Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-05
CAVALRY ON
FOOT DO GOOD
WORK in WAR
Have Acquitted Themselves
Creditably Since they were
Relieved of Mounts.

French Front, July 5--(Correspond-
ence Of the Associated Press.)-Cav-
airy on foot took a brilliant part In
the recent attack and capture from
the Germans OF the Laffaux Mill, the
key position OF the famous Chemin
reconquer the stronghold the Ger
man commanders have since
their crack regiments wtther away.
These French cavalryIhen who had,
during the. entente retreat to the
Marine 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 with the enemy. Trench
warfare, however did not lend itself
to cavalry lighting. Most of the SOL
diers Of the cavalry regiments are men
belonging to the active army who
were insfuu permanent training when
hostilities began in 1914, n the
mand OF their regular commissioned
and non-commissioned officera- They
had suffered some losses during the
earlier engagements of the war but,
to all intents and purposes. the regt-
ments remained intact,
The military authorities considered
for a long time the question az to how
material composing these regiments,
which were eating their heads off in
comparative idleness behind the lines
for lack Of opportunity to join in the
conflict as cavalrymen. The cavalry
men themselves We're spelling for a
fight"
Eventually it was decided to sep
arate the men Of some of the regi-
ments from their mounts and to form
them into infantry battalions, regi-
ments and brigades. Officers and SOL
dierD greeted the order with enthusi-
asIn. r5
The first to be transformed from
horseInen into footmen were the
cuirassier regiments, and it was these
dismounted cavaliers who gave such
a good account of themselves IN the
capture will form one Of the mos.
daring episodes recorded on their
flag, which bore already the aIn o!
many historic battles fought by them
in the last century.
When the order to go "over the top
was g1yen at daybreek. the improvised
tnfantrymen leaped from the trenches
jority of them were Of the best mill
tary age, from 20 to 26-and followed
across b rising ground the barrase
fire from the French artillery, whose
curtain Of tproiectiles raised an i'm.
passable screen before them and
drove the German defenders to shell
ter when 1t did not crush them al.
together with their field works. By
far the greater number Of the mer
were natives of the districts invaded
by the Germans and their anxiety tt
get to grips with their enemies was
great They reached the plateau II
their first dash and then after taking
breath they started forward again
their objective this time being twt
strong lines Of trenches fortified b,
cement shelters here and there and
enfladed the advance.
The first line OF trenches was car
rted without much trouble but, in tn.
center Of the attack, Laffaux Mill re-
sisted, as did also several blockhouseI
bristling with machine guns. The dis
mounted cavalrymen saw the fulfil.
OF attacking these places from tn,
with parties of men filtered through
between them until they were sur
Grounded. Then a. section of tanks wa
ordered up to deal with the points O
resistance, which they did while tn,
first wave OF cuirassiers passed on Il
attack the next Line. Y ~
The second line was defended will
the courage of despair by the German
troops, and progress could be mad,
by the cuirassiers only very slowly
every foot Of ground having to b,
earned in individual combats will
hand grenades and bayonets,
At n point a party Of forty Ger
mans stood fast bxayely throwing
grenades at the French attackers
Then M Of the bravest deeds Of
day in which many were done wa
performed by Trooper Beranger, VIII,
advanced In front Of his comrades ],
the open with his portable machin
gun, and after deliberately takinl
sight moved all the Germans dow
despite a. continual shower Of gren
AIDES which, by some lucky chance
missed him.
4 After a fight lasting nearly 81
hours the ~cuirassiers occupied al
their detectives and the plateau sur
rounding Laffaux Mill has since re
manned in French hands despite dog
ems of strong counter attacks in all o
which the Germans lost heavily. Til
first advance of the cuirassiers owe
the plateau. when they captured owe
500 prisoners and a large number o
machine guns, well rewarded then
for their long period OF immobilit
behind the lines and they are noy
quite consoled for what they though
at first was the degradation OF beinI
turned into infantry.