MONS THROUGH U.S. EYES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1929, Page 6

MONS THROUGH U.S. EYES

NEW LIGHT ON EPIC BATTLE

LONDON, Aug. 26

To-day is the anniversary o. the historic battle of Moms—August 26th. 1914. We publish below a brio description of the epic light as semi through American eyes.

The writer, a neutral American officer at the seat of war, has penned it as a tribute to British efficiency. He points out that American information at that time regarding war events was

superior to that available in Great Britain, and continues: The Germans knew that here was an opportunity to wipe out the British force, and they brought up vast numbers ofg their best and freshest men. The German forces assailed the British position not only with determination but with what I can only justly call ferocity.

The German General Staff was of the opinion that the British force could not stand before an attack by an enemy twice as strong in numbers and much stronger in artillery. It was the first occasion in history of a battle between a German and a British army, and as twice as many men were engaged as at Waterloo, it deserves a far higher place purely as a military achievement. AWE-INSPIRING RUSHES.

It was awe-inspiring to see those terrific German rushes. The attacking forces were well served by artillery.

IVhen you saw the rush start you thought nothing on earth could stop it. That those tremendous charges were stopped and the attackers driven back In disorder is due in the first place, I am certain, to the magnificent marksmanship of the British soldiers. The officers naturally expected a good deal in this particular direction, but I don’t tiling they thought the men would do so superbly in actual warfare.

At the end of a week’s hard marching and harder fighting and in the face of the fiercest frontal attack ever delivered in modern warfare, it must have surprised the Germans.