Retreat From Mons And A Naval Scrap

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 11 (Supplement)

Retreat From Mons And A Naval Scrap

"Trooper" Looks Back

I AST week we saw the Allied retril?° PS C ,° ntem P latin g further KziZ Toad from Mons. to K i was determined to hack his way through to Paris at all costs. to° n thl Ug r 9t 29 the A,,ied retired *o the Compiegne-Soissons line the German pursuit being checked 'bv a T h 'r„ "?»»'» I.JJ r, "? lt I flank of the German Army had reached- a point which appeared seriously to endanger the British line of communication with Havre. Amiens had been evacuated by the British; their base being changed to St. Nazaire. The Marne Crossed In conformity with a general plan between the Allied commanders further retreat, from Compiegne-Soissons, took place. On September 3 the Marne was crossed by the Allies and, after fierce lighting, the Germans followed on the sth, now being almost at the gates of Pans. On September 3 the French Govern ment. Ministers and the leading banks left Paris for Bordeaux, while the city was prepared for defence. The French remembered 1870. Paris became a fortified province; provisions being assured for a possible siege of months. The Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes became vast stock yards. Food supplies arrived in Paris by innumerable trains. Refugees from the occupied territories poured in while the Parisians poured out. German aeroplanes flew over the city. France realised to the full that war Was being waged in her territory. British Troops in Paris The British troops were now in Paris, •nd lo the south-west of it. But the vanity, of the.Crown Prince, of Germany •nd love of theatrical shows by the Germans helped to "save'the situation. £It became apparent to the Allied abmmanders that in order «to allow Willie" - to lead the invading Germans into Paris, v«>n Kluck swung. Ais forces to the east- in order to link up with those of the Prince. Had von Kluck continued he might have invested Paris on September 5. His action gave ihe Allies their, opportunity—and they fpok it. - '• •* V " ' '.The moment had now arrived. General ; Joffire #M: ; ,wliMESig up the left flank -s pi Bis 6th 'Army, pivoting it on the

Maine, at Meaux, so that it should move on to the Ourcq and there cross and attack the rear of von Kluck's Army. The British Army in its turn was brought up to a front so that its left rested on the Marne. . . On September 6, at sunrise, the movement commenced. The Allies now had the initiative. In the following live days took place "The Battle of the Marne" ending in victory for the Allies. Paris was saved! By September 7 a general advance bv the Allies was taking place. British Naoy at Heligoland In the North Sea there is an island. Heligoland. Until 1890 this island had been for over a hundred years a British possession. In that year it was exchanged with Germany for Zanzibar. Somebody blundered. Off Heligoland on August 27 took place the first fight of any importance between the British and German Fleets. The German ships at Heligoland were, in addition to her minelayers, a few submarines and commerce rafders, the only part of the German Fleet at all open to attack. British submarines haunted the Bight of Heligoland gathering information as to the enemy's movements, despite being persistently chased by German destroyers and cruisers. Jellicoe Prepares to Attack Sir John Jellicoe, Commander-in-Chief, having obtained the required information at once made preparations* for attack, which was to be launched on the fleet of German cruisers and destroyers operating in the Bight, and guarding the approaches to the German coast. The British battle-cruisers Lion, Queen Mary, Princess Royal, New Zealand and Invincible, and the cruisers Southampton, Birmingham, Lowestoft and Nottingham, together with a flotilla of destroyers were engaged. The attack was opened by the destroyers Fearless and Arethusa, who crept in in the early morning dark, as j decoys to the German ships, Fearless, particularly well justifying her name, being at one time exposed to the combined attack of the whole German flotilla. Arethusa also .bore no inconsiderable share of the fight, and after eight hours of it was so disabled she was towed to Qhartham. The German cruiser Mainz was destroyed by the light cruiser squadron, and sank,.- the German cruiser Koln receiving her coup from the Ist Battle Squadron—a British victory.