The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-21
YANKS SHATTER
FREYA DEFENCE
Americans Root Out Gun
Nests and Clear BOis Rappes
of Enemy.
y. Y. FLIER IN RECORD
1t. Bernheimer Braves Shells
and Bad Weather to Make
Observations.
/. Y. FLIER IN RECORD
BY the Associated Press.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY NORTH
WEST OF vERpUN, Oct: 20,-By showing
ahead here and there the American line
tonight rests across the Freya defence
position at several places. the Americans
on Sunday having made slight advances
on the northern edge Of the Bois de Ban
theville and in the region OF Bourrut,
both OF which points are touched by the
Freya line.
After an artillery preparation the
Americans cleaned up the Bois Rappes
taking more than eighty prisoners. Most
of the resistance encountered was from
German machine gun nests. There were
artillery outbursts at intervals during
the afternoon.
The American consolidation work was
confined almost entirely TO Loges Wood
On the right of the wood, after an artil'
lery bombardment OF two and hall
hours, the Americans began the task
of driving the Germans from Rappe'
Wood. Fighting continues In the Sicin'
ity OF Grand Pre-. the Germans still Of
! fering bitter resistance.
German counter attacks are becom
| ing more and more infrequent, and IT Is
| learned that instructions have ben is
sued to the Germans not to undertake
counter attacks unless they are posi-
lively assured OF success.
German Attack Repulsed.
A German attack in the region OF
Grand Pre- was repulsed. The Ameri
cans, for strategic reasons, at first gave
! a little ground, then rushed forward anc
swept the Germans off their feet,
I The German artillery shelled the en-
! tire district. including Belle Joyeus'
! farm and the woods to the south ant
between there and Grand Pre-. Fierce
/ fghting took place throughout Sunda,
! despite the heavy rain. the Americana
! holding the upper hand.
| Night flying patrols over the Ameri
can lines have been inaugurated. Fo
! the first time on Friday night tw,
| patrols consisting OF Ave machines
were sent out from northwest Of Verdul
! to the region OF st. Mlhiel for the pur
pose OF searching out flying Germans
The Americans went over the German
! lines and drew fire from nnti-aircraf
| guns, but did not encounter the German
! fiiers they sought. Low clouds wer
encountered over the enemy lines an,
the Americans returned after two hour
OF flying,
y Plane Wing Pierced.
Lieut.. Louis Bernheimer of New Yorl
city. pilot, and Lieut. Ralph Bagby o
New Haven flew over the enemy line
to-day despite a downpour of rain. oh
tanning valuable information. Owing I
the mist and rain they were compelled 4
descend to within 80 feet OF the grount
in the region OF Dun, the Germans firin
at them with anti-aircraft and smalle
guns. At one place they flew so loy
that German infantry fired many volley
from their rifles, bullets piercing tn
wing canvas.
Because OF the uncertainty of enem
movements west OF the Meuse volunteer
were asked to make an important oh
servation trip over tho Boche lines
Bernheimer and Bagby responded, thei
machine was wheeled 10 the concret
starting track and the plane started ou
through the mist.
During the trip Bernheimer an
Bagby were compelled to descend belo,
the mist several times TO take observa
tions regarding the German position
and then ascend quickly to get out Q
the range of the Germans. who wer
pouring a rain of shells at them a
the time.
No other machine. enemy or Ameri
can, was sighted over the entire Amer
lean front to-day. Aviation officers ga
that the flight OF Bernheimer and Bagb
was made in the face of the heavies
rain ever encountered by American avi
ators on a flight OF this distance,