The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-27
PETAiN WITH FRENCH
IN CHAMPAGNE DASH
Heights Are Stormed Under
CoUer Of a Fog.
Nv tho Associated. Press
BY the Assocfdfed Press

WITH THE FRENcH ARMY ON THE
CHAMPAGNE FRONT, Sept. 26.--Troops OF
the French army operating In conjunc-
ton with the Americans In Il new battle
along the Champagne front, have con-
Quered to-day positions that the Ger
mans have been terrifying for four years
positions that they have sacrificed
thousands OF men to hold. The French
losses have been remarkably light, in
spite Of the fact that the German re-
sistance stiffened this afternoon.
French troops attacked from Auberive
20 tho Main Massiges and carried their
first detectives without much opposition.
except on the left. where rather stiff
fighting was required.
BY 8 o'clock Gen. Gourauds troops
had taken Servon. which had been in
German hands since 1914, and were in
possession of the Main Massiges, Butte
du Mesnil and Navarin.
Artillery Goes With Infantry.
The Developments to-day resembled
those OF the second battle of Cam
payne in July. Then Gen. Gouraud skill
fully parted the great German thrust
by drawing his Infantry back out Of
range Of the artillery, leaving his own
guns in position to infict sma rting losses
from prisoners that the Germans were
Initiating Gen. Gouraud in retiring their
infantry from the first line. But that is
as far as they profited from Gouraud's
lesson. Their artillery went back with
the infantry:
The reaction again Gen. Gouraud's
artillery preparation was feeble. The
French guns. heavy and light. opened
fire at IL O'Clock last evening. and for
al " ha ~ hA " q
clearly defined. a long line OF bright
Washes lighting the fog and sky. with
here and there q steady glow from
dumps Of munitions and supplies behind
the German lines.
The glare Of the bursting German
shells could be seen from time to time
between the flashes Of the French guns
Until about o'clock, when their artil-
lery reaction practically ceased.
Charge Made In q Fog.
French aviators favored by bright
moonlight, took the air and cooperated
with the artillery by bombing the
enemy's positions and attacking his
troops with quickhrers.
After six hours artillery preparation.
In the last hours of which 1t developed
into an intense drumfire, French infantry
bounded out OF the trenches in a thick.
gray fog, which furnished the best pos
sible screen for crossing the low ground
and ravines to the slopes of the heights
where most Of the formidable German
positions were to be stormed.
The abandonment by the Germans of
formidable positions that they had not
ceased to strengthen from the time they
occupied them reveals a state Of nervous
ness symptoms of which have appeared
at different points along the front dur
Ing the past month. This is taken more
as a confession of weakness than tao
teal measure.
French Captives Chiefly Boys.
Gen. Gourauds soldiers. who ad-
vanccd to those positions three years
ego and have been facing them ever
since. are now enjoying peculiar sat
isfaction in being In them.
In the battle OF Champagne in 1915
the taking of these positions would have
demanded a sacrifice that the strategic
advantage to be gained then did not
warrant The situation Is changed now
Successive blows administered to the
Germans on different parts of the from.
give a different meaning to the attack
The number of prisoners taken by the
French is increasing steadily. They