Crown Prince Overruled

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13948, 29 July 1918, Page 5

Crown Prince Overruled

ORDERED TO STAND PJBM. CHANGE OP TACTICS EXPLAINED. [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received Sunday, *’» p.m.) NEW YORK, July 27. Mr Durauty, the “New York Times’ ’’ correspondent at the French front, learns from a French staff officer on the Marne sector of a dramatic change in the German plans which explains fho recent fluctuations of the battle. The officer said that on the night of the 17th July the Germans re-crossed the river Marne protected by a strong rearguard and heavy shellfire. By the 20th July the south bank was in Allied hands, and on the 21st July tho German artillery fire had greatly decreased. and the French troops who crossed to the north bank reported that tho German lines were held by machine gunners only. The air observers reported that guns, supplies, and troops wore in the greatest congestion behind tho enemy lines,, moving northward, and that untransportable supplies wore being burnt. On the 22nd July, a terrific German artillery fire commenced at dawn, and an air observer reported that the German army was now moving south, Germans taken prisoner on the 22nd of July said the retreat had been

abandoned and tie troops wore ordered to hold to the last man. The assumption is that von Boehm or the Crown Prince had decided to roti’eat, and the higher command countermanded the order.