New-York tribune., 1918-03-05
observation-disclosures Prison
ers Part of Lost
Patrol
No Men Captured
In u. S. Trenches
Germans Rolled Back With
Heavy Losses, Says
Report
IL Tie Associated Press

ry TIE Associated Press
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, March 1.-The party of
Americans the Germans claimed to
hive captured on the Ch1min -des-
Danes Ladies Road was the larger
part Of a patrol of thirteen men which
went out when the raid began and has
not been heard of since. The enemy
otsained no prisoners from the Ameri-
1an trenches.
4 German War Office bulletin last
Friday said that near Chavignon Ger
nan troops forced their way into the
Franco American trenches Thursday
and captured ten Americans. The
French official statement said that
two columns Of the enemy had been
tnrown back with heavy losses.
Volunteers from American units
searched No Mans Land in rain of
machine gun bullets for the thirteen
missing men. but did not find any
rracc of them except one man, who had
been killed
Details OF the German attack. which
failed completely to reach the trenches,
are now available. American artillery
nen laid down a barrage fire as soon
as the Germans started theirs. It is
krown that three companies of espe-
cIalIy trained shock troops" which
had been practising for this operation
for two weeks. took part in the attack
Each company was preceded by
picked party of twenty pioneers.
Germans Suffer Heavy Losses
The fighting was brisk for about an
Four, but the accurate machine gun
AID riff. fire from the American front
lines, coupled with the perfect Ameri-
can harrage, which prevented reinforce
ments from coming up. forced the Ger
mans to withdraw after sustaining
heavy casualties and without having
set foot IN the American trenches.
Soon after the attack was over Il
soUng lieutenant commanding pla-
5pon, members of which composed the
patroI.ing party which had gone out
INTO NO Mans Land, went out to find
saenl. but without result. He re-
-0rhea 10 ms trench and asked for
Noluntary detail. Every man in the
piasoon volunteered, but the lieutenant
p'c@ed out a small party and set out
again. They were forced to return,
however. when the German fire became
Increasingly heavy. The lieutenant
and a detail made a third search Jus.
before dawn. but without success. All
me missing men came from New Eng
and
The American general commanding
the unit on this front said the men
we're eager for action and were cor
tlnuaily asking permission to remain
IN the front line longer than the al
iotted period. 1t has been found nee
essary to caution them frequently
against exposing themselves, they arc
so ANXIOUS 10 get crack at the enemy
however, they are tempted to peer
over the top in the daytime and go
oFer at night in the hope of Starting
something"
French General Proud of Them
The French general who trained
'nese troops is proud of the showing
they are making while completing their
perlod OF instruction. An American
captain said: They called US tin sol
diers IN America less than year ago,
but guess we are delivering the
Between 500 and 800 gas shells are
tnrown on the American positions on
me Cnemin -de5-Dames front each day,
hds there have been no serious gas
casualties there. The men have been
trained thoroughly in the use of gas
MASKS and the necessity OF putting
mem on before going into the trenches.
lney do not find it inconvenient to
work and fight like DIVERS as they
4
shgntly while adjusting their helmets.
9ut TINS IS inevitable when gas shells
are thrown a long distance behind the
lines.
A brigadier general and major who
we're riding IN an automobile on
tour Of inspection a few days ago were
sassed slightly when she'll burgt
within a hundred yards of their car
lhey suffered from headache and slight
nausea, but otherwise there were no III
effects.
An American brigadier general said
io-day he has asked for an American
DIVISIONAL citation for cacI. member of
me saldlng party of twenty-six OF his
men which assisted the French in the
rad on February 90, in which two Ger
man officers and twenty-one men were
captured. Two officers and two men
oi tne raIdIng party already have been
Sfoss. This is the first request for
a7nors which has been made for Amer.
ieanz N this sector.
A general took a party Of CORE
spondents 10 his headquarters and
pointed out the location Of his troops
On large map. How much No Mans
land ~ there between the trenches at
sais poin,7" asked one Of the visitors,
porting 10 the map.
There is no No Mans Land there;
y u all Americas land" replied the
general. A French captain later sub
s'antiatcd the generars statement by
say1ng the Americans had assumed
control Of No Mans Land soon after
entering the trenches in that sector.
heFnan prisoners captured in pa
sfpl lighting there stated that the
handful 81 Americans attacked with
80 much force and vigor that the Ger
mans tnrew I'D their hands and shout
r. hafnerad'" IN the belief that there
we're many more IN the attacking party
-----------e----------