South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-05

serve near MOntdiuier, was sent by
motor trucks and other available
transport TO check the progress Of
the enemy toward Paris. The diu-
sion attacked and retook the town
and railroad station at Bouresches
and sturdily held It's ground against
the enemys best guard divisions
"In the battle Of Belleau Wood,
which followed. our men proved their
superiority and gained a strong tao
tical position. with far greater loss
90 the enemy than 10 ourselves. on
July I, before the second was re-
ueved. il captured the village Of
Vaux with most splendid precision.
Meanwhile our second corps
under Mai. George ". Read. had
been organized for the command Of
our divisions with the British. which
were held back in training areas or
assigned 20 second line trenches.
Five Of the 10 divisions were with
drawn from the British area in
June. three 10 relieve divisions in
Lorraine and the VOsges. and two
10 the Paris area % join the group
OF American divisions which stood
between the city and any further ad-
vance of the enemy in that direc-
ton"
Write Brilliant Chapter.
By that time the great tide Of
American troop movements 10
France was in full swing and the
older divisions could be used freely.
The And IN line east Of RHEIMS,
faced the German assault of July 10
and held their ground unfiinching-
ly." on the right flank four com
panies Of the 2Sth division faced
advancing waves Of German infan-
try" and the 3rd division held the
Marine line opposite Chateau Thierry
against powerful artillery and infan-
try attack "A single regiment OF
the third wrote one Of the most bril-
liant pages in our military annals
on this occasion" Gen. Pershing
says cit prevented the crossing at
certain points on SIS front while, on
either flank, the Germans who had
gained a footing. pressed forward.
our men. firing i'm three directions.
ter attacks at critical points and sue
cceded in throwing two German di-
visions into complete confusion, cap
turing 600 prisoners"
Thus was the stage set for the
counter offensive which, beginning
with the smashing of the enemy's
Marine salient. brought overwhelm-
ing victory 20 the allies and the
United States i'm the eventful months
that have followed The intimation
is strong that Gen Pershing's advice
helped Marshal Foch 10 reach his
decision 10 strike Gen Pershing
continues:
The great force of the German
Chateau Thierry offensive establish
co the deep Marine salient, but the
eI-emy was taking chances. and the
yulnerability Of this pocket 10 at
tock might be turned TO his disad-
vantage Selling this opportunity
To support my conviction. every divi-
sion with any sort OF raining was
made available for use in a counter
offensive The place of honor in
the thrust toward scissors on July
IS was given to our first and second
divisions i'm company with chosen
French divisions.
Without the usual brief warnine
of a preliminary bOmbardment, the
massed French and American artil-
iery, firing by the map. laid down its
rolling barrage at dawn, while the
Infantry hogan it's charge. The tao
teal handling of our troops under
these trying conditions was excellent
throughout the action The enemy
brought up large numbers Of re
I serves and made a stubborn defense
I both with machine guns and artil-
lery but through five days fighting
the first division continued TO ad-
I vance until it had gained the heights
above scissors and captured the VII
/ lage of Berzy-le-sec. The second di.
vision took Beau Repaire farm an
/ Very in a very rapid advance and
reached a position in front OF Tigny
az the end of the second day These
two divisions captured 1000 prison
ers and over 100 pieces Of artillery
Describes Reducing Salient
The report describes in some de-