Arizona republican., 1917-07-08
CAVALRY IN FOOT TAXES BRILLIANT
 PART IN ATTACK
Republican A. ?. Leased Wirel

LRepublcan A. p Leased Wire1
 FRENCH FRONT July 7.-Cavalry on foot took brilliant part in the recent attack and capture from the Germans of the Laffaux Mill, the key position of the famous Chamin deg Danes, and in the vain effort to re- conquer the stronghold the German commanders have since seen their crack regiments wither away
 These French cavalrymen, who had, during the entente retreat to the Marne in August, 1914. covered them selves with glory while acting as a shield between the pursuing Germans and their own army, had been chafing with impatience to cross weapons once more with the enemy. Trench warfare, however did not lend itself to cavalry fighting. Most of the sol diers of the cavalry regiments are men belonging to the active army who were in full permanent training when hostilities began in 1914 and the various units still are under the command of their regular commis- stoned and non- commissioned officers. They had suffered some losses dur ing the earlier engagements of the war, but, to all intents and purposes, the regiments remained intact
 The military authorities con idered for a long time the question as to how best to employ the S. !endid llehting naterial composing these regiments, which were eating their he@ds off in comparative idleno 5s be- hind the lines for lack of opportun- ity to join in the conflict as cavalry. The cavalrymen themselves were spelling for a fight"
 Eventually it was decided to sep ar~rn the men of some of the regi- ments from their mounts and to form them into infantry battalions, regi- ments and brigades. Officers and soldiers greeted the order with en- thusiasm.
 The first to be transformed from horsemen into footmen were the cui- rassier regiments, and it was these dismounted cavaliers who gave such good account of themselves in the struggle for the Laffaux Mill, whose capture will form one of the most daring episodes recorded on their flag, which bore already the names of many historic battles fought by them in the last century
 When the order to go lover the top was given at daybreak, the inn provised infantrymen leaped from the trenches with the dash of youth for the majority of them were of the best military age from 23 to 26- and followed across the rising ground the barrage fire from the French artillery, whose curtain of projectiles raised an impossible screen before them and drove the German defend CTS to shelter when it did not crush faer0 tooether with their field works By far the greater number of the men were natives of the districts invaded by the Germans. and their anxiety to Nget to grips with their enemies was great. They reached the plateau in their first dash and then after taking breath they started forward again, their objective this time being two strong lines of trenches fortified by cement shelters here and there and with nests of machine guns which enfiladed the advance.
 The first line of trenches was car ried without much trouble but, in the center of the attack, Laffaux Mill resisted, as did also several block houses bristling with machine guns. The dismounted cavalrymen saw the futility of attacking these places from the front. so non commissioned officers with parties of men filtered through between them until they were surrounded. Then a section of tanks was ordered up to deal with the points of resistance, which they dih while the first wave of cuiras- T'ers passed on to attack the next line.
 The second line was defended with the courage of despair by the Ger man troops, and pfogress could be made by the cuirassiers only very slowly, every foot of ground having to be earned in individual combats with hand grenades and bayonets.
 At one point party of forty Ger mans stood fast, bravely throwing grenades at the French attackers Then one of the bravest deeds of a day in which many were done was l nnrformad by Trooper Beranger whc advanced in front of his comrades ir the open with his portable machine gun, and after deliberately takins sight moved all the Germans dowr despite a continual shower of gren- ades which, by some lucky chance missed him.
 l After a fight lasting nearly s, i hours the cuirassiers occupied al their objectives and the plateau sur rounding Laffaux Mill has since re- mained in French hands despite dozens of strong counter attacks. ir