The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-05
YANKEES TAKE 81
IN LA ROCHE WOOD


204. our lines of Belleau Wood and our
positions in the vicinity of Yourselves
became heavy. The German infantry IN
creased its machine gun, rife and gre.
made fire, especially from the region OF
Hin 204 and Vaux. Otherwise. there
was no. unusual activity until after the
commencement OF our stlach, when the
circulation OF troops and vehicles in the
German rear areas greatly Increased.
"Of the numerous prisoners taken In
and around Vaux July l to July one
gave especially interesting information
regarding the German counter attack.
The main points of his story were as fol-
lows "a
AT 30 O'Clock on the afternoon OF
July his battalion. while drilling In a
rear area. suddenly received the order
to fall in with marching equipment. At
5 o'clock they left camp and proceeded
by the Chateau Thierry, Paris road and
other minor roads through Vincelles to
point about 700 yards from Vaux
There they lay in readiness for counter
attack which was scheduled to take
place at 3.l5 o'clock. So heavy was
the artillery fire on both sides, however,
that II was impossible for them to ad-
vance until 3:45 o'clock.
Advanced as Skirmishers.
The counter attack was performed by
groups of eight men deployed In Skin
mish line and Immediately followed by
other groups OF which each carried two
light machine guns. After several at
tempts to go forward they were stopped
by our machine gun fire Their platoon
leader asked for reenforcements before
attempting to go forward. but reen-
forcements were refused and continue
ton of the attack ordered. He next
sent word that his platoon was receiv-
ing thanking Are from two machine guns
and could make no progress.
"Once again he was ordered to at
tack under all circumstances. but his
men now refused to obey. Another
platoon came up, deploying on the left
OF the first, but this too was decimated
by our fire. Finally the men received
orders to save themselves as best they
could. They then took refuge in a
cellar, where fifty or sixty OF them sur
rendered shortly before 6 O'Clock
"On the day of June 20 to 80 the Ger.
man artillery along the Marine did not
maintain the activity shown on the day
previous The fire, which was mainly
from guns of small calibre was distrib
uted almost impartially along the sector
A few gas shells were noted this being
in this sector for some time. German
aiTplanes again showed moderate aCtiv,
| ity. Behind the German lines isolated
and individual groups were seen here
| and there, a few of the men ridinG
| bicycles. During the night there was 4
| plentiful display OF red and white rock
| cts OF from one 10 four stars each, ir
connection with the usual hanging ropes
I'm Picardy between noon of June %
! and noon OF the 3oth there were M
| notable occurrences except the activity
| OF the enemys airplanes His comba
| planes were more aggressive than usua
| and several fights ensued. in the cours,
OF which one German plane was brought
/ down. A few bombs were again dropped
| by German rachines during the night
| falling on this occasion on our from
lines. The total number OF German
planes was, however. distinctly below
the average. The hostile artillery firt
was light. consisting OF slight harassnf
| fire IN our rear areas with short concen
| trations at Grivesnes. the Vilers Woo
and other points. Very little gas wa!
used.
| In the German rear areas nothing o
| particular note was observed except tina