ALLIES' SUCCESS AT BATTLE OF SOISSONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15717, 18 September 1914, Page 7

ALLIES' SUCCESS AT BATTLE OF SOISSONS.

FRENCH TAKE FIFTEEN HUNDRED PRISONERS.

BKITISH RECOVER GUNS AND CAPTURE TWO BATTERIES.

GENERAL JOFFRE'S CLEVER USE OF RAILWAYS.

Received September 18, 1.5 a.ml

London, Septomher 17.

The hottest fighting on the Aisnc was around Soissons, which lies -across (Ik Tans and Laon Road in a cup formed by two ranges of hill?, of which the northern is more continuous. General von Kluck fa " that, the hill north of Soissons and a gap into which several vail,- s lead would have to be held if the bulk of his army was to escape, Fortunately for the Germans, the big siege guns, destined for the Parts forts had reached the spot. Hence the inferiority of the .illie.-, heavy artillery until Tuesday, when the Germans abandoned

rhe position

The Germans' heavy fire forced the British to retire. InaviriL' six guns. but. the German guns had meanwhile Ivon '•"■■' , d Under the protection of a heavy bombardment from the northern hill* two British batteries crossed the bridge, and soon the six cm: ■ were recovered. Two German batteries were captured. Meanwhile, to the west, the French got three batteries and a reffirnent of infantry over the river, and captured 1500 Germans. On Tuesday the German stand, however, enabled the armies around Rheims and the Argonno to retreat safely in scattered fragments.

Von Ihiclow's armies, recently in the north-west of France, are n„w in a line with Noyon, Laon, and the hills north of Rheims. The anni-'s of Vonhausen, the Grand Duke of Wurtemburg, and the Crown Prime -tr<teh from Rheirns, the north of the Argonne, and Verdun towards Metz. The allies' success is largely due to General Joffre's clover use of the French railways, enabling the allies to concentrate huge forces of reserves and throw them swiftly where they are required.