The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-01
ARTILLERY PLAYS
MINOR ROLE NOW
IN OPEN BATTLE.
German Advance Outruns
Heavy Gun Movement.
Rifles, Machine Guns and
Trench Mortars Used.
ALLIES ARE 0UThUMBERED
Retirement Is Orderly and Re-
sistance Hard, However.
Several Battalions Surrounded
Held Out Two Days.
ALLIES ARE OUTNUMBERED
Retirement Is Orderly and Re-
sistance Hard, However.
BY HENRY WOOD.

With the French Armies on the
Aisne Front, May 81. (night).-The
German advance on this front has
been so rapid that at present artillery
is playing a comparatively minor role
in the battle. Rifles, machine guns
and trench mortars constitute their
main. offensive arms.
A few small detachments of the
enemy are reported to have reached
the Marine near Charteves, but his
main forces are still on the plateau
above Chateau-Thierry. which des-
cends abruptly by sharp sloped hills
to the rivers edge.
Following the capture of Fere-en-
Tardenois, the Germans were able
TO advance with great rapidity under
cover of the heavy forests south of
that place. Altho the battle was
raging desperately on the plateau to-
day. its presence could hardly be de-
tected save for occasional shots from
the French ISIS or the German IT'S
and trench mortars, as the latter
sought to dislodge some French ma
chine guns.
Heavy Artillery Jagged.
- The Germans having advanced over
rapidly, they were unable to bring
up any except their highest artillery.
Thus. the wounded which passed me
bullet instead of shell wounds.
Returning from the vantage point
where I had seen the fighting on the
wooded slopes of the plateau, l en-
countered French infantryman. who
stolidly took up their positions in
houses and sheltered hooks, eating
and resting while the occasion still
offered
Long lines of infantry, mule drawn
machine guns and ammunition wagons
II l,rN y, fIt-rNr
their weight in the path of the boches.
Here l also met, standing in the
middle of a road and surrounded by
his staff. a famous French general.
His troops. who were then fighting on
the plateau, had withstood without
single break in their front, the Ger
man advance clear from the Chemin
Des Danes.
Outnumbcrcd Four to One.
The general, who had just returned
from the firing line, declared that
altho the Germans were numerically
superior-to the extent of at least four
to one-his troops were falling back.
without haste, with supreme readi-
ness. the moment the order might be
given. to put up a determined stand.
Ascending the sharp sloped hills
leading to the plateau from the SOUTH
] found sunny orchards, vineyards and
fields dotted with artillerymen who
were coolly and mechanically INSTALL
Ing their deadly TBS, glancing up Oc-
casionally to see if the moment had
arrived when they should open fire
on the Germans. in support of the in
fantrymen below
But sunset found the greatly out
numbered poilus the northern
plateau still keeping back the foe.
One Unit Was Surrounded.
During the first day of the German
drive 1 learned several battalions of
French troops, surrounded in the for
est of Pinon (then on the extreme al
lied LETT decided to fight to the fin
ish. They Immediately sent a carrier
pigeon, announcing their decision. to
the French commander. He sent back
an airplane which dropped an encour-
aging MESA ge in the forest.
Thru Monday and Tuesday the en-
circled troops held out. reporting
regularly by pigeons to their COM
mander who replied regularly by
airplanes. until 2:3O Tuesday after
noon, when the last pigeon to arrive
carried a message announcing that
the three battalions remaining had no
more ammunition and had been
obliged to surrender.