The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-01
RUSS F|ERCElY RESISTING
ADVANCE OF THE GERMANS
YANKEES REPULSE FOE
Germans Suffer Heavy Losses
in Chemin Des Danes.
American Machine Guns Send Steady
Stream Of Bullets Into Ad-
vancing Enemy.

With the American Army In France,
March IA strong German attack,
following heavy b$rrage fire against
the American trenches in the Chemin
des Danes sector, was repulsed with
losses to the attackers.
Well placed American machine guns
sent streams Of bullets into the ad-
vaneing enemy, and as the German
barrage fire lifted the American artil-
lery quickly laid down curtain Of
fire, the Germans retiring without a
single prisoner.
There were no American casualties.
Five French soldiers were wounded
during the fighting
The Americans stayed In their dug
outs until the proper time, when they
jumped to their guns and fought like
veterans.
In the American Toul sector Amert-
can artillery obliterated a mine throw
ing position held by the enemy.
With the American Army In France,
March 1.-The first detailed story Of
the German gas attack which killed
i've American soldiers and sent 81 to
the hospital was told to the United
Press by Pncate e. l. Hado, who was
slightly gassed while trying to save a
companion.
'The stuff has funny effect, even
II It doesn't get you, so If / ramble
you'll set me right, won't your he be-
gan. II feel terribly dopey and want
to sleep all the time, but, anyhow,
here's what happened:
"The Boche showed us all day he
had our range dewn fine. He dropped
shells first In the front, then in the
rear trenches. We felt that possibly
something was coming off.
1T was raining, and the trenches
were mighty wet. Then the rain
stopped, and the moon came out. In
the early part Of the night 1t was quiet
Between one and two o'clock a lis
tening post heard suspicious activity in
the German trenches and passed along
the alarm. Everybody at the post sig
nailed for a barrage, but the wires
were cut.
''Then there was terrific blast and
a flash across No Mans Land / was
In the post commanders dugout. A
shell landed within ten feet and ex-
ploded, splintering che door.
'Gas and high explosives poured
into the trench. The cry of Gas 7
arose as everybody grabbed their
masks
zone man In our dugout couldn't
get his mask on. I can't recall his
name now. He fell to the floor In a
sort of flt
II got my mask on quickly. Then
wrestled with him. trying to put his
mask on. In the tussle my mask slip
ped, and l got little gas.
'aThe other man was clean crazy
with pain. l was unable to hold him,
and he dashed out of the dugout. The
last I saw Of him he was running
down the trench"
Hado stopped, coughed violently
and passed his hand before his face.
Then he asked:
"Where was I when left OFF,
"You were telling about the man
running down the trench"
"Oh, yes, but that's all l know
about him. Before I had a chance to
do anything the Boches cut loose with
another batch of gas. 1t got some
who escaped the first.
Then came the German barrage.
It was plain hell. 1t lasted nearly
two hours. They poured everything
on us from the front to the rear.
Everybody stuck In the dugouts.
Later I came out Of the dugout, and
I guess I took off my mask too quick
ly. The gas hadn't cleared, and-here
am.
"Our boys behaved fine, though.
There wasn't sign Of flinching. The
next time 1t Will be our turn to get
the Bocha."