“’By order of the German authorities. (Signed) “‘THE MAYOR.’

“Here followed the names of eighty-one of the principal inhabitants of Rheims, with their addresses, including four priests, and ending with the words, ‘And some others.’”

HOW THE BATTLE DEVELOPED

The following descriptive report from Field Marshal Sir John French’s headquarters was issued September 22: 

“At the date of the last narrative, September 14, the Germans were making a determined resistance along the River Aisne.  The opposition has proved to be more serious than was anticipated.

“The action now being fought by the Germans along their line is naturally on a scale which, as to extent of ground covered and duration of resistance, makes it undistinguishable in its progress from what is known as a ‘pitched battle.’

“So far as we are concerned, the action still being contested is the battle of the Aisne.  The foe we are fighting is just across that river, along the whole of our front to the east and west.  The struggle is not confined to the valley of that river, though it will probably bear its name.

“On Monday, the 14th, those of our troops which had on the previous day crossed the Aisne, after driving in the German rearguards on that evening, found portions of the enemy’s forces in prepared defensive positions on the right bank and could do little more than secure a footing north of the river.  This, however, they maintained in spite of two counter-attacks delivered at dusk and 10 p.m., in which the fighting was severe.

“During the 14th strong reinforcements of our troops were passed to the north bank, the troops crossing by ferry, by pontoon bridges, and by the remains of permanent bridges.  Close co-operation with the French forces was maintained and the general progress made was good, although the opposition was vigorous and the state of the roads, after the heavy rain, made movements slow.

FIRST CORPS MAKES CAPTURE

“One division alone failed to secure the ground it expected to.  The First Army Corps, after repulsing repeated attacks, captured prisoners and twelve guns.  The cavalry also took a number of prisoners.

“There was a heavy rain throughout the night of September 14th, and during the 15th the situation of the British forces underwent no essential change.  But it became more and more evident that the defensive preparations made by the enemy were more extensive than was at first apparent.  The Germans bombarded our lines nearly all day, using heavy guns brought, no doubt, from before Maubeuge as well as those with the corps.

“All the German counter-attacks, however, failed, although in some places they were repeated six times.  One made on the Fourth Guards Brigade was repulsed with heavy slaughter.

“Further counter-attacks made during the night were beaten off.  Rain came on towards evening and continued intermittently until 9 a.m., on the 16th.  Besides adding to the discomfort of the soldiers holding the line, the wet weather to some extent hampered the motor transport service, which was also hindered by broken bridges.