During a counter-attack by the German Fifty-third Regiment on positions
of the Northampton and Queen's Regiments on Thursday, the 17th, a force
of some 400 of the enemy were allowed to approach right up to the trench
occupied by a platoon of the former regiment, owing to the fact that
they had held up their hands and made gestures that were interpreted as
signs that they wished to surrender. When they were actually on the
parapet of the trench held, by the Northamptons they opened fire on our
men at point-blank range.

Unluckily for the enemy, however, flanking them and only some 400 yards
away, there happened to be a machine gun manned by a detachment of the
Queen's. This at once opened fire, cutting a lane through their mass,
and they fell back to their own trench with great loss. Shortly
afterward they were driven further back, with additional loss, by a
battalion of Guards which came up in support.

An incident, which occurred some little time ago during our retirement,
is also worthy of record. On Aug. 28, during the battle fought by the
French along the Oise between La Fere and Guise, one of the French
commanders desired to make an air reconnoissance. It was found, however,
that no observers were available.

Wishing to help our allies as much as possible a British officer
attached to this particular French army volunteered to go up with the
pilot to observe. He had never been in an aeroplane, but he made the
ascent and produced a valuable reconnoissance report.

Incidentally he had a duel in the air at an altitude of 6,000 feet with
the observer of a German Taube monoplane which approached. He fired
several shots and drove off the hostile aeroplane. His action was much
appreciated by the French.

In view of the many statements made in the press as to the use of
Zeppelins against us, it is interesting to note that the Royal Flying
Corps, who had been out on reconnoissance every day since their arrival
in France, have never seen a Zeppelin, though airships of a non-rigid
type have been seen on two occasions near Marne.

Late one evening two such were observed over the German forces. An
aeroplane was dispatched against them, but in the darkness our pilots
were uncertain of the airship's nationality and did not attack. It was
afterward made clear that they could not have been French.

A week later an officer, reconnoitring to the flank, saw an airship over
the German forces and opposite the French. It had no