South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-10-28
u. S. Soldiers axe
Over Quiet Sector
as Final Phase
of Training.
GO IN AT NIGHT
A.socLatea Press Service:

. Associated Press Service:
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
, IN FRANCE. oct 27.-American
: troops are i'm the first line trenches
on the French front The artillery
fired the first shot If the war al 6
o'clock on the morning of recent
/ day at a German working party
/ There has been intermittsnt artu-
4 lery lighting since.
Following is the first Official
( statement issued from the American
/ headquarters.
I'm connection OF their training
as a nucleus for instruction later.
a contingent OF some battalions OF
! our first coutingents. in association
with veteran French battalions. are
In the first line trenches OF a quiet
/ sector on the French front They
are supported by some batteries of
! our artillery, in association with
veteran French batteries.
The sector remains normal Our
/ men have adapted themselves 10
/ actual trench conditions in the most
( satisfactory manner"
Hearty Welcome From French.
The heimeted infantry marched
( in without the knowledge of the
enemy. on the same night. through
rain and mud The French soldiers
in the trenches welcomed them en-
Enthusiastically.
The nearest enemy trench IS sew
eral hundred yards away. This Sec
tor IS one OF the quietest on the
front II has not been taken over.
being under the control OF troops
under the direction OF the French
The Americans have shelled Ger
man gun positions and troops. the
enemy sending back shell for shell
The first shell case VIII be sent 90
President Wilson
Fired by Red Haired Gunner.
The case is now IN the possession
of Gen. Sibert The shot was fired
by "a red haired gunner as his COM
rades i'm the ranks and the assem-
bled officers rcheered. Later "a lunch
con i'm the field was attended by the
American and French artllerists iu
celebration of the first American
contact with the enemy
The gun used in nrIns the hrs-
shot was one Of the famous French
ISIS ON the second day the French
shelled "a German battery position
which was located by sound and the
enemy replied vigorously, projectiles
falling close 20 the Americans who
Joined i'm the artillery duel
All the troops will Doe relieved
after certain period by others
Thus the American eNpedltiouary
forces are getting the benefit ~
actual war conditions
Come up i'm Driving Rain.
Standing ir a little. almost desert
ed. sheII-wrecke6 village. wen with
in hostile gun range and "a few mil
ometres from the trenches. the As
ISOLATED Press correspond watch
ed the troops marching up in driy-
inz rain over roads covered with
sticky mud. The artillery had been
firing all day and a. a result the inn
preston was given that there was
considerable more activity ou this
front than there had been for som.
time
IL was soon after lulls .u the
ine and lu the darkness that tha
FIRST machine guns hauled by Mi--
souri, mules. the drivers swathed in
ponchos and with shrapnel helmets
over -heir eyes. came up upon the
road beside dark canal There
was long line of these and then
came some infantry rolling kitchens.
giving or -arorv odor NJ warm
food
All passed .u silence The last
gun carriage had sprawled on 10 the
form OF a soldier who had been
taken I'D and Who was being held
on bv two Of his walking com
r8des
Next Comes Infantry.
Through another street. paved
with cobbles and its sides lined
with gauut skeletons Of shell-wreck-
ed houses came the sound Of the
tread Of many hobnailed boots and
I'm The darkness the dim form ~
men could be seen marching
The cautious flash OF an eIeCtr..
picket lamp disclosed that they were
American infantry. packs on their
backs rifles slung on their shout
ders rain glistening on their he'll
NETS and coats the wind whippins
the bottom Of their coats around
their legs which were moving with
machine-Iike precision
The Americans swung down the