The chronicle=news., 1914-09-14

the latter river and after consider
able amount Of fighting captured
some 1900 prisoners. four guns, six
machine guns and so transport wag-
ons. . 81
Many OF the enemy were killed or
wounded ands.the numerous thick
woods which pt the country north
|of the Marne are filled with German
|stragglers.,
Most of them appear to have been
without f1od for at least two days.
Indeed, in this area of the opera
tions. the Germans seem to be de-
moralized and inclined to surrender
In small parties and the general sit
uation appears to be most favorable
to the allies.
age has been done to the villages oc-
cupied by the enemy. Property has
Leen wantonly destroyed. Pictures
In Chataus have been dipped up and
houses generally have been pillaged.
"It is stated on unimpeachable au-
thority that Inhabitants have been
much ill-treated.
Interesting incidents have occur
red during the fighting.
''On the 10th of September part Of
our second army CORPS advancing
into the north. found itself marching
parallel with another infantry force
at some distance away. At first 1t
was thought this was another rBft-
ish unit After some time, however.
1t was declared that it was body of
Germans retreating.
Measures were promptly taken to
head off the enemy. who were sur
rounded and trapped in sunken
road, where over 400 men were sur
rounded. t.l
"On September 10 small party
under non-commissioned officer
was cut off and surrounded. After
desperate resistance it was decided to
go on fighting to the end. Finally
the non commissioned officer and
one man only were left, both wound
ed. ..
THE Germans came up and shout
ed to them, lay down your arms.
| "The German commander, how
ever, signalled to them to keep their
arms and then asked permission to
shake hands with the wounded nom
commissioned officer who was car
ried off on his stretcher with his rifle
by his side.
THE arrival of re-inforcements
and the continued advance have de-
lighted our troops, who are full OF
zeal and anxious to press on.
4 80 -, ~ ha
1aign on our side has been the sue
cesses obtained by the royal flying
corps. In regard to the collection Of
Information it has been impossible
either to award too much praise to
our aviators for sthe way they have
carried out their duties or to overes-
innate the value of the intelligence
collected. more especially during the
recent advance.
| In due course certain examples of
what has been effected may be speci-
fled and the far-reaching nature of
the results fully judged but that time
has not arrived.
THAT the series of our flying corps
which has really been on trial. are
fully appreciated by our allies IS
shown by the following message from
the commander-in-chief of the
French army received Sept. 9th by
Field Marshall Lord Kitchener:
| Please express most particularly
to Marshall French my thanks for
the services rendered on every day
by the English flying corps. The pre-
cision and eXactitudc of the news
brought In by its members are evil
dence OF their perfect organiza-
tion and also of the perfect training
Of the pilots and the observers
ITO give a rough idea OF the
amount of work carried out 1t is suf-
ficient to mention that during per-
iod of 20 days up to the 10th of Sep
/ tember a daily average of more than
nine reconnoizance flights Of over
100 miles each had been maintained.
German troops on September .
took mp general offensive move
ment against this army. including
advance movements toward our
southern frontier. 1t Is difficult on
account of the geographical obstruc-
tions in this terrain to know exact
ly how many of the enemy were en-
gagged. 1t was not until September
10 when the great attack on the left
| wing Of General Rennekampf's
army was made, that the numerical
strength of the army was revealed.
They were found to be much superior
to our forces. 1t is along this linG
that the battle now rages.''
A Times correspondent. who wires
|
the Department of Seine-Et-Marne.
says:
Monday saw tremendous en-
counter on the Ourcq. In one vii
lage which the Germans hurriedly
vacated the French in large house
found a dinner table beautifully set |