Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-03
COUNTER ATTACKS OF GERMANS TO
RETAKE POSITIONS ARE REPULSED
GERMANS REPULSED

With the American Forces on the
Marine Front, July l. > 2. My
the Associated Press) A counter
attack made by the Germans today.
against the new positions won last
night by the American forces to the
west Of Chateau Thierry was COM
pletely broken up. The Americans
did not give up a foot OF ground
which they had captured.
There was hot fighting today in
front Of hill 204 which is in the
hands Of the Germans. At ) o'clock
this evening the American artillery
was engaged in heavily Smelling the
position.
Reports from the advanced front
brought back through a heavy en-
envy barage confirmed the earlier
statement that the Americans have
reached theeir objective and are
holding every point
The total number of Germans cam
tured by the Americans is now esti-
! mated to number about 500. including
at least seven officers.
Many groups of prisoners have
been sent to the rear. Others have
peen located in hospitals where they
were taken after being wounded.
Ihe German counter attack, which
was merely conducted, was launched
against the American positions at
O'CLOCK this morning. IT resulted in
the Americans further increasing
their number of prisoners. Virtually
the rest of the enemy attacking force
was annihilated.
The Americans penetrated the en-
emy's lines to a depth Of about a
kllometer and a half on a total
front of about four kilometers.
All day today the troops in the
front line have been subjected to a
heaVy she'll fire. They had some
shelter in one patch of woods which
they occupied, but those who did not
enter the wood have only the pro-
lection which they had provided
for themselves with their entrench-
ing tools or by taking cover in shell
hoies' FROM one crater slightly in
advance of the line. but on it from
technical point of view, American
soldiers this afternoon let their COM
rades know where they were when
one or their party leaned over the
UP OF the crater and waved his he'll
met.
observers reported this morning
that the Germans were apparently
hurrying TO bring up reinforcements
behind their line
All prisoners questioned today ex-
pressed their relief at being cap
tured' one, speaking excellent Eng.
Ish' sad to the correspondents:
Thank the Lord I'm ont If thor,
The American artillery smothered us
more thap once and the infantrymcn
fight like wild devils without sin
gle fear, but when the fight is FIN.
ished they are gentlemen. One could
hav killed me. but did not. and I
gave him my iron cross for my
thanks
The attack by the Americans on
the Naux positions was so terrific
that they swept right through tho
enemy lines and had their object
been to continue the advance they
could have done 50 with the great
est case as virtually everything be-
fore them had been cleared SO
great was the enthusiasm of the men
III officers in some cases had to look
sharp to keep them from gong be-
yond the set detectives.
1t is not improbable that the Ger
mans are planning another counter
attack for the coming dark hours,
but preparations have been made to
meet them.
A vast quantity of material. con-
sidering the size Of the operation. is
being taken to the rear, but prob
ably will not be tabulated for ser-
eral days.
In the fighting west of Vaux our
troops stormed several enemy nests
and killed or captured the occupant;
then turned the guns the other way,
using them effectively against the
enemy rear areas