Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-04
GERMANS STRIKE
REPEATED BLOWS
AGAINST BRITISH
English Compelled to Meet
One Desperate Assault
After Another.
GREATLY OUTNUMBERED
BY ENEMY AT MANY POINTS
Colonel Swinton Reviews Situ-
alton, for Six Weeks Pre-
ceding November 26.
ALLIES IN BETTER POSITION
Recently There is Lull In Operations
and Time for Readjust-
mcnt Of Forces.

LONDON, December IS T.. MI
Colonel IL. d. Swinton. of the intclli-
Eencc department of the general staf1
of the British cxpeditlonary force on
the Continent. In a narrative dated No
vcniber 26, gives "a general review OF
tho development OF the situation Of the
force for six weeks preceding that
date.
There recently has been a lun in ac-
tive operations. he says. No progress
has been made by either side. and yet
there has come about an important re-
adjustment In the scope of the part
played by the British army as n whole.
He explains the movement from the
River AisTe to the Belgian frontier to
prolong tho left flank OF the French
army. and says that In attempting this
the British force was compelled to as
sumo responsibility for an extended
section Of the front lie points out
that the British held only one twelfth
or the line. so the greater share OF
The common tagk of opposing the
enemy fell and still falls TO the French
while the Belgians played an almost
vital part.
With the fall of Antwerp the Ger
mans made every effort To push for
ward beslcging force toward the
west Altogether. they had 250.O0O
fresh men. Eventually the Germans
had. north OF Labassee. about four
teen corps and eight cavalry divisions,
z that 10 "a force of 10000 men, with
3 Which TO- attempt 10 drive the allies
t,tfHtofs the sea. In addition. there was
Immensely powerful armament. and
heavy slese artillery. which also had
been brouEb. mp from around Ant
werp."
AT MANY :N1s ALLIES
AM: ...:yiGLY OUTSUMBERED
Tho eyewitness tells of blows de-
livcred by the Germans at Nieuport,
DiNmude and YDres. where at FIRST the
allies were greatly outnumbered''
For while the British army around
fpres held Its ground against repeat
ed onslaughts by vastly superior
forces. The writer details the Ger
man attacks and describes how they
were frustrated. The British force"
says Colonel Swinton, had TO with
stand an almost continuous lombard
ment and to meet one desperate as
sault after another. each carried out
by fresh units from the large numbers
which the Germans were devoting to
the operation" Finally, the French
cam" 20 their assistance, and never
was help more welcome. for BY then
our small local reserves again and
again had been thrown into the fight
in the expectation of counterattacks.
ana our men were exhausted by the
incessant fighting"
The British front has been consider
ably shortened and. In addition, has
been reinforced, while a lull has en-
abled the commanders to readjust their
forces. strengthen their positions and
bring up the reserves. There has,
therefore. been great general i'm
provement in the conditions under
which we are carrying on the fight"
or the fighting which preceded this
reorganization, the writer said 1t was
due solely to the resource, initiative
and endurance OF the regimental ofh-
GERS and men that success has laid
with the British. He continues:
las the struggle swayed backward
and forward, the fighting assumed a
confused and desperate character. The
units became inextricably mixed and
in many cases. to strengthen some
threatened point or to fill gap in
the line, officers had to collect and
throw into the fight what men they
could, regardless of the units to which
s they belonged.
CONTRIBUTED MATERIALLY
TO SUCCESS OF CAMPAIGN
The duty Of the French. Beiglans
and British in the western theatre has
been to hold on TO and to keep oc-
cupicd as many of the enemy as possi-
bile, while the Russians were attacking
in the east. In this we have played
our part, ana haVo contributed mate
rally towards the success of the cam
paign.
"Thc value of years of discipline and
training is as noticeable on the side
OF the enemy rs on our own. The
phenomenal losses suffered by the Ger
mans have been remarked, and they
were. in part, due TO their lack Of
training"
The allies, continued Colonel Swinton,
have undergone great sacrifices. The
writer. points out that the Germans
continue to attack with great courage,
and while they have not gained the
Straits of Dover, they have consoli-
dated their position on the western
frontier, and retain all but small
4 portion of Belgium.
'As well as they have fought how
! ever continues the narrative, ct is
doubtful IL their achievements are
commensurate with their losses, which
recently have been largely due to a
lack OF training and comparative lack
of discipline, of the improvised units
Colonel Swinton concludes with tho
statement that, MS the war will be one
y of exhaustion. after the regular armies
OF the belligercnts have done their
y work, success will depend on the raw
material of tho countries concerned
-ilAV
Cannon Files Expense Statement.