New-York tribune., 1918-07-17

IIllleS VI Cilc WIIlulIlS MdrHe course.
Monday morning the clouds hung
low over the valley, hampering OBJ
servation, but toward 10 a. m. the
clouds lifted, and many squadrons
of bombers found the Germans con-
centrated in the fringes of the wood
on the north bank, waiting for the
engineers to throw heavier bridges
across.
Airmen Create Havoc
The aviators there began the
| slaughter with bombs, which contin-
ued for hours. Dropped from low
attitudes into the masses of men,
the bombs created havoc. When the
bombs were exhausted every air.
plane winged home for more, and
returned Immediately.
Finally one bridge was complete
The troops crowded hurriedly on TO
it in gray masses. An airplane
swooped low, it's bombs hitting the
man-laden structure square in the
centre. Some Of the troops safely
reached the south bank, but many
were killed or thrown into the river
and drowned. Another bridge suf-
fered the same fate exactly under
the same circumstances. Intrepid
airmen bombed both sides Of the
river relentlessly
With thousands of men now on
the south bank, the Franco-Ameri-
can troops met them on the line of
resistance beyond the hills. Advanc-
ing enemy columns on the roads in
many instances ran full into con-
cealed ambushes and died in heaps.
The poilus and doughboys fought
| shoulder to shoulder in the general
melee, giving ground only when
showed by superior weight. Enemy
attacks and Franco-American coun-
ter attacks were kept up continu-
ously. The line bent and sagged
backward and forward until late
evening, when the fighting subsided
somewhat.
West of the village of Fossoy the
American line was forced back, but
it was not for long. In a spirited
counter attack they met the enemy
in a meadow, driving him down
sloping hillside and literally into the
river. The doughboys, using cold
steel, threw the enemy back. Some
Germans were able to utilize the
pontoon boats, regaining the north
bank, but hundreds were either
drowned while attempting to swim,
or killed or made prisoner.
''Worse Than Hell," Foe Says
1t was such combination of
Franco-American fighters on the
banks Of the Marne to-day that
prompted a German officer to write
message which was sent via car
rier pigeon, saying "Crossing the
Marne worse than He'll" Tho
pigeon brought the message to the
French by mistake.
While desperate fighting proceeded
on the Marine, foot-by-foot strug-
gle was going on about twelve miles
eastward toward Rheims. Here the
Franco-Italian forces, who fought
an epic battle were forced to fall
back slightly with the initial shock,
but are holding on a line few kilo-
metres southwark. Massed attacks
here up until nightfall failed to gain
the enemy anything but more, ter
rible losses. Both the Italian and
French defenders are covering them
selves with glory.
Picked Troops Used
That the enemy is making his
principal effort on the present line
is indicated in many ways. Divis-
ions identified thus far are the
flower of the German army, includ-
ing Prussian guardsmen.
Despite the speedy and costly
check of the first days efforts, which
now robs the Crown Prince of all
hope of using the element of sur
prise, fresh divisions are being con-
stantly fed into the furnace in what
appears an effort of desperation to
gain some sort of success.
Enemy divisions now identified
were thrown into the battle at noon
to-day, although scheduled to enter
two days hence.
Captured documents show that the
Grown Prince planned for the first