The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-05-24

play. until each was letter perfect
When the hour set for the attack ar
rived. the German artillery began a
short preparation. In order to avoid
| losing the benefit OF a surprise attack
by the old time artillery preparation
Of several days. Won Hutier planned by
an astounding concentration of guns to
accomplish in a few hours the previous
work of days.
In addition to this artillery prepar-
alton extended to an extreme depth TO
the rear. demolishing the second and
third lines at the same time as the first
To prevent the enemy's guns from inter
vening and silencing the German bat
teries. gas shells were showered all
over the enemys artillery lines rend-
ering it impossible for the gunners for
several hours to serve their pieces
Assault Troops Go Forward
| The assaulting troops. which were
kept concentrated in the rear until the
moment OF attack. were then hurried up
under cover of the night and of this
short artillery preparation.
! At the hour fixed for the attack the
! infantry leaped forward in dense mas
ses Each division had two regiments
in the attacking line and one regi-
ment in reserve. All OF the forces
available were thrown into the fight.
regardless or loss. for the purpose OF
completely crushing the enemy at the
first onslaught. the infantry progress
sing in three and four waves at very
short intervals behind each other.
With the capture OF the first OBJ
jective. riiemen. machinegun men and
portable machinegun marksmen i'm
mediately opened barrage OF bullets
between 1900 and 1000 yards in ad-
vance. Under cover Of this curtain of
steel the second wav< Of infantry pas
sing over the first one gained the sec
ond objective and there in turn open
ing a barrage Of rifle and machinegun
fire at another 1000 yards in advance
was passed by the third wave which
attaining the third objective. opened
its machinegun barrage. and so on ad
infnitum.
Nothing Interferes.
Nothing was allowed to interfere
with the progress of these waves Of
assault. When they encountered ma
chinegun nests, or centers or resist
ance that failed to be wiped out. they
were merely left behind to be taken
care OF by troops especially designed
purpose
There were armed largely with gre
nades. liquid flame Jets and trench
mortars mounted on wheels and baby
cannons similar to the Frenchs ia
nous "Trentesept." or 81 calibre.
The use of the trench mortars with
these waves of assault was essentially
original the mortars instead of firing
up in the air as customary. being used
instead to fire straight ahead al dist
anees Of 100 to 200 yards
In addition to this light artillery"
every three batallions likewise was ac-
companied by g battery OF the German
u field gun. a supplementary company
and half of machineguns and half
company Of engineers
Then last. but most original OF all
in the conception OF their use. came the
tanks. Almost without exception.
these were tanks which had been TAX
en- from the English in previous often
sives. and repaired until they were
again III for use
Tank Use Is Different.
But where both the English and the
French have used their tanks for lead
ing an assault. and especially for the
smashing down Of the barbed-wire en-
tanglements for the infantry to pass
through. Van Hutiers method was for
the tanks to bring up the rear and
complete the cleaning up process of
any points OF resistance that mfrht
have escaped the troops especially
charged with that task
This is the method with which Won
Hutier forced the Russian front at
Riga. and with which, fresh from that
triumph, he undertook to force the