The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-01-31
RAINBOW" BOYS
Get GLORY In
TRENCH FIGHT.
THEMSELVES IN
FIERCE FIGHT WITH THE
HUN
Enemy Driven Back to
Lines
Two Soldiers Killed, Four Wound
ed and One Captured by the
Boches-Several Germans Are
Out Of Commission.

Washington, Jan. 31-War depart
ment officials were emphatic in their
praise today over the manner in
which the latest American troops to |
come under German fire acquitted |
themselves. They read with the !
deepest interest the following story |
Of the fighting sent to the Interna-
tional News Service by it's staff cor
respondent at General Pershing's |
headquarters, N. c. Parke, and agreed |
that the national guard units had
shown themselves well worthy of all
of the traditions of the service.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, Jan. S1-Taking advantage
of a thick mist, strong force of Ger
man troops raided an American lis
tening post trench on Wednesday
morning at o'clock, killing two
American soldiers, wounding four
and capturing another.
The raid followed a heavy barrage
fire which last Is minutes, complete
ly isolating the listening post from
the first line trenches.
The fighting lasted 20 minutes and
| two German soldiers are believed to
have been wounded.
The Americans fought gallantly, all
branches of the service participating.
When the raiders retired they were
followed by drafted men from Calf
ornia, who bombed them copiously.
Tennessee and North Dakota troops
are also particularly mentioned as
participating in the fight.
The attack took place at the point
where the American and German
trenches were in closest proximity.
mo Mans Land" at that point is only
S5 yards wide.
long period of infantry inactivity
was broken by the raid, although
there had been cannonading which
had claimed some American victims.
The fighting was fierce while it
lasted and it is believed that at least
fifty Germans were in the attacking
group. The shelling which had pre-
ceded the raid was so violent that it
could be heard plainly at brigade
headquarters.
All of the advantages of topog-
raphy, where the raid was made, were
with the Germans. The valley was
overlooked by the German positions
and the high hills in the rear gave
the enemy a good opportunity for OBJ
servation upon our trenches, which
are shallow at this point.
1t was at this spot that a German
soldier recently leaped upon the rim
of his trench with a white flag in
his hands, shouting, Hello" He
! hastily jumped back into his shelter
when he found that his attempA at
determination was going to meet with
hostile reception.
There has been considerable artil-
lery activity and during the past ten
days the casualties on the American
sector (not counting those sustained
in Wednesdays trench raid) were
eight killed and % wounded.
Among the victims was a former
cook at the Blackstone hotel in Chi
cago, who entered the service as an
interpreter. He was standing with
his colonel at regimental headquar-
ters in shell-battered village close
to the line when the Germans began
bombardment. The colonel enter
ed a dugout and the ex-cook was ap-
preaching the door when he was
struck squarely by IT shell.
A sergeant was approaching the
trenches accompanied by two French
men when a shell burst among them,
killing all three.
trench, killing three other men.
The ,eighth man, who had been
wounded. died on the operating table
in hospital. A search of his cloth
ing disclosed a newly received post
card bearing pictures of his mother
and little sister. Also a letter from
his fiance was discovered expressing
the wish that, if he had to be killed
he would die bravely.
Among the wounded were several
victims of German snipers In fact,
sniping has been very active on both
sides, due to the closeness of the
trenches throughout the entire low
land.
Two American soldiers were re-
ported to have been slightly "gassed." F"
There have been a few cases of
frost bitten feet also
German patrols have been very ac-
tive during the past As hours, taking
advantage of the thick weather. There
have been several encounters between
opposing patrols and wire repairers.
One German soldier was wounded
near the American entanglemens on
Tuesday night while prowling in the
forefield. He escaped, but left his
belt and rifle behind.
The fog has prevented aerial ac-
tivity.
The reference was made in the
cablegram to the fact that "all