New-York tribune., 1918-04-19
Company of Americans
Twice Rush to Aid
Hard-Pressed Ally
Attack i'm Face
OF Violent Fire
Pershing's Men in the Lor-
raine Sector Command
No Mans Land
rBy Tho Associated Press1


FRANCE, April 17.-Twice in twenty
four hours an American company has
assisted French troops in q neighbor-
ing sector to regain trenches tempo
pany was led by the captain, who took
his troops over the top in the face of
the most violent machine gun and
artillery fire. Each time he succeeded
in driving out the enemy and inflicting
heavy casualties, and then strengthen
ing the positions.
American troops operating on the
Lorraine sector have taken over con-
troll of No Mans Land. Patrolling
parties are making almost nightly
visits up to the German wire entangle-
ments without cncountering resistance
Map Enemy Positions
A lieutenant and a party of twelve
have made a five-hour exploring trip,
penetrating to the German third line,
and making maps of machine guns and
snipers' posts and strong points with
out being seen by the enemy.
An artillery lieutenan: IN an obser-
vation post sighted a German field
kitchen coming up to the enemy
line. He gave his battery its position
and the kitchen was destroyed with
three shots.
A most pathetic story from the
American lines is that OF a young
corporal who was wounded fatally
after fighting for four hours during
the recent attacks in the St. Mihiel
sector. A piece of shrapnel struck him
in the head. He had grenade in
each hand. Giving them to his COM
panion, he said:
81 guess I'm done. Please write to
my mother and tell her how it hap
pened. But here-take these grenades
and for Gods sake don't waste them"
The corporal fell in faint and died
ir a hospital the next day without re-
gaining consciousness.
At one point on this sector there
was only fifteen yards between the op-
posing trenches. The day before an
attack the Germans threw a note into
the American trench. 1t read:
What are you, Canadians or Aus
tralians?"
Come over and find out" was the
reply thrown back by an American
soldier.
The infantrymen who related the in
cident, added
"I guess they know who we are
now, and they will not be likely to
forget for some time"
One lieutenant in q listening post
with a small party of men was cut off
from the remainder of the platoon in
Fridays attack. He tried to send up
rockets to signal an American barrage,
hut the rockets failed to work. A pri-
vate then volunteered to run back with
the message. He passed through three
lines of barrage fire without being
harmed and delivered the message.
barrage imm ediately and saved the
lieutenant and his party from the
hands of superior force of the enemy
which was headed in their direction.
Commanders of units who partici-
pated in the several days Of fighting
last week in company with the French
in the Apremont Wood sector are find
ing it difficult to pick out men who
especially distinguished themselves in
the operations.
Every Man a Hero"
One commander said that every man
acted like hero, and it was hard to
choose. the most deserving cases. One
Of the most popular men with the SOL
diers on this sector is the Rev. des
Wales, Roman Catholic priest of
New Bedford, Mass, who is living with
the men in an unofficial capacity, hav-
ing come to France as a representative
of the Knights of Columbus
When the attacks began Father de.
Wales, Drawing the dangers of she'll
and machine gun fire, went to the
casualty clearing station near the front
line to administer to the wounded.
Hes as game as they make them
and every inch soldier" said a
doughboy, while other soldiers spoke
of the inspiration furnished by the
priest.
Another popular man is young
banker Of Springfield, Mass, who was
pressed into service as stretcher-
bearer. He was the smallest man in
the outfit, and after several trips be-
came so exhausted he was unable to
hold the stretcher. He refused to give
up and had his companions tie the
stretcher to his wrists with rope so
as to enable him to hold the stretcher
on the journey from the front line to
the dressing station.