The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-04
q. s. Troops Occupy Former
German "BOmb Proofs"
Huge Underground Chambers;
Air Supply Pumped In.
TRY TO FRATERNIzE WITH U. S.
But German Sign, "Welcome
Yankees" Is Riddled.
American Lost in NO-Man'ss
Land With German Prisoner.
(By the Associated Press.)

With the American Army in France,
Sunday, March 3.-Some of the
American troops in the Chemin des
Danes sector are having an experi-
ence of cave life behind the front
trenches. their billets being deep ur1-
foreground quarries. The correspond
ent on visit to this sector found them
occupying positions held by the Ger
mans less than a year ago. Most of
the Americans, however, are living in
the trenches and accompanying dug
outs. The front line trenches here
have been cleaned. strengthened and
improved and are well protected with
barbed wire entanglements.
1000 Men in Cave.
The underground billets. some OF
them old limestone Quarries and 9TH
| ers partly natural in formation and
| improved thru blasting operations by
the Germans who occupied them for
nearly three years. are variously
named. One of them is called the
Pantheon" 1t accommodates a thou
sard men. The correspondent found
\ French and American soldiers living
together there in perfect harmony.
| cave are seventy-two feet under
ground. Fresh air is supplied by large
| air pumps. The cave is in part cleo
tTically lighted. Elsewhere acetylene
| SllO OIL lanterns are employed
The men usually remain in this cavern
| from four to six days each. COM
pony being assigned a certain portion
OF the excavation. The men are not
permitted to roam about or to go out
| side except on duty. rest they be de-
tected by enemy airmen.
East Boston Tunnel.
The troops here sleep on low double
TERED wooden hunks covered with
straw. The company officers are pro-
lrxr{fI
partitions. small railway for car
rying supplies runs thru the cave
sign over one entrance reads: East
Boston tunnel" and one of the men
stanaing near remarked, That re-
minds me of home"
At another point the CORRESPONDENT
saw some men who had just compIet-
ed their round of trench duty. The
general In command said they had
begged to be allowed to stay in the
line few more days. why. they took
US out before we even had a decent
scrap said machine gunner.
AS soon as the Germans learned
the Americans were in the trenches
opposite them, they put up a sign
reading: 49,
Welcome, Yankees" but the in
| fantrymen riddled it with bullets nm
! til 1t looks like a sieve
All the soldiers with whom the WISH
tor talked expressed pleasure at be-
ing In the trenches rather than in a
training camp.
Come into the cook shack and see"
soldier replied to a question as to
now the men were fed. In the shack
a meal of fresh beef, potatoes, onions,
canned corn, wheat bread. coffee and
canned peaches was found in prepara-
ton.
| The general took the party of cor
respondents to his headquarters and
pointed out the location of his troops
on a large map.
4 p - 7
between the trenches at this point %
asked one of the visitors. pointing to
the map
There is no No Mans Land there.
1t Is all Americas. land" replied the
general A French captain sustained
the generals statement by saying the
Americans had assumed control of No
Mans Land soon after entering the
trenches in that sector.
German prisoners captured in patrol
fighting there state that the handful
of Americans attacked with so much
force and vigor that the Germans
threw up their hands and shouted
Kamerad." in the belief that there
were many more in the attacking
party.
Many Heroic Deeds.
Altho numerous courageous deeds
have been performed by the Ameri-
cans in that sector. one of the most
interesting is that OF a German-born
sergeant who, with small detail, took
German prisoner in a patro: fight
but lost his way with the result that
the party wound up at the German
barbed wire. where they could plainly
hear the Germans talking in their
dugouts. The sergeant pointed a re-
volver at the prisoners head and
whispered in German:
Maybe they will get US before we
can get back, but if they try it. will
Kill you first Now don't you utter
sound, and lead us back to our line.
The German prisoner silently led
the Americans back to their own
trenches, the sergeant following close
behind him with drawn revolver The
prisoner was turned over to the INTEL
ligence officer of the unit, who gained
: much valuable information from him.