New-York tribune., 1918-03-20
French Raids
Shake Foes
Verdun Line
Az rnc .Associated Press

on THE FRENCH FRONT IN
FRANCE, March 1S.--The centre of
military interest during the last few
days has passed from the Champagne
TO the vicinity of Verdun. where both
the French and the Germans have
broken into marked activity.
In the Verdun region the correspond
cnt watched the execution of two
trench raids on a large scale carried
out by the French on Saturday evening
and at dawn on Sunday, the results
OF which exceeded all expectations. A
number of American infantry officers,
attached for instruction to French
units, were in those raids.
Within twelve hours the French had
penetrated the remarkably strong sys-
tens of German trenches in both
Cheppy Wood and Malancourt Wood to
q depth at some points of more than a
quarter of mile. They destroyed all
the enemy works his blockhouses and
shelters. which had taken the Germans
three years to construct, and brought
back two patches of prisoners, each
comprising eighty men. while the
French themselves suffered only the
slightest losses.
New Commander Nervous
General Won Gallwitz's army, acting
under the direct orders of the German
Crown Prince, displayed evident ner-
vousness under this pressure, as was
L.
reserves in motor lorres. They were
TOO late, however. to hinder the French.
The ground was very unfavorable TO
the French attack, owing to the clay
SOIL in which immense shell holes from
former battles had become filled with
water to depth of some six feet
to pick their way under the constant
peril of slipping in and drowning. The
artillery preparation, however, was so
overwhelming that the French met
with only slight opposition.
The Cheppy Wood operation was the
easier of the two, owing to the fact
that it was daylight. and within five
minutes after the assault troops had
eft the parallels groups of prisoners
could be seen running toward the
French lines. Everything was carried
out on time schedule, and when the
French returned to their own lines they
had obtained about eighty prisoners.
Second Raid Spectacular
The second raid, that upon Malan-
court Wood, was a wonderfully impres-
sive spectacle. in the darkness just be-
fore dawn. The correspondent passed
the night on knoll opposite the OBJ
jective, from which nothing but the oc-
casional rattle of machine gun could
be heard and only flash of light seen
now and then until half hour before
The time it had been arranged for the
attack to begin. Then the German gun.
ners, evidently suspecting that some
The line, after which quiet reignet
again until, with a thunderous crash
all the French batteries opened fire
simultaneously, the signals flashed ane
the infantry went over.
Colored lights showed that the
troops reached their detectives at the
various times previously arranged
Then groups of prisoners began coming
back, and eventually the Frenchmen
after competing their work of de
struction, returned to their own lines
bringing further squads Of captives
the total reaching eighty.
Meanwhile the German artillery
which is very strong here. had opened
up with heavy barrage and counter
battery fire, but without effect Soor
after daylight the front again wa
calm.
On the other side of the Meuse tn,
Germans took the initiative in th'
course of the day Sunday at Samog
neux, Bezonvaux and Caurieres Wood
executing raids which cost them dearl,
in casualties. and achieved only small
results