The sun., 1918-07-19
FRENCH FIRE NAILS
ENEMY TO TRACKS
Wonderfully Planned Defence
Causes Biggest Slaughter of
Germans Thus Far.
CHIEFLY OUTPOST GAINS
Teuton Officers Accused Of
Cowardice-Best Troops
Beaten to Standstill.
OUTPOST GAINS
ny GERALD CAMPBELL.

Special Cable Despofch TO THE Sun from the
London Times.
Copyright. 1878; oil rights reserved
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE,
July IT ed).--Yesterday was
tho best for the Allies and the worst
for Germany OF any second day in
the whole series of offensives under
taken by the enemy this summer. For
the FIRST time since these offensives
started in March the enemy was COM
PEELED to content himself with small
local attacks preceded by artillery
operating from tho same bases used
before tho main offensive started
This has not happened before in any
German offensive since March. In the
previous offensives the German storm
to BIO supported by the artillery on the
second day, which caused the fighting
to automatically resolve itself into en-
gagements between infantry and ma
chine gun detachments.
1t Is too early to say that the latest
German drive has been definitely
stopped. The general attack has been
broken. and while the enemy may pull
himself together sufficiently to continue
the thrust on a grand scale the initial
advantage is lost, which in war, as in
football. counts a great deal
In the Marine sector yesterday the
fighting was divided into three COM
partments. South of pormans the
French and Americans I'm a strong
counter attack took the villages OF St.
Afghan. Chapelle and Monthodcp and
reestablished their lines on heights over
looking the Marine,
North of the river tho French and
Italians held positions to which they
had retired Monday. Between these
two positions tho enemy tried to push
southeastward in the direction of Eper-
nay. Here he advanced two miles
after suffering losses. and was definitely
stopped eight miles short of his oh
jectives. In these three operations the
enemys gain barely balanced our own.
No Cause for German ElatiOn.
Considering that the initiative lay
with the Germans in these attacks
they have little reason to be satisfied
with the results obtained, and their
offlc!al report barely conceals the fact
they are none to we'll pleased, although
they claim $4,000 prisoners.
There seems to be a great deal of in
dignation among the men and officers OF
some OF the German regiments over the
way certain officers Of the German regu-
lar army moved back from the front to
places OF safety when the drive started
A battalion commander of one of the
German auxiliary regiments spoke rather
freely about this matter after he was
captured by the French.
I'VE knew these officers planned to de-
sert u.s." he said. but II was no use to
complain. II We had done so we would
have been hauled before court-martlal
composed Of their own fellows. but this
war will be over some day and there will
be a day OF reckoning"
The Frehch, on the other hand. are In
a wonderfully happy frame Of mind.
Their morale was never better. am
not permitted to mention the number Of
their casualties, but they were wonder
fully small. considering the magnitude
of the operations In view Of the spirit
prevailing in the French ranks It was
not surprising that when Gen. Gouraui
appeared they cheered him to the echo.
The men are just AS proud CT him as he
is OF them.
The General says his men had to face
not fourteen divisions. as was AZ first
thought. but twenty. He added that due
TO the wonderful way his men fought
the enemys territory gains did not in
clude much more than a few outpost
positions The French defence plans
were wonderful. They comprised strong.
scattered outpost positions held by ma
chine gunners. These men were so
placed that they were enabled to accom-
plish the most deadly execution among
the Germans. demoralizing their advance
before the main French defence columns
were called into play.
Faced Point Blank Fire.