質問: 英文を訳して下さい。 the french commanders were ordered by joffre to continue the offensive on 23 august as early as possible, since his strategy depended on the success of the third and fourth armies. ruffey replied in the morning that the attack could not begin until his divisions had reorganised and in the early afternoon found that the germans had forestalled another advance, by pushing the v corps in the centre back for 8 kilometres (5.0 mi), which led to the rest of the army falling back level. in the fourth army area, the 33rd division of xvii corps was routed and the rest of the corps had retired during the night of 22/23 august. the 5th colonial brigade withdrew from neufchâteau before dawn on 23 august, exposing the right flank of xii corps, which also fell back. by the end of 23 august, the survivors of the third and fourth armies were back to their jumping-off positions except for the xi and ix corps on the northern flank.
回答: この文章には、3か所ほど分かりにくいところがありますね。 ほかの場面でも時々出てきますので、以下のような補足的再確認をしたいと思います。 (1)falling back level「後退(退却)すべきレベル(程度・段階・局面)」、ということですから、私は、led to the rest of the army falling back levelの部分を、「方面軍の残り部隊を後退(すべき)局面に導いた(至らしめた)」と訳した次第です。 (2)routed の原形は(route でなく)、rout「(徹底的に)打ち破る」と見て、the 33rd division of xvii corps was routedの部分を「第三十三師団が徹底的に打ち破られた」のように訳したわけです。 (3)jumping-off positionsは、「ジャンプして離れた位置・陣地=出発点」ですので、third and fourth armies were back to their jumping-off positionsの部分は、「第三、第四方面軍の生存者は、北側面の第十一、第九軍団を除いて、彼らの出発点の陣地に引き返した・戻っていた」のように訳したわけです。