The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-09-18
MOROCCANS PROVING
SPLENDID SOLDIERS
Brown Men From Africa Are Helping
French Hold min-des-Dames
Lines

French Port, Aug. Correspondence
of the Associated Press -Natural war
riors like the Moroccans found them
selves in their element fighting beside
their French comrades in the fierce bat
ties for the possession of the Chemin-
des-Dames, or Road of the Women, that
bulwark of the German defensive line to
the north of Aisne to which the German
commander n-chief attached SO much
Importance that he sacrificed thousands
of his best troops in order to hold it.
Most of the men Of the Moroccan regi-
ments had not been under shell fire be-
fore when they were ordered forward to
the assault. They bowed themselves in
prayer before going over the top and
then awaited with stole expression the
signal of their commanding officer.
The heavy barrage fire put up by the
Germans did not dismay them. They
went forward through the partially de-
stroyed woods covering the slopes of the
hills leading to the Chemin- des- Danes
without the slightest hesitation, although
they knew that many machine guns were
hidden in the mouths of caverns on the
hillsides waiting to NOV them down. A
curtain of French artillery fire preceded
them and caused the German gunners
to take shelter until the Moors were al
most upon them. Then, when the gun
ners came out and tried to bring their
murderous weapons into action, the
Moors leaped upon them and piled their
bayonets until all around them groups of
Germans threw up their hands and yelled
''comrade,' in token of surrender.
Then the Moroccans dashed on and
were soon in the second German line,
wave after wave of them coming on at
wide intervals throwing grenades ana
Gil tnai,, ,.if1 aJx
1t was an inspiring sight to see the
native sergeants, after many of their
white officers had fallen urging their
men on Their discipline had been so
ilstilled into them that, even under the
severest fire in the heat of the battle,
these noncommissioned officers could be
seen ordering their men to keep the
proper intervals of open order.
Once over the crest of the Chemin- des-
Dames-the objective of the operation
was difficult to restrain the ardor of the
men, who wished to advance even fur
Their. Discipline, however, prevailed and
at the call of their noncommissioned Of
ficers the men dug themselves in and
consolidated their position to resist coun-
tel attacks. This done, while they were
still in the midst of shell smoke and
bursting pojectiles, the men in perfect
unison raised thire voices in the chanting
| of verses of the koran and religious songs
Soon came the corps commander to re-
view the position and to give praise to
the soldiers who had done tEier work so
well-and these bronze warriors were
happy. A few words of commentator
from their chief were sufficient to re-
ward them for the losses they had suf-
fcred and the trials they lad undergone.
! Since they first got astride of the
Chemin- des-D Danes the Moroccans have
never receded from one inch of the ter
ritory they gained in their first assault,
| III spite of the many furious counter at
tacks carried out by the Germans