New Britain herald., 1918-02-26
ENTIRE BATTALION
 EAGER FOR FORAY.
Continued From First Page) :.

raiders forced the enemy out of other shelters and communicating trenches.
 The raiders and prisoners sta rted back across No Mans Lard on sched- ule time, but were caugh1 in a Ger man counter -barrage One enemy shell wounded five Germans and six F'renchmen but no Americans The prisoners were from 16 to 45 years old. All apparently were under nOuris ed. .a...- .--- +---
 Artillery Attack Increases. ..rt
 The artillery. duel in the American sector northwest of Toul grows more intense daily. The Germans fired 0 hundred or. moro shells during the last A hours and late this evening began to lombard violently some of our batteries with gas and Rigla ex- plosive shells. 5 %@
 The American artillery has replied constantly doing most effective work against the enemy front line trea1cR Res, his battery positions and wire efatan-} elements. Numerous enemy working parties also were sheIled. Beyond observation by balloons there has been no aerial activity, owing to thet low clouds and rain. .-a
 Jt and this morning. fired many thou ] sands of rounds in the rear of the ] German positions where marked ! movement Of men and material pro { gresses. The enemy tried unsuccess- . fully to hinder the American patrol work by hurling, new gas flares into the American wire entang elements. .....-Es. .. ge.s. H s2---:- ..-. E4- .
 French Rapid-EIirc Raiders, .....,
 French Grand Headquarters, Fob. 25 (By the Associated Prcssl Trench raids along the French front-haVe in- creased in intensity during the past month to such an extent that they have become in some instances, bat ties in which thousands of men have been engaged and hundreds Of plis- oners taken. The artillery was un- usually active *.rs f-@#a
 The objects Of the raids vary wide Iy. Sometimes a raid is undertaken to identify enemy units and at other times to improve the lines or capture observation points. Again a raid may be made to destroy the enemys works and prevent him from attacking. This was the case in Saturdays raid at Aspach, Alsace, where the Germans were in strongly fortified lines which they held since December, 191 4. The enemy positions were bombarded and placed in such conditions as 10 hinder German operations.
 The correspon ndent watched the shower of metal tearing away the enemy wire cntanglementS, fatteninS the guu emplacements and setting fire to ammunition dumps. The oper- alton was a complete surprise to the Germans and most of them retired to rear positions. while French infan- try completed the work Of the gun ners. Only acfew prisoners were talk en hut most valuable information re- sarding the enemys disposition of trenches was obtained before the French returned to their own lines.
 German Defense Forces Light.
 Other successful raids in Lorraine, the Argonne and northwest of Rheims have demonstrated the na- turc of the German defense system. Nearly everywhere the enemy front lines are held lightly and the main bodies of troops are kept so far in the rear that occasionally the French have reached the third, and even the fourth with slight resistance. This is the reason for the generally small number of prisoners, but in Lorraine the Germans were caught mapping last week and the haul of captured was large, being moro than 400.
 In addition 10 these big raids there have been tnnmnerabla smaller ones which has not been mentioned in the official statement. These have been carrid out by mere squads who bring back usually d number of prisoners.
 Raiding, in fact, has become quir~- a modern military art. and is en- couraged by the commanders II has been found to maintain the offensive spirit of the French troops who seem to revel in, the, work in which they must display initiative and worry the Germans