Gilpin observer., 1914-09-24
GEN. FRENCH TELLS HOW GERMAN
ADVANCE ON PARIS WAS CHECKED

LOnQOn.-lmpOrtant details OF the
operations of the British army In
France are contained In a report
which the war office issued.
When, the German army began its
eastward movement to cut the French
center, according to General French.
1t was ignoring the British as factor
In the fight. The allies began @ gen.
eral advance on September Z against
the German rear guard Of their right
wing, which had been left along the
River Ourcq. The British army was
REINFORCED. The Germans began re-
tirement on their right on the seventh.
1t was the first time they had turned
back since the battle Of Mons.
According to letters found on pris-
oners they had expected to enter Paris
in a few days. The order to retreat
was bitter disappointment. The
British crossed the River Marne on
the ninth with the French, and on the
tenth captured 1900 men, four great
guns, six machine guns and fifty trans
ports.
The Germans of the night army
seemed demoralized. They were with
out food and surrendered readily. The
continued advance, General French
says, has delighted the troops.
Text Of Statement Issued.
Following ia the statement as Issued
by the official press bureau:
THE following report is compiled
from Information sent from the head
quarters of Field Marshal Sir John
| French, commander-in-chief OF the
British expeditionary forces on the
continent, under date Of September IL.
This account carries the operations
from the fourth to the tenth Of Sep
tember, both days inclusive.
ut will be remembered that the gen.
| eral position of our troops on Sunday.
September 6, was stated to be south
of the River Marne, with the French
| forces in line on our right and left.
Practically there had been no change
since Saturday. September 8. which
marked the end Of our army's long re-
tirement from the Belgian frontier
through northern France.
Change In German Tactics.
"On Friday, September 4. 1t became
apparent that there was an alteration
in the advance of almost the whole
OF the first German army. That army.
since the battle near Mons on August
23, had been playing its part in CO.
lossal strategic endeayor to create a
Sedan for the allies by outfianking and
enveloping the left of their whole line
SO as to encircle and drive both the
British and French to the south.
There was now a change in its OBJ
jective, and 1t was observed that the
German forces opposite the British
we're beginning to move In a south
easterly direction, instead of continu-
ing southwest on to the capital. leav'
of the River Ourcq. which flows south
of and joins the Marne at Lizysur-
Ourcq, to keep off the French sixth
army. which by then had been formed
and was to the northwest Of Paris.
"They were evidently executing
what amounted to flank march dag.
onally across our front.
Attack French Left Flank.
Prepared to ignore the British as
being driven out of the fight, they were
initiating an effort to attack the left
flank of the main French army. which
stretched in a long. curved line from
our right towards the east, and SO
to carry out against it alone an en-
velopment which so far had failed
against the combined forces of the
allies.
"On Saturday, the fifth, this move
ment on the part of the Germans was
continued and large advance parties
crossed the Marne southwark at Tril.
port, Sammeron, La Ferte-Sons-Jou.
ARE and Chateau Thierry. There Was
considerable fighting with the French
fifth army on the French left. which
fell back from its position south OF
the Marne towards the Seine.
"On Sunday large hostile forces
crossed the Marne and pushed on
through Coulommiers and past the
British right farther to the east. They
we're attacked at night by the French
fifth army. which captured three vii
lagos at the point Of bayonets.
Advance Of Allies Begun.
"On Monday. September Z, there
was a general advance on the part OF
the allies. In this quarter of the field
our forces, which had now been re-
enforced. pushed on in a northwest
erly direction in cooperation with the
advance Of the French fifth army to
the north and OF the French sixth
army to the eastward against the Ger
man rear guard along the River
Ourcq.
Possibly weakened by the detach-
ment Of troops to the eastern theater
OF operations and realizing that the
action OF the French sixth army
against the line of Ourcq and the ad-
vance OF, the British placed their own
flanking movement in considerable
danger of being taken in the rear and