South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-27
AMERICANS PENETRATE
HINDENBURG LINE
CcoNTINUED FROM PAGE oNEJ


prisoners. An advance of seven miles
was made.
Tanks and airplanes supported the
infantry
Penetrate Hindenburg Line.
Two separate American urits en-
circled the strong German position
at Montfaucon. after our artillery
had silenced the German guns.
American soldiers quickly captured
the village. thus penetrating the So
called Hindenburg line.
American artillery opened up at
1880 o'clock last night. east of the
Mouse river. where the Germans
were expecting the big attack TO
be made
At $3.50 o'clock this morning the
guns began to thunder 70 the west
of the Meuse The infantry went
over the top at $3.50 o'clock in an
irresistible rush. They were fav-
ored by a thick mist. The biggest
gain was made at Nontfaucon.
vt Grips all Day.
All day long, while the Americans
were at grips with the German in
fantry. the great guns were roaring
all along the battle front
Among the prisoners was enc
batch OF 500 young Germans who
had bitterly opposed the American
advances at Cheppy and Cuiny Our
men brilliantly wiped out the Ger
man machine guns with hand gre
nades.
Low flying aviators dispersed Ger
man cavalry and infantry.
Our guns were in complete mas
terry and the German artillery re-
plies were very feeble
The Americans fought bravely
and brilliantly and had complete
success. The attacking units were
composed of men from Kansas,
Missouri and Pennsylvania
As the three hours preliminary
| bombardment died down at $50
o'clock this morning, the Yankees.
keen for a chance At the enemy,
hurled themselves across "No Mans
| land"
FORCES brook On stream that saw
much bloody fighting in the German
offensive against Verdun) was
quickly crossed and the villages Of
Malancourt. Bethincourt Nontfou-
con. Cuisy and NantiIiois were car
ried by storm.
Attack Let by Tanks.
Kansas and Missouri troops un-
! der Maj. Cen. Liggett. stormed Var
ennes. in the Argonne forest. led by
tanks Montblainville and Vauqois
in the same district. quickly fell be
fore the Yankee onrush.
There was stubborn resistance by
the Germans at Vauqois and Chep-
by.
American airmen. flying i'm great
groups. swept low, turning loose hot
machine gun fire against the Ger
mans.
American artillery heavily bonn
barded Bots de MOntfaucon with
gas shells as it had been reported
that the Germans had massed guns
there. Afterward it was ascertained
that the American shell fire had
been extremely effective.
Pale moonlight was glimmering
as the attack began but a thick
mist quickly settled down. It was so
murky as day broke that some Of
the advancing units could not he
seen, even from the nearest Obser-
walton posts.
Advance With Great Speed.
When it got a little lighter some
units could be seen pushing up the
west bank of the Meuse river and
through the Argonne valleys, now
visible in the fog and now swallow
ed up as though drowned in a lake
of thick, gray water. After a bit
the marching troops could be seen
coming out of a fog bank only to
disappear right away.
The advance was carried out with
great speed everywhere.
One unit crossed FORCES brook As
minutes after leaving its position.
The engineers. right up in the van
of the attack lost no time in throw
ing bridges across the brook for
the soldiers 70 cross on.
over these structures swarmed
the sturdy Yankees. wiping out the
machine gun nests that tried to inn
| pede their progress and pressing
rapidly northward after overcoming
all centers of enemy resistance.
There was much fighting in the
air. Because of the mist, our obser-
walton balloons rose TO "a great
/ height before daybreak.
Hun Air Forces Reinforced.
During the afternoon the Ger
/ man air forces were reinforced and
repeatedly attacked the American
balloons
Many sky battles followed, dur
I ing which observers on both sides
\ leaped from attacked balloons with
Y their parachutes.
Varennes lies behind a clumb of
woods and is stretched along one
principal street At the eastern end
of the town the Germans had con
verted the church into a fort.
Our men swept into the town from
! the western side, led by tanks that
wobbled up the main street with
their machine guns going full blast.
The Americans took up position
near the church and opened fire