The evening world., 1918-03-11

shellfire and ran into nearly n dozen
pillboxes which also we're intact.
They shouted for the Germans 10
come out. Tha latter replied by firing
at tho Americans. They were given
short shrlft. Grenadcs and incen-
diary bombs wero hurled into the
German defcnses. blowing the dug
outs and plllboxes skyward.
with our artillery roaring and
enemy shells bursting in our front
lines. the companies assigned TO the
raid had taken their positions at 4.A5.
| All were cool and anxious TO go.
! Tho zero hour" was sos.
After being called to their posts,
the men chatted and pceped over the
the parapets to SEQ the effect Of our
fire.
Passing between the second and
third lines. moro dugouts and unex-
pected pillboxes were encountered.
The Americans. their leggIngs. trous-
ers and coats torn and ripped by the
barbed wire. pushed forward. He
fore the door OF dugout some in
rantrymcn. armed, only with bay
! onetted rines and pistols. shouted:
"Come out!"
The only answer was revolver
shot through n loophole,
At that moment some grenhdiers,
running UP, drew back their arms,
took good aim and let n.y. There was
sheet OF fame and the ground was
shaken by the explosions.
A fraction OF IA second later there
was no dugout-no Boches.
The pillboxes were handled the
same way, though they wero harder
90 crack.
when the raiders reached tho Ger
man third line they found the demo-
litlon oven moro complete than In
tho previous two, There wasn't a
sign OF life.
They cleaned up tho third line, max
Ing thorough search for military
documents and other bits OF informa-
tion.
white rocket appeared. II was the
signal 10 return. The gait in going
back Is whatever the men set for
themselves.
The German bRrrage had now
started. kicking up mad bursts OF
explosions between the Americans
and their trenches. II was everybody
for himself-to walk or run through
the barrage. hop over the parapet
and drop into his own trench.
The captain looked at his watch.
: II was Just forty-nve minutes since
: the whistle had sounded above the
din OF artillery explosions. sending the
> men over the top.
on another sector. no dugouts or
plllboXes were found intact. The
raiders penetrated beyond the third
line and captured two wounded pris-
oneTs.
y American soldiers, operating with
= the French in the section where five
prisoners were taken IN third SEQ
tor. walked across No Mans Land
- without opposition. laughing and jok'
Y ing at the lack OF enemy fire,
X They cleaned up the enemy trenches
f In short ordcr and were anxious to gC
on, but tho withheld German barragt
started 10 fail,
A sergeant shouted:
" Get out OF the way! Let Il mar
" run who can run!"
Tho Americans dashed back TO thoil
- own trenches. thair leggings anC
;, pants torn TO tattors by the barbet
wire entanglements.
- Tho first official statement from
~ General Headquarters, printed Il
stars and stripes, an army publica
ton, recounts the activities OF Ameri
10 can troops under hre since March
IS l. concludes:
n The baptism OF FIRE which al
:. ready has been given TO few
~ Americans will come TO all. There
lg 10 no doubt that the test through
"A. which the first troops came with
such signal success will be en-.
eountered and passed with tho
~ same success by Ineir brothers in
y arms IN divisions still to roach the
front"
The following New England soldier
- have been granted the French Croi
an de Guerre for bravery on the Chemi
IN des Danes front: Lieut. IL. X, Day
lsOn, Chaplain &, Boucher, Scrgt. {
Dover. Corpl, f. Hurley and Private
% y. Larkin, H. Eldredge, 3. W. Mile
lo md o. " sykes