Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-09
AMERICAN GUNNERS
SMASH A BATTERY:
GIVE FOE NO PEACE
Heavy Explosion Follows Accurate
Shot Put Over by Pershings
Men Into German Line.
RED TAPE BINDS AIR MEN

py Associated Press 10 Every Evening
WrrH THE AMERICAN AnNY IN FRANCE,
Feb 8 (dehyed).
The American artillery continued ham
nering German positions with marked
success last night fThursday) and today
OFriday) destructive fire on enemy
buildings and works was maintained.
A German battery position WAS struck
by shell from our large g1ns. a heavy
explosion of ammunition followed. A sheet
Of flame shot high in tho mir, tho ground
troubled The camoufago protection
around the position was SGT on fire.
just before dawn, two German patrols
were observed in front Of our position.
barrage fire called for by the infantry
In the front trenches scattered and drove
off the enemy.
With machine guns, VIC harrnssed the
onerny all day. continuously shooting
streams of bullets into working parties
or wherever the enemy showed himself
The artillery duel continued all day.
Enemy patrols evidently have learned
lesson Last night. while our patrols
worked freely all over No Mans Land
they were unmolested.
WAR DOCS Port RAID.
The Germans nre using dogs IN their
front lines to warn them of the approach
Of patrols opposite the American sector.
A German dog listener early today
prevented one Of our patrols from execut~
ing daring stroke. Two corporals who
were concerned in it have been mentioned
in official reports for their spirit and
cpolness.
Accompanied by two privates the
corporal left large patT0l IN certain
plnoo in m abandoned trench IN No Mans
Land last midnight and went onto the
German lines. They first found smooth
wire barrier winch had been shot to
pieces by the American fire. Fifteen
Yards further on they came upon German
entanglements Of wire twenty feet deep
viih four pointed barbs.
The men were lnsI Getting sn opening
in tho wire when dog, apparently
chained on the other side began to bark.
A dugout door opened quickly IN =
trench and grufr voice was heard TO
cxclaim "fertigl meaning ready sud
denly a brilliant rocket went up and the
Americans threw themselves fiat on the
ground list ~ machine gun began IA
spit bullets in their direction. bonn
hurled from the German trench landed q
few feet away.
The corr oraIa STAYED where thew acre
for come ilne and listened to the Ger
man soldiers talk among themselves
After the Germans retired ain { Their
dugout, the smaller patrol reloined the
.argc one. which soon after wa the tsrZet
for fifteen or twenty Germ an shells, bit
no ore was b t.
RED TAPE DELAYS AIR MEN
Nearly one hundred American aviators
experienced in French escadrilles other
than the Lafayette are mpatiently
awaiting their formal transfer 10 the
American forces IN accordance with
the agreement between the two govern
ments Twelve of these men, VINO have
seen at least two months actual service
at the front, were released by the French
early in January on a supposition that
they soon would he commissioned IN the
American aviation service.
Although all passed their examination
and were recommended as first and second
leutenants, they have not yet received
their commissions and have been COM
PEELED to wait IN Paris. Aviation head
quarters here arc unable to give definite
information regarding the time OF transfer
because the commissions must come from
Washington.
Voxed at the delay and dcsirous TO
enter active service, three OF these men
have re-enlisted IN the French army
Two have been killed in the French service
after passing the American officers
examination ThIrty-threc Lafayette dieres
have been commissioned IN the United
States army and are now flying on the
French front III American uniforms.