OFFICIAL WAR NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 248, 21 October 1914, Page 8

OFFICIAL WAR NEWS.

BATTLE OF THE AISNE

OPERATIONS OF BRITISH

FORCES

FIELD -MARSH AL FRENCH'S v H KCOND DESPATCH.

PUA u? E FOR THE CAVALRY

WELLINGTON, Oct. 20

The following is a continuation of the High Commissioner's cablegram to tlie Governor, embodying FieldMareh'al French's second despatch: —

On the afternoon of 12th October, from qppositiou encountered by the French, go the west of Soissons and from certain indications along the line, I formed the opinion that the enemy had arrested his, retreat and''was preparing to dispute the passage of the,Aisne -with vigor. Tho tract <rf country north of the Aisne is well adapted to concealment, -and. it way impossible to judge the real nature of bhe opposition of our passage of the river or ■■accurately to gaugo ti)j& nature of the enemy's strong bh. I had reason to conclude thafy strong rearguards of our three army corps were holding the passages, and on. the morning of the 13th I ordered the British to advance and make good the passage of iih'e Aisne. Tho Sixth Brigade was enabled to cross in single lite under considerable shell-fire by means of a broken girder of the bridge construction. The pontoon, bridge was completed in the1 afternoon. On the extreme left ' tho 'Fourth , v Guards Brigade met with severe opposition at Ohayoifrnfi,' and only in the afternoon was able to establish , a foothold on the northern bank of the river by ferrying a battalion across in boa to at Vendresse. The Second Division bivouacked on the southern bank of. the river. The Second .Corps found all the bridges in front of them, destroyed, except at , Conde, which iva;^ hi possession of the enemy, iin.l r^aained so until the end.of the batfto. .

During the nights of the 18th, 14th, arid following days, field companies. wer-e incessantly at work night and day, and eight pontoon bridges and one footbridge were thrown across tihe rivdr under a .very heavy artillery fire, which was incessantly kept up imtil most of the crossing was done. The field companies during this most trying time were worthy of the; best traditions of the Royal Engineers. ■On the evening of the 14th it was still impossible to decide whether the enemy were only making a temporary halt covered by a rearguard or whether they intended to make a stand, aim defend/ the position. With a view to clearing up the situation, I ordered a central advance action of the first corps on this day, under command of Sir Douglas Haigh, who was so skilful, bold, and decisive that he gained positions which alone enabled me to maintain my position for more than three weeks.

Severe- fighting on the north bank of the rivet1 about four o'clock; the weakening of the counter-attacks by the .enoniy,' and other, indications ■showed- that the resistance was decreasLiig- A general advance was ordered by the army corps commander, and although meeting with ■considerable opposition and coming under a very heavy artillery and rifle fire, w^ had at, the end of the day's operation extended our position from Cheraindes and Dames on the right through Chivy to Le Cour and Pescuiner, with' the First Cavalry Brigade extending to Chavonne. on the Soiftson* road.

Throughout the battle of the.Aisne I<• can.no t speak too highly of the valuable services rendered ;by Sir Douglas Haigh and the army corps under his command. Day after day and night- after nighfc the enemy's infantry has been hurled against his forces in. violent counter-attacks, which • nev-or on any one occasion succeeded, whilst the trenches all over hia position were under a continuous 'and heavy artillery .fire. The casualties were very severe, one brigade alone losing three of its four colonels.

The Thud .Division commenced a further advance, and had nearly reached the plateau of Ai'gy when they were, driven back by a powerful obivntw-attack, supported by heavy artillery. The division fell back in the best order and finally entrenched. The Fourth and Fifth Divisions were im-ablo. to do more than maintain their ground. On the* morning of the 15th, after a close examination! of the position, it beciMtip. dear that the enemy were making, ?>■ determined stand on a strongly entrenched line of defence, from the north of Compiegne eastward,, and south-eastwards along the whole valley of the Aisne beyond Rheimf:.

A few days previously the fortress of Maulietisjo fell, and a considerable quantity of siege artillery was brought down, from that place to strengthen the enemy's position in front of us. On the 17th, 18th, and 19th the wiiole of our line was heavily bombarded. The First Corps was constantly luviyily engaged. On theafternoon of the 7th the right flank of the Pirwt Division was seriously threaten**!". A counter-attack was made by fekt> Northamptonshire Regimenjt, in combination with the Queen'n Ite-gunent. The Northamptonshire Regiment, under cover of the mist, crept up to within 100 yards of the enemy's trenches and charged with the bayonet, driving them out of .the'trenches-and' up the hill. A very strong faroe of hostile infantry was then disclosed on the crest-line. This new lin? v.as enfiladed by part of theQueen's and' King's Royal Rifles, which v/r,p/Ai}rl to their left on the. extreme risrfotof our infantry line, The o.tiw.y':.i attack was ultimately driv.-' h".-\ vriih heavy losses.

On the 18th, during the night, the ! Gloucestershire ' Regiment advanced j from their position near Chivy, nlieci , in the enemy's trenches, and cap- ! tared two Maxim guns. On the cx T treme right the Queen's were heavily attacked, but the enemy were^ re- . pulsed with great losses. Shortly j after midnight an attack was; made , on the left of the Second Division wifrb. considerable force which was also thrown back. On the 18th uiformation reached me from General Joffre that he found it necessary to make a new plan, and to attempt to envelop the German right flank. ( The cavalry have rendered most efficient and ready help in the trenches; and have done all they possibly could to lighten the arduous task which has or necessity fallen to the infantry. • I On the evening of the 19th. and | throughout the 2Qth the enemy commenced to show considerable activity. On the former night a severe counterattack on the Third Division was repulsed with considerable loss. Ihe enemy suffered another severe repulse in front of the Second Division, losine; heavily in the attempt. In the course of the afternoon the ■enemy made desperate attempts against the trenches all along the front of the First Corps, but wi)th similar results! After darH the enemy again attacked the Second Division, and were again driven back. Our losses on these two days were considerable, but the .number as obtained of the enemy's killed and j wounded vastly exceeded |them. On ] the night of the 21st another violent j counter-attack was repulsed by the' Third Division, the enemy losing ■ heavily. i During the nights of (the 27th and 28th the enemy again made most determined „ attacks to capture the trenches of the First Division, but without tlie slightest success. Similar attacks were made during these three days all along the line of the Allied front. , .

It is certain that the enemy then made one last great effort to establish the ascendancy..: They were unsuccessful everywhere, and are reported to have suffered -heavy losses. The same futile attempts, were ma.de all along, our fronjt up to the evening of the 28th, when they died away, and have not since been renewed. Attack and counter-attack occurred at all hours of the night and day throughout the whole position, permitting only a minimum of rest from the.l2th September to the Bth October. The killed, wounded, and missing reached 581 officers and 12,(980 meiij and proves the severity of the struggle. The Battle of the Aisne once more demonstrated the splendid spirit, gallantry, and devotion which animates the officers and men of his Majesty's forces.

About 1500 names are mentioned in Sir John French's despatches, including Sir Robert Lucas-Tooth.