Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-12-02
FRENCH GUNS BEST SING AS THEY DIE
Bravery 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.

London. Germans chamted
their national song as they marched
to certain death i'll the deadly fighting
on the Franco-Belgian frontier High
tribute is paid to the heroism of the
Teutonic invaders by an eye-witr ess
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.
1t 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 cnrush OF a 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
q gradual increase in the strength OF
the opposition met by us. The re-
sistance of these detachments grew
more determined until October 20,
when, with the arrival opposite us of
large portion of new formations and
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 ~.
ing between us and the coast From
that date up to October Is the opera.
tons assumed a fresh complexion"
That the losses were tremendous in
the hard fighting which ensued is
shown by the account
Then followed a 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-sixth re-
serve corps near Passchendaele and
we're met by a determined counter
OFFENSIVE However. the enemy was
again driven back, leaving many dead
and wounded upon the field.
"On the 22nd OF October there was
renewal of the German pressure
against us but we succeeded i'm hold
ing our ground m nearly every quar-
ter. In the evening the Germans ad.
Vanced agains. our center and were
again hurled back. although they
gained some Of our trenches. driving
the defenders out.
The 25rd was a bad day for tho
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 ali repulsed. our troops
waiting until the enemy was within
range ~ their rifles before opening
IRE The rifle and Maxim gun fire
caused terrible havoc in the solid
masses OF the enemy
On the night of the 2}rd. as wen
as ON The night Of me 22nd. the Ger
man losses we're extremely heavy.
Much OF the slaughter was due 10
the pointblank magazine fire OF our
men, while the field guns and howitz.
ers. working IN perfect combination.
did their share when the enemy be
gan 10 tail back
'On the 23rd we captured moro
than six hundred prisoners and found
l,5OO dead an wounded The troops
suffered severely, especially the Iwen.
ty-third corps one c. the new Ger
man formations"