Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-11-12
FRENCH GUNS BEST SING AS THEY DIE
Bra.ery of the German Soldiers
EvokeS Warm Praise.
English staff Officer, In His Descrip-
ton Of the Desperate Fighting In
Northern France and Belgium,
Pays Tribute to Foe.

IondOn.-The Germans chanted
their national song as they marched
to certain death in the deadly lighting
Oh the Franco-Belgian frontier. High
tribute is paid to the heroism OF the
Teutonic invaders by an eyewitness
on the staff of Field Marshal Gen.
Sir john French, in an account OF
the operations of the British eXpedi-
tiOnary force in northern France and
western Belgium, issued by the press
bureau.
it gives a graphic account Of the
struggle in that region.
Beginning at the point where the
British troops were being transferred
from the region of the Aisne to the
north to combat the onrush Of fresh
German army, the report says:
Despite the difficulties the whole
strategic operations of transferring
large numbers of troops from the
Aisne was carried out without loss.
After the fall of Antwerp there was
a gradual increase in the strength or
the opposition met by us. The re-
sistance of these detachments grew
more determined until October ~,
when, with the arrival opposite US or
large portion Of new formations and
a considerable number of heavy guns,
the enemy was enabled to assume the
offensive against practically the whole
of our line"
This was the real beginning OF the
Germans drive toward the coast. For
the report continues:
simultaneously they (the Germans)
attacked the Belgians, who were ly-
ing between us and the coast. From
that date up to October 20 the opera
tions assumed fresh complexion
That the losses were tremendous In
the hard fighting which ensued Is
shown by the account.
Then followed tribute to German
valor.
"A fiercely contested action took
place near Lagheir, which village was
captured in the morning by the enemy
and then retaken by us. The German
casualties here were very heavy They
came on with the greatest bravery In
swarms, only to be swept away by
our fire. One battalion Of the One
Hundred and Fourth regiment was
practically wiped out.
"On our left our troops advanced
against the Germans Twenty-sXth re-
serve corps near Passchendaele and
were met by a determined counter
offensive. However, the enemy was
and wounded upon the field.
"On the 22nd of October there was
a renewal of the German pressure
against us, but we succeeded in hold
ing our ground in nearly every quar-
ter. In the evening the Germans ad-
vanced against our center and were
again hurled back, although they
gained some Of our trenches, driving
the defenders out.
"The 23rd was bad day for the
Germans. They retreated and our
guns did great execution. They aft
erward made five desperate assaults
against our trenches, advancing in a
mass and singing as they came. The
attacks were all repulsed, our troops
waiting until the enemy was within
range of their rifles before opening
fire. The rifle and Maxim gun fire
caused terrible havoc in the solid
masses of the pnpmy
"On the night of the 23rd, as we'll
as on the night of the 22nd, the Ger
man losses were extremely heavy.
Much of the slaughter was due to
the point-blank magazine fire of our
men, while the field guns and howitz-
ers, working in perfect combination,
did their share when the enemy be-
gan to fall back.
"On the 23rd we captured more
than six hundred prisoners and found
1900 dead an wounded. The troops
suffered severely, especially the Twen-
ty-third corps, one of the new Ger
man formations"