Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-29
WHEN U.S.. MARINES
SAVED PARIS FROM
GERMAN HORDE
Most Dramatic Achievement OF
War Described by Major
Denig; Only Three OF
fcers Left.
COL. HOLCOMB IN FIGHT

in the couuterattack against the German
forces on the Marine on July is are giver
in n letter written shortly afterward by
Major Robert l.. Denig of the Unitec
States Marines to his wife, who lives a
2l3l Porter street, Philadelphia, ano
which has been forwarded to Washington
for the historic files of the Marine Corps
In addition to giving n graphic picture
of modern war, the letter cites an IN
stance of German treachery IN using ar
planes painted with the Allied colors IN
their unfair methods of aerial warfare
The letter also establishes the fact that
the marines. who helped to stop the Ger
man drive on Paris at Belleau W ood, early
in June. were honored by being brought
forward from this wood to Vierzy and
Tipnv. near scissors, for participation
with a crack French division IN the great
co,,nterattack which started the dis
intepration of the German front In the
west.
on FAAEs ROLL OF AMERICANS.
Names that became familiar through
the fighting in Belleau Wood are men
toned in Major Denigs letter as beng
prominent in the Allied counterattack-
I,ieut. Col. Thomas Holcomb, Lieut.. Col.
Benton W. Sibley, Lieut.. Col. John A..
Hughes. Captain Perc Wilmer, and others
who took a prominent part III the fight
ing when the Hun was blocked In his drive
on Paris The letter follows:
The dav before we left for this big
push we had most interesting hight be-
tween a fleet of German planes and
French observation balloon right over our
heads. We saw FIVE planes circle over our
town. then put on, what we thought alter
ward. a sham fight. One of them, after
MANY fancy stunts, headed right for the
balloon. They were all painted with our
rolors except one. This one went near the
balloon. One kept right on. The other
four shot the balloon up with lncendlary
bullets. The observers jumped INTO their
parachutes just as the outtIt went up IN
mass of flames.
The next day we took our positions
at various places to wait Tor camons that
were TO take us somewhere In France,
when or for what purpose We dld not
know. Wass passed me at the head OF his
companv-we made date for party on
our next leave. lie was looking inc ana
was as happy as could he Then Hunt,
keyser. and heap Of Others went by.
| have the battalion and Holcomb the
regiment. Our turn to enbuss did not
come till near midnight.
BIG SHELLS FALLING FAST.
we at last got under way after a few
b ig sea bags had hit nearby Wilmer and
led in touring car. We went at a good
clip and nearly got ditched in q couple Of
new shell holes Shells were falling fast by
now. and as the tenth truck went under
the bridge. big one landed nearby with a
crash and wounded the two drivers, killed
two marines. and wounded five more. We
did not know it at the time and did not
notice ANYTHING wrong tail we came TO
crossroad when we found we had only
eleven cars all told. We found the rest Of
the CONVOY after hunt, but even then
were not told of the loss, ana did not ind
II out till the next day.
we were finally. after y hours ride,
dumped in a big field and after lew
hours rest, started our march. 1t was not
as Hades and we had had nothing 10 eat
since the dav before. We al last entered
forest; troops seemed TO converge on IT
from all points Ne marched some six
miles in the forest; finer one | have never
seen-deer would scamper ahead and We
could have eaten one raw. At 10 that
night. without food, we lay down IN a
pouring rain to sleep. Troops OF all kinds
passed up in the nlght-a shadowy stream
over a hall million men. Some French
officers told us that they had never seen
such concentration since Nerdun, II then.
The next day, the 18th OF July, We
marched ahead through lamb OF troops,
trucks, DC, and came at last TO ration
dump where we fell to and ate our heads
of Tor the first time in nearly two days.
When We left there, the men had bread
stuck on their bayonets. / lugged ham.
All were loaded down. Here | passed one
of VASES lieutenants with his hand
wounded He was pleased as Punch and
told us the drive was on-the FIRST we
knew OF It, | then passed few men Of
Hunts company bringing prisoners to the
rear. They had colonel and his staff.
They were we'll dressed, clean and polish
ed, but mighty glum looking.
HoLCoMB TOOK COMMAND.
I'VE finally stopped at the far end of
the forest near dressing station, where
Hocomb again took command. This
station had been a big, fine stone farm
house, but was now a complete ruin
wounded and dead lay all about. Joe
Murray came by with his head all done
up: his helmet had saved him. The lines
had gone on ahead, so we were quite
safe Had a fine aero battle right over
US The stunts that those planes did,
cannot be described by me.
FIELD COVERED WITH DEAD.
Late in the afternoon we advanced
again. Our route lay over an open field
covered with dead We lay down on
hillside for the nle.. near some captured
German guns, an until dark | watched
the cavalry, some 1900, come up and
take positions.
.'At 2.30 the next morning. Sltz woke
me UP and said we were to attack The
regiment was soon under way, and we
picked our way under cover of gas
infested valley to town, where we got our
final instructions, and left our packs.
! wished Sumner good luck, and we parted
1--WE formed up in a sunken road on
two sides of valley that was perpen-
dicular TO the enemy's front; Hughes
right, Holcomb left, Sibley support. We
now began to get few wounded; one
man, with ashen face, came charging to |
the rear with shell shock. He shook all |
over, foamed at the mouth, could not |
speak. | put him under tent, and he |
acted as if he had tit. |
Il heard Lieutenant Overton call to one |
Of his friends to send a certain pin to his |
mother if be should get hit
WAR PICTURE THAT WILL NEVER FADE. !
'At $50 we jumped off with q line Of |
tanks in the lead. For two kilos the four |