Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-15
AMERICAN TANKS
SWEEP UPON FOE
Yankees Make Progress in
Fierce Fighting to North
west of Verdun.
ARTILLERY ACTIONS HEAVY

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
NORTHWEST OF vERDUN, October
Is, noon.-Tanks were brought into
action by the Americans today to
break way through the enemy wire
entanglements west of Romagne.
| Despite German resistance, the
progress of the Americans, early re-
ports said. was satisfactory today.
! The Germans apparently were ready
to contest the ground as stubbornly
as they did yesterday. The enemy
artillery was being used freely to
hold the Americans, but the Yankee
gunners were doing much to break
down the German resistance.
Chop Notches in Hun Lines.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
NORTHWEST OF VERDUN, Monday,
October IA, pm. (by the Associated
Press).-From east of the Meuse to
the vicinity of Grandpre American
notches in the German line today.
They kept up their swinging blows
! at the enemy from early this morning
until late this afternoon.
| While the Germans resisted with
1 s.
| hold till the last the portion of the
| line before the Americans may open
the way to swift disaster.
Savage Fighting Takes Place.
| Although the action extended to the
| eastward bank of the Meuse, the
most savage fighting took place about
| Romagne and to the westward, where
| the enemy is striving to maintain that
section of the Kriemhild line running
InorthweStwardly from Romagne. The
battle has been in and over the wire
entanglements before this defensive
position, and the excellent natural
Notifications along which the present
the wire tonight are Germans whose
equipment bears evidence that an
other fresh division has been brought
up to meet the steady pressure of the
Americans.
There was some artillery prepara-
ton for the American attack. but it
was not much heavier than that Of
fered by the Germans in defense along
their wire defenSes until late In the
day. when there was slight falling
off in the volume Of fire. At that tirne
there was a movement of artillery to-
ward the rear of the German posi-
lions reported by aerial observers.
use ACl11eTy OeIeuSe.
The artillery counter action was
somewhat different than usual. On
| the least indication of movement in
the American lines the German laid
is ordinarily used only preliminary
to an offensive. Not content with
their artillery defense, the Germans
made an extraordinarily liberal use
of gas. Thousands of gas shells. both
mustard and lethal, were hurled into
the rain-saturated woods and ravines
through which the Americans crept
| forward Although the gas clouds
chung tenaciously to the ground. the
Americans were not seriously ham
Discipline and experience have taught
| them the value of gas masks.
Work Of Airmen Hindered.
Heavy clouds and rain prevented
airmen from giving material assist.
ance during the battle. In spite of the
drizzle, however, several flying craft
did get over the lines late in the day
They contributed somewhat to the
| success of the advance. notwithstand.
ing the low visibility. Flying low
heavy gusts of machine gun fire or
the forces. north Of the tangled wire
defenses. The roads, woods and fields
over which the men fought were soft
ened by the long rains and progress
was difficult Nowhere, however, was
| there any apparent reduction in the
spirits of the men.
| The greater part Of the resistance
east Of the Mouse was from machine
guns, but in spite of them and the
reinforced German lines, the Ameri-
cans Strengthened their line between
the Sivrey and the Magenta farm.
| To the west Of Romagne the Ger
mans had fortified one bit of sunken
road with machine guns in such a
manner that it was regarded neces-
sary to blast it away with big guns.
The Germans had tunneled openings
for machine guns through the banks
on the sides of the road and every lit
tie tunnel was lined with cement.
All attempts to take this position
were fruitless unless the machine
guns were silenced by direct hits.