The Sentinel=record., 1914-09-23


 following descriptive account from Field Marshal Sir John French's headquarters of the British army's operations up to September Is was issued tonight.
 General Headquarters. 18th Sep tember, 19l4.-At the date of the last narrative, September If, the Germans We're making a determined resistance along the River Aisne Opposition which at first was thought might possibly be of rear guard nature, not entailing material delay to our progress, has developed and has proved to be more serious than was anticipated.
 The action now being fought by the Germans along their line may, it is true, have been undertaken to gain time for some strategic operation, But if this is so, the fighting is nat urally ol a cale which makes it un- distinguishable in it's progress from what is known as a pitched batt.e," though the enemy certainly showed signs of considerable disorganization during the earlier days of their retire ment phase.
 Whether originally it was intend ed by them to defend the position they took up as strenuously as they have done, or whether the delay gained for them during the 18th and 18th by their artillery has enabled them to develop their resistance and force their line to an extent not orig inally contemplated cannot yet be said.
 ''SO far as we are concerned the action stili being contested is the battle of the Aisne. The foe we are fighting is just across that river along the whole of our front to the east and west. The struggle is not confined to the valley of that river. though it will probably bear it's name.
 The progress of our operations and the French armies nearest us for |. the 14th, 18th, l6th and 17th will now be described.
 "On Monday, the 14th. those of oar troops which on the previous day had crossed the Aisne, after driving in the German rear guards on that even ing, found portions of the enemy's forces in prepared defensive positions on the right bank and could do little more than secure footing north of the river. This, however, they main tained in spite of two counter attacks in which the fighting was severe.
 During the 14th strong reinforce. ments of our troops were passed to the north bank. Close cooperation was maintained with the French forces and the general progress was good, although the opposition was vigorous and the state of the roads, after the heavy rain, made move ments slow.
 One division alone failed to secure the ground it expected to.
 The first army corps, after re- pulsing repeated attacks, captured coo prisoners and F guns. The cav airy also took a number of prisoners. Many Germans taken belong to the reserve formation, which appears to indicate the enemy is compelled to draw on other classes of soldiers to fill the gaps in his ranks.
 There was a heavy rain through out the night of September 14-15 and during the 18th the situation of the British forces underwent no essential change. But it became more and more evident that the enemy's defen- sye preparations were more exten- sive than at first apparent.
 ITO counterbalanee these we took measures to economize our troops and to secure protection from the hostile artillery fire, which was fierce, and our mea continued to im- prove their own entrenchments. The Germans bombarded our lines nearly all day, using heavy guns, brought. no doubt. from before Maubeuge as we'll as those with the corps. All their counter attacks. how ever, failed, although in some places lthey were repeated six times. One