FIVE MORE DAYS OF BATTLE

On September 29 Field Marshal French’s headquarters reported as follows: 

“The general situation as viewed on the map remains practically the same as that described in the last letter, and the task of the army has not changed.  It is to maintain itself until there is a general resumption of the offensive.

“No ground has been lost.  Some has been gained, and every counter-attack has been repulsed—­in certain instances with very severe losses to the enemy.

“Of recent events an actual narrative will be carried on from the 25th to 29th, inclusive.  During the whole of this period the weather has remained fine.

“On Friday, the 25th, comparative quiet reigned in our sphere of action.  The only incident worthy of special mention was the passage of a German aeroplane over the interior of our lines.  It was flying high, but drew a general fusillade from below, with the result that the pilot was killed outright and the observer was wounded.  The latter was captured by the French.

“That night a general attack was made against the greater part of the Allies’ position, and it was renewed in the early morning of Saturday, the 26th.  The Germans were everywhere repulsed with loss.  Indeed, opposite one portion of our lines, where they were caught in mass by our machine-guns and howitzers firing at different ranges, it is estimated that they left 1,000 killed or wounded.

“The mental attitude of our troops may be gauged from the fact that the official report next morning from one corps, of which one division had borne the brunt of the fighting, ran thus laconically:  ’The night was quiet except for a certain amount of shelling both from the enemy and ourselves.’

AN ALL-DAY ATTACK

“At 3:40 a.m. an attack was made on our right.  At 5 a.m. there was a general attack on the right of the——­th division, but no really heavy firing.  Further ineffectual efforts to drive us back were made at 8 a.m. and in the afternoon, and the artillery fire continued all day.

“The Germans came on in ‘T’ formation, several lines shoulder to shoulder, followed almost immediately by a column in support.  After a very few minutes the men had closed up into a mob, which afforded an excellent target for our fire.

“On Sunday, the 27th, while the German heavy guns were in action, their brass bands could be heard playing hymn tunes, presumably at divine service.

“The enemy made an important advance on part of our line at 6 p.m., and renewed it in strength at one point, with, however, no better success than on the previous night.  Sniping continued all day along the whole front.

“On Monday, the 28th, there was nothing more severe than a bombardment and intermittent sniping, and this inactivity continued during Tuesday, the 29th, except for a night attack against our extreme right.