Evening star., 1918-07-02
Gen. Pershing Tells
Of Picardy Success;
Foe Filler Shot Down

Another quiet DAY along the Ameri-
can fronts was reported by Gen. Per
shing today in a communique for yes
terday. sent before the successful op-
erations last night west of Chateau
Thierry, described in press dis
patches. An American aviator shot
down an enemy machine in the Toul
region.
Capture of thirty-three prisoners,
including one officer, within the space
of twenty minutes in the Picardy sec
tor, in the region of Chateau Jenlis,
on June 20. at 3 am, was mentioned.
The American party penetrated the
German lines and took the enemy
completely by surprise.
The communique follows:
Section A-The day has passed
quietly at points occupied by our
troops.
yesterday one of our aviators shot
down a hostile machine in the Tour
region.
noon June 81 and noon June 2S the
enemy showed little aggressiveness.
His artillery fire was much lighter
even than that of the day before. It
was directed largely against the re-
gion of Grivenes. The activity of his
airplanes showed the same decrease
NJ
pied with a marked increase in bomb
ing operations. During the night,
bombs were scattered in small num-
bers over a considerable part of our
sector. The enemy continued to
strengthen his position. Hostile
patrols attempted more than once to
reach our lines. but either retired
without establishing contact, or were
driven off by rifle fire. Our own artil-
lery operated very effectively on the
German front lines and also on his
rear areas, where one of his ammuni-
the evening. One of his balloons was
brought down in flames by an allied
aIrpIne.
Enemy Taken by Surprise.
"In the Picardy sector the day of
June rs to June 29 was notable in
the success of our raiding as report
ed in the cable Of June 90. Our party
penetrated the German lines in the
region of Chateau Jenlis at o'clock
in the morning, taking the enemy
completely by surprise. Within the
space of twenty minutes they had
captured thirty-three prisoners, in
cluding an officer, number nearly
equal to our party.
'In the course of the operation we
destroyed several dugouts and ma
chine guns. Our casualties were re-
markably small. AS on the preceding
day. the German artillery was fair
ly quiet.
"Registration fire was delivered at
several points, and our positions
around Villers Tournelle and Can
tigny We're bombarded during the
early afternoon with shells of me-
dunn and heavy caliber. In connec-
tion with our attack, counter prep
aration fire changing into barrage
was laid down by the hostile bat
The bariage extended from the Fon
taine wood as far north as Grivences.
There was little rench mortar or ma
chine gun re during the day.
THE German airplanes did com
Daratively little reconnaissance work.
but during the night dropped IA num-
Der of small bombs on our positions
and in the course Of the afternoon
made several attempts to destroy our
balloons
I'm the case of one balloon they
were successful, but at the cost of one
of their machines. which was shot
down In flames by a French plane.
Our anti-aircraft batteries forced
other German airplanes to retire with
out accomplishing their mission. A
during the day in the German rear
areas, but the circulation there was
not notable in any respect. On the
German working parties which con-
tinued their activities of the pre-
ceding days one was bombed by an
American patrol and another dis
persed by our artillery. Our artil-
lery fire was again very effective
along the enemy's front line.