Republican farmer., 1918-03-15
KILL z GERMANS
IN Wire TANCLE
IN NO MANS LAND

With the American Army in
France, March 10-Asso ciated Press}
Some of the Americans in listen
ing post in front of their line north
west of Toul early yesterday morning
discovered an enemy patrol at work
on their own wire and promptly open
ed fire. The Germans retreated, leav-
ing two of their number hanging on
the barbs.
Some hours after daylight a party
of five Germans, two infantrymen and
three Red Cross workers emerged
from the enemy lines and started for
their comrades entangled in the wire.
The Americans saw the Red Cross
brassards and did not fire on the
party, which removed the bodies.
There has been increased sniping
activity along the whole of the Amer
icon front during the last "a hours.
One enemy post gave the Americans
specia! trouble during the night, plac-
ing well-aimed bullets on certain
points of the line. After daylight the
post still continued working from
shell shell holes with periscopes.
American snipers tried to silence the
enemy from their lines, but were I'M
successful. A sniping patrol was then
organized bys the Americans, and
went out in broad daylight The re-
suit of this expedition has not been
reported. The game of sniping the
sniper is still continuing. Reports
from various points show that enemy
rif1emen are endeavoring to pick off
American troops. One American
sharpshooter yesterday killed a Ger
man who was working on a parapct,
and other Americans scored hits.
Today was the warmest in MANY
weeks. The weather was fine, and
with just enough ground haze to make
sniping conditions ideal All the
Americans who were not on duty took
of the hot sun to thaw out
and to dry their clothes.
Last night and today the Germans
dropped phosgene shells on several of
the American battery positions and
mustard shells in the rear of the line.
Three gas alarms were given on the
front within a few hours. Owing to
the quickness of the Amricans in adj
justins their gas masks, the shells did
no damage. The mustard sticks for
many hours to the spot where a shell
falls, and soldiers who are near ex-
perience singing sensation to their
eyes.
On one end of the American line the
enemy laid down a barrage. after
having concentrated a rather heavy
bombardment The American artillery
put up a counter barrage as a precau-
ton against a raid, but none devel-
oped. While this was going on the
enemy dropped a score of gas shells
on a town directly in the rear, but the
noxious gas did no damage. On the
other end of the line the American
gunners laid down a barrage on the
enemy line. All along the front the
American artilIerists shelled the Ger
man front and second line and COM
trenches.
Owing to the return Of better
weather conditions there was in
creased aerial activity, both friendly
and hostile aircraft flying over the |
American line. One or two aerial en- |
were reported, but they had !
no definite results. The American
guns fired on numerous
enemy airplanes, but they were well |
out of range. American army observ- /!
ers today flew over the lines in planes |
Of the French squadron. All Of them |
safely.
A small American patrol early yes |
.erday morning met an enemy patrol |
IN No Mans Land near the Chemin |
les Danes and fired on it. A sharp |
sdrmish resulted, the accurate firing |
Of the Americans causing one enemy |
and probably three others. !
The Americans returned to their lines |
without a man being scratched.
The troops on the Lorraine front at |
The same time suffered an extremely |
aeavy concentrated bombardment
Northwest of Toul the enemy fired |
nearly a hundred gas shells into one |
If the American battery positions in
1 short space of time, but not a single |
nan so far has been sent to a hospf
al, because of the rapidity with which |
gas masks were adjusted.
American artillery blew up an en-
envy ammunition dump on Friday.
The heavy shells dropped there re-
suited in a flash, followed by flames
and great clouds Of smoke.