The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-11-05
MOorhead NeQ,s
AMER lean RIFLE
FIRE STOPPED THE
HUN DRIVE AT
CHATEAU THIERRY

rifle fire of the American infantry
stopped the Hun drive at Chateau
Thterry and saved Paris and the
channel ports" said Capt. L. w. Rus
ness ('Ldtz") in Moorhead this morn
ing.
The American infantrymen are
heroes and they are certainly fighters.
They have much to contend with but
nothing can stop them once they get
the word to go; or move them, when
they are ordered to hold.
never expected to see anything
so terrible as the slaughter of the
Germans at Chateau Thierry and
hope never to witness another such
battle. Early in the morning we saw
the Germans coming over the hill
ahead of us and the artillery opened
on them at once. Armored cars ran
ahead and fired upon the advancing
Germans until their supply of am
naunitton was exhausted then rushed
back for new supplies. Still the
Huns came on. 1t seemed that moth
ing could stop them. New men took
the places Of those who We're shot
down and the advance continued
without interruption. On they came
and then hell broke loose, they were
"All1IL IIllS 1d1SS dIlu LilC 1il1olibAS
of the Second division were moving
them down.
Again and again the Germans
made the attempt but our men kept
piIing up the dead and wounded in
heaps The Germans were stopped
and Paris and the channel ports were
saved. -.
TT was the infantry of the Second
division that saved the day. They
We're drawn from another front and
rushed to our assistance. They came
in canions Chg motor trucks) and
taxicabs Communicated from Paris
and in every sort of motor vehicle
but they came in time"
Speaking Of the big drive from
Chateau Thierry to Fismes, 35 kilo-
meters, or about 80 miles. Capt. Rus
ness said there was fierce fighting all
the way and that the Germans relied
largely upon machine guns in their
resistance.
81 was on the front line for seven
months, from February until August
A. said Capt. Rusness, and there was
much fighting and many raids be-
fore the big drive to close the
RSheims-Soissons pocket. The 26th
division was holding the Germans un-
til July 10 when the preparation for
the big attack began. The artillery
fire was incessant, day and night,
between July 10 and 10. This bat
tie continued until August 4, when
the artillery was relieved for the first
time. The infantry had been relieved
twice.
when the infantry of the Second
division came back l met 1t: James
III. sharp, Jr., who had been the in
telliengce officer at the front. lie had
also come through without scratch
but was looking pretty tough, Inc
two other lieutenants who went over
seas with me were both out. Lew
Lamb was killed by machine gun lre
the second day Of the big drive ana
Will Comrie was seriously WOUNDED
by a shell splinter.
What happened between July ~
and August 4 would fill 10 volumes.
a., the day we were relieved l met
Sergt. Thorsten Lommen Of the 15lst
artillery and he was the only otner
man from this section | met in the
wear I was overseas. He was the IN
strurnent sergeant and had come
ahead to make the location for the
151st but an orderly recalled. MIN
while we were talking, as the regT-
ment had been ordered to announcer
location. %
For 20 days / served as MASON u
ficer at the front and 10 days OF tnls
time was in the big smash. The same
day our artillery was relieved L re-
ceiyed nv orders to return TO tne
Tinted States. We had lost so many
Of our horses that our guns We're
hauled back to the rest station by
motor trucks.
II had been away a year lacking
one day when ] landed in New orr
on Sept. l, but l have the two over
seas service stripes. Ny new CON.
mand is the headquarters company VI
the 35th Field Artillery and we VIII
soil for France early this month: AS
eon,, as returned was sent to Camp
STcClelIan. Admission. Ala, to help IN
Ssfy,1et the newly formed regiment: !
will leave for the east WeoileSuaS
Germany is certainly doomed ana
i4 thew do not surrender unconui
fionally her territory will be lnVadeu
and the cities and villages razeo as
the Huns have done with those VI
Belgium and France. 49,
Cantain Rusness is the first MOOT
head man to return from the trencne
as in france. He was meInper "
+be faculty of the Moorhead norma
school when the call came early IN
1e17 and is a graduate Of the hrst
oficars' training school, at foft
SnalIing. where he won a hrst heu-
Sananf's commission. In July, aIteI
HE refI1rn to the states. he was pro-
moted to a captaincy'