The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-30
Sergy Changed Hands Many
Times in Two Days.
Germans Brought Up Crack Dr.
vision Prussian Guards.
DROVE Them OFF FIVE TIMES
The Last Time They Gave 1t Up
and Yanks Stayed.
Major Led His Troops Thru
Machine Gun Fire.
BY FRED S. FERGUSON.

With the American Armies in
France, July Outstanding out from
the other fighting along the Ourcq is
the bitter struggle for Sergy, which
has been taken and retalAen nine times
since Sunday morning. To reach TINS
town the Americans waded waist
deep -ucross tn -OurcQ and advanced
I'D the opposite bank in hail of ma
chine -un fire They rushed the ma
chine gun positions, swept over them
and took town. Our artillery aided
in holding off the boclles. Then the
Prussian guards came up.
Came $50 Miles to Stop Yanks.
Prisoners say they were rushed
from Avricourt, northeast of Lunev1lie
C15O miles east and south, in an air
Hne) especially for courter-attack
work. They bivouacked in the Nesles
forest two nights and were then
brought out for the Sergy fight
Behind a German b1rrage .ney
The latter called n their artillery for
further assistance and returned to the
attack. fighting thru the streets ana
from behind crumbled walls Enemy
machine gu1.s had been placed pc
hind barbados of debrls ana III
shrapnel fire was so hot that the
Americans laid in the streets Close
seeking even that shall w protectloh-
Major Led DoughbOys.
Doughboys Of one battalion style
their new commander who won the
heart of every man in the outfit, that
new major" He lay the 4eprls
fire was the worst Then CRYING
"Come on, boys" he jumped up INTO
the open and led them in new dash
thru the streets
: The Pruss ian guards attacked four
times Sunday, following American
canture of the town. Each time the
Americans retook it. The fifth attack
was final. the doughboys driving off
the guards Monday morning, despite
2 vigorous defense.
Final Stand on Ncsle Line
Statements of prisoners indicate the
boches generally plan to hold flnaily
further north, probably at Fismes.
Prisoners say men engaged in remov-
ing guns and materials were ordered
to F'ismes.
After the failure of their counter
attacks the Prussian guards were or
dered to retire slowly, 1nfl1ctlng heaVy
casualties if possible.
Z A prisoner from one of the Bavar-
ian divisions said the positions they
were ordered to hold were all lost.
A captured artilleryman said he
formerly worked in an airplane fac
tory in Berlin. He participated in
the general strikes May 1 and
was sent to the front as punishment
He said he and his fellow workers
struck because some wanted peace,
some more food, some mora honey"
In addition to the guards, Ameri-
cans in this region took prisoners
from the 201st and 10th landwehr
regiments and the Sixth Bavarians.
The roads in the rear of the allied
lines are as bad as they were at the
going forward. French lancers are
mingling with the doughboys Some
of the latter fastening to the line are
so new to actual fighting that their
tin hats are unscratched.
Americans at Disadvantage.
London, July 3O.-Describing the
attack of the fourth guard division
on the Americans who are now or
ganizing their line after their victory,
Reuters correspondent with the
American army, telegraphing Mon
day. says the Americans were at a
considera BILE disadvantage in numbers.
There was no holding the crack,
fresh picked divisions of German
guards as they came down the hill, -
he continues
The Americans had to give ground
step by step thru Sergy down to the
Ourcq. They were very far from done
with. however, and before the Ger
mans realized it they had been forced
to yield ground and were pushed clear
thru the village.
Yanks Finally Victorious
This was the beginning of a desper-
ate struggle which continued all day.
Each side in turn had possession of
the village until the evening, when
the Americans, with a final fury OF
determination, swept the Germans
from the ruins and then up the hill.
broke another counter attack of the
German guard and remained victor
ious on fi~ld where the enemy's dead
actually lay in heaps
THE piles of German dead were all
the more noticeable" the correspond
ent adds. since the guards came into
the fight with complete brand new
equipment as if they had turned out
for parade before the emperor"