Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-11-07
U. s. army At
Gates OF SEDAN

Continued from Page One.)
taut across the stream. Others
foated on RATS and collapsible can
vas boats.
The second phase of the perilous
undertaking then began-the cross
ing OF the kilometer of mud stretch
ing between the river and the canal,
which though it was undera tremen-
dous enemy fire was not held by in
fantry. The Americans stumbled
across the mud through the wither-
ing FIRE. Their feet sank into the mud
and soon the pace of the men was
slowed down to a laborious walk.
Nevertheless, they got through, even
ii the task caused some depletion
IN their numbers.
Plunge Through Canal.
The next phase constituted the
crossing of the narrower, but deeper
.anil, with its sheer sides and with
the Germans almost at the very top
Of the eastern edge. The swimmers
again got into action and plunged
through notwithstanding the enemy
FIRE and scrambled to the top. Here
the men divided their attention in
driving off the enemy and helping
non-swimmers across by the same
method used at the river Two
bridges were finally laid down by
the engineers, greatly facilitating
crossing These two bridges with
stood attempts of the enemy to de-
stroy them and contributed largely
to the speed in getting the Amer
lean troops over.
When the swimmers reached the
edge OF the canal they could not land
without the aid OF graphing hooks,
which had to be caught on to the
top of the wall edging the canal, so
that the swimmers could pull them
selves up by means of ropes. 1t
would have been hard enough
task for men undisurbed by the en-
emy's guns, but its accomplishment
was. almost inconceivably difficult
Under the violent enemy fire.
Germans Put to Flight.
With two waterways and two
thirds of mile of mud land success
fully negotiated the Americans had
only the customary fighting and
went to it with no delay and in ever
increasing numbers.
The Germans gave way without
great resistance before men who
could brave their fire, swim two
rivers and cross swamp with al
most charmed lives and attack them
without pausing a moment.
The Meuse has now been spanned
by several temporary bridges, which
were put down Immediately on the
heels of the German withdrawal
The capture of Milly was compare
lively easy after Dun had been
reached, and the advance had been
rapidly sustained since the moment
the Americans touched foot on the
east bank of the canal. The troops,
though tired by their exertions,
found the fighting there easy COM
pared with the previous experiences
when they were unable to respond
10 the CALLING fire.
A The retreat from the east bank of
the Mouse began rapidly, with the
Americans in hot pursuit. The Ger
man withdrawal eased the pressure
on the Mouse line at Dun, where up
TO that time an attempt TO cross had
not been made. But it was soon
possible to throw over pontoon
bridges, with comparatively little
opposition. Other bridges were
constructed capable of carrying over
the artillery and heavy trucks and
after that the operations were con-
tinued vigorously. =
Tanks Play Important Part.
Two-men tanks, French built but
manned by Americans, palyed an
important part in the offensive of
Friday and Saturday. Working with
the infantry, the tanks captured two
villages and several hundred pris-
oners and overcame the resistance
Of numerous German machine gun
nests.
Three platoons OF tanks attacked
and captured the village of Landres-
Fist. Georges in desperate fight
ing. One platoon was commanded
by 1t. Churchill Peters, former
Yale university athlete, and the
other two were in charge of 1t.
Lloyd Callahan of Casselton, N. D.
In order to take the town the tanks
had to 60 through strong barbed
wire entanglements, overpower ma
chine gun nests outside and within
the village and force their way
through the debris-strewn Streets,
One tank officer made this report
to his superior:
Y There seems to be a remarkable
Willingness on the part of Germans
to surrender to tanks during the first
part of the action. but as the attack
went forward surrendering to the
infantry became, more popular"
With the French Forces on the
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