rd: I have the honor to report the operations in which the British
forces in France have been engaged since the evening of Sept. 10:

1. In the early morning of the 11th the further pursuit of the enemy was
commenced, and the three corps crossed the Ourcq practically unopposed,
the cavalry reaching the line of the Aisne River, the Third and Fifth
Brigades south of Soissons, the First, Second and the Fourth on the high
ground at Couvrelles and Cerseuil.

On the afternoon of the 12th, from the opposition encountered by the
Sixth French Army to the west of Soissons, by the Third Corps southeast
of that place, by the Second Corps south of Missy and Vailly, and
certain indications all along the line, I formed the opinion that the
enemy had, for the moment at any rate, arrested his retreat and was
preparing to dispute the passage of the Aisne with some vigor.

South of Soissons the Germans were holding Mont de Paris against the
attack of the right of the French Sixth Army when the Third Corps
reached the neighborhood of Buzancy, southeast of that place. With the
assistance of the artillery of the Third Corps the French drove them
back across the river at Soissons, where they destroyed the bridges.

The heavy artillery fire which was visible for several miles in a
westerly direction in the valley of the Aisne showed that the Sixth
French Army was meeting with strong opposition all along the line.

On this day the cavalry under Gen. Allenby reached the neighborhood of
Braine and did good work in clearing the town and the high ground beyond
it of strong hostile detachments. The Queen's Bays are particularly
mentioned by the General as having assisted greatly in the success of
this operation. They were well supported by the Third Division, which on
this night bivouacked at Brenelle, south of the river.

The Fifth Division approached Missy, but were unable to make headway.

The First Army Corps reached the neighborhood of Vauxcere without much
opposition.

In this manner the battle of the Aisne commenced.

2. The Aisne Valley runs generally east and west, and consists of a
flat-bottomed depression of width varying from half a mile to two miles,
down which the river follows a winding course to the west, at some
points near the southern slopes of the valley and at others near the
northern. The high ground both on the north and south of the river is
approximately 400 feet above the bottom of the valley, and is very
similar i