The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-03
U. s. FORCE IN
CONTACT WITH
DEFENSE line
OF GERMANS
American Units Reach Kriem-
hild-Steelung System Of En-
emy-U. S. Positions on
Meuse Heavily Bombarded.
YANKEES SEIZE BOOTY
lRx Associated Pressl

(By Associated Press)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
NORTHWEST OF VERDUN. We'd
nesday, Oct. 2-American units reach
ed the Kriemhild- -Steelung line at one
point today Just south of Brieulles,
they advanced to a spot where they
established actual contact with this
famous enemy system.
The so-called Kriemhild- -Steeluns
line which the American front faces
today is part of the general German
defensive system beginning at Douai
continuing south of LaFere and thence
to the Meuse. Crossing the Meuse
the line extends eastward by the way
of Etain and runs across the st. Mi
hiel salient to the Moselle, which il
reached just south of Pagny. When
the ST. Mihiel salient was reduced By
the Americans the enemy was forced
behind this system in that vicinity
On the greater part of the front be
tween the Aire and Meuse rivers the
enemy is either on or Immediately in
front of this line. On this front the
enemy's main combat zone was bound
ed on the south by line of resistance
along Lairfuon Tavine and on the
north by the Volker-Steelung line
This exceptionally strong system or
iginally began east of Montfaucor
and ran south of that city through Iv
oiry. Epinonville and the woods east
of Eclisfontain.
Violent Artillery Fire.
The Americans have already broke
through this principal zone of resist
ance and SO is facing the Kriembii6
Steelung system. From the west IL
the east along this front the system
runs from north of st. Juvin to soutf
of Landres-Et-G t-Georges and continues
eastward including the heights OF
Romagne wood and Gesnes wood
which dominates the important valley
of the Andon This river is crossed
just south of Romagne and then the
system runs to the southeast across
the higher ground in the forest of De
gunel and De Fais. Then turning
northward, it follows the crest of the
hills over naturally strong positions
until it reaches the Meuse north o:
Brieulles.
Violent artillery firing developed
along the center of the American line
between the Meuse and the Aisne to
day. The Germans also bombardeo
the American positions on the right
near the Meuse, to a limited extent
but on the extreme left there was g
significant silence for the greater part
of the day.
Along this sector of the front the
positions held by the Americans fol
low zigzag line. The number OF
Germans near the Argonne forest is
less than that fighting on the eastern
side. General Gouraud's drive west
of the forest, together with the ad
vance of the Americans to the east oil
it threatens to cut off the enemy units
still clinging to the wood hills south
of Grandpre.
Only Patrol Action.
No general offensive was undertake
en- by the Americans today. All alons
the line fighting was restricted to pa
troll actions. 1t has been learned that
the enemy expected-a heavy attack to
day and to that fact is attributed his
heavy artillery fire. This fire was par
ticularly heavy, gas and high expios
ives and shrapnel shells being used
They were fired both from in front oi
the Americans and from across the
Meuse Not only were the forward
positions bombarded but many shells
fell on Drillsncourt, Harcourt and the
country between Jure wood and the
river.
At times this fire took on the char
acter of a barrage, but it was concen
trated. for the mcst part, on the fight
ing line 1t was shifted during the
day to the center of the line and later
moved far to the right. Forges being
savageIy shelled until counter battery
work decreased the volume OF fire
The American guns have responded
with a vigorous fire which punished
the enemy severely. At various points
minor infantry clashes occurred both
sides using machine guns.
All day the sky was very cloudy and
aviators1 were hampered In their work
This forced the armies to work with
out material assistance from the OBJ
servers. At one point the Germans
succeeded in getting airplanes across
the line Smoke bombs were dropped
indicating American position to the
enemy gunners. One of the enemy
machines was brought down by anti
aircraft guns, while pursuit planes &C
counted for others. One American
aviator, VINO was attacked by sever
Fokkers fought his way out. bringing
down one OF the enemy machines.
Aggregate $4,000 Miles
According to the calculat tfons Of one
airman, it is shown that In the calen,
dar year of 1916 alt the pilots in the
aviation section of the allied arn,1ez
flew an aggregate Of $4,000 miles. il
September of this year one sQuadror
alone flew for an aggregate Of AIS
hours over the lines aud covered :: to
tai Of 100000 miles. This does not a