed hve of the enemys machines.
wish to acknowledge with deep
gratitude the incalculable assistance
/ received from the general and per-
sonar STATS at headquarters during
this trying period. Lieut. Gen. Sir
Archibald Murray, chief of the gen.
eral staff: Maj. Gen. Wilson. SUBJ
chief of the general staff, and ali un-
der them have worked day and night
increasingly with the utmost skill.
self-sacrifice and devotion; and the
same acknowledgment is due by me
to Brisadier General The Honorable
w Lambton, my military secretary
and personal staff.
I'm such operations as I have de-
scribed the work of the quarterma ster
general is of an extremely onerous
nature. Major General Sir William
Robertson has met what appeared to
be almost insuperable difficulties with
characteristic energy, skill and deter
mination and 1t Is largely owing to
his exertions that the hardships and
sufferings of the troops--inseparab bic
from such operations--were not much
greater.
Maj. Gen. Sir. Nevil MacReady, the
adjutant general, has also been con-
fronted with the most onerous and
difficult task in connection with dis
ciplinary arrangements and prepara-
tions of casualty lists. He has been
indefatigible in his exertions to meet
the difficult situations which arose.
He has not been able to complete the
list of officers whose names l desire
to bring to your lordship's notice for
service rendered during the period un-
der review and as I understand it Is
of Importance that this dispatch
should no longer be delayed, I pro-
pose to forward this list separately
as soon as ] can"
]. D. P. FRENCH.