The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-05-18
WAR TANK EXPERT TO ADVISE D. S.

he ene1n! trench. Only by landing
: shell directly upon a tank can IL
he hit out q commission. Bullets
from German rapid lrers aud the IN
fantry rifles are p0werless. Hand
-felades do IL no damage.
Exactly how tie French get the
tanks 10 their first line trenches In
preparation for attack IL a secret and
Tor tie present nothing on that phase
% thb Use Of them can be published.
Ihe Well-trained mcclianicidns and
rneroep ire ready when ii Is time 10
start and upon the signal the tank
gets into action.
Artillery preparations precedc the
advance ~ tanks. As tie time ap-
pr0aeles tnf the start, the barbed VIE
eItaneleraenT directly I'D front 81 the
tlrst-jIne trench II eut. That is done
Under cover ot darkness. Then OYER
the trench @oes the tank ana an II
ready Tor the Invasion d NJ Mans
Land
sheljin- by the French artillery has
I3Ancel Tie eT4eTny's cannon. and
when The corarRanaia: officer decides
THAT Tie reElainin. Germans In The
first line and supporting trenches are
sufficiently 9enloralize3 the signal to
advance n given. One Gin fancy the
r9cture-a line II monster steel con
~trartioBs creeping forward.
The ~Azanzanlrg of tie tanks ma
cfine -ans begins Wien outposts of
tie German defenders empty he
chgfohers Ct their magazine rifles 5y
wax II alarm IND uy to retreat from
their observation points Just in front
g The barbed wire. Then lie tanks
affjfe II thc barbasI wire and hy sheer
weight crush il and roll onward TO
tie first line trench.
IAe caterpillar wheels allow the
tank - sfraddle the German trench.
Il Is halted AID 9 cross fire poured
into the line Tie ~eInplacelnents of
German machine guns are literally
blasted away ~ ihe field pieces that
are mounted in the tanks and the
enemy reserye infantry moved down
bF machine gun ire Is they crawl
from their communication trenches.
AT q signal from the commander of
each iank the French supporting in
fan,ry PUSHES forward. II oil goes
well the ground is cleared Of the enc
my anG the @poilns" reach the trench
with q minimum loss. Then the Sec
u line II taken. The advance on
tinues until the enemy line is all cap-
tured, going forward a greater or less
distance according to the nature of
the ground. Tanks cannot attack bat
teries of artillery, and therefore their
work Is accomplished when the
trenches are cleared.
With the advance of the French in
fanfry positions there is a relative
Of supporting artillery in the
rear and q consequent retreat by the
artillery.
Manned by Picked Soldiers.
Tanks are considered as the prom
erty Of the infantry and the poilus
are proud OF them. To be assigned TO
a "zanzan'-a bang-banging war
ciiariot-makes the Frenchman hap
by. II the American army adonts
such lighting machines the first-class
will be given the honor Of
becoming mecharicians and fighters
them.
Exactly In what proportion the
use tanks as with
infantry regiments Is a secret. but the
cry Is for more. They are Of
different sizes, according to the ground
over which they operate, but the ten
dency OF late has been to construct
them along bigger lines. The armored
top and bottom. protect the fight
crs and the knowledge that their wor,
saves the lives OF 30 many OF their
fellow countrymcn and allies prompts
them to do their utmost.
When the tank starts over No Mans
Land those within have rs much am.
rs can be stored In the com.
partments, and also water, rations.
packages and gas masks.
There Is no telling how long they Will |
Ouf-hours or days-and the SOL
have learned that preparedness
or any emergency Is the best thing.
Captain Sweeney Ind such success
With the tank he commanded TINT no
Sas put In charge Of a battery OF four
4 them. Later he had Ia.