The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-09
ONE AMERICAN
WHIPS ENTIRE
BOCHE PATROL
OF FORTY men
Sentry Kills Leader and
Wounds Several Others in
Clash in Trenches of this
Yankees.
CHALLENGE IS OMITTED

| FRANCE, Thursday, March 7.-BY
The Associated Press.-A lone AmeSi-
can sentry this morning attacked a.,
enemy patrol of about forty men. soma
| of whom had stealthily entered All
advanced American trench. He drovu
them off, killing the leader and
wounding others.
The first reports OF the encounter
were that another raid had taken
place and all along the line details
were being awaited eagerly. But in.
vestigation showed that one American
started what there was of an offens.
i've. The name of this man is men-
toned in all reports of the affair and
he has been congratulated heartily by
his officers and comrades for his cour-
age and level-headedness.
The sentry saw the patrol advanc-
ing and looked on as the Germans be-
gan to drop cautiously into the
trench. He knew that an American
patrol was out along the wire not far
away and counted upon its help after
he opened fire. There were four men
In the American patrol. By the time
five Germans had entered the trench
the sentry thought he should delay
no longer, especially as the under-of-
ficer who was leading the Germans
had approached within few yards of
him.
Leader FaIts First.
The sentry opened fire rapidly
without challenging. The German
leader fell at the first crack Of the
rifle. The others in the trench hur-
riedly sought protection but they
were not quick enough, for the SEN
trys bullets caught some OF them.
AS the American began firing Ger.
man some distance outside the wire
shouted Come out, come OUT" The
Germans needed no second invitation.
In fact those who we're still in the wire
already had started out. The small
American patrol saw the enemy trail
Ing back across No Mans Land, under
fire from the sentry and from Ameri-
cans at point further along the line.
The patrol Joined in the fray and
helped to speed the Germans on their
way by hurting a large number OF
hand grenades, some of which probably
took effect Four rifles were found in
the American lines.
Were Working on Quiet.
Patrols, both American and German,
are constantly seeking opportunity to
inspect the opposing lines and the Ger
mans on this occasion certainly did
not wish to be discovered. They cut
the American wire with the greatest
caution. making no noise, but the SEN
try who later drove them off was
watching their performance all the
time.
American troops In the sector north
west of Toul have been subjected for
the first time to an attack with liquid
fire. Enemy troops carrying flame
projectors were just opening the at
tack when an American patrol which
happened to be near by fired on them.
The Germans fled precipitately, pur-
sued by the Americans. They dropped
four projectors, two Of which were
flaming.
The Americans went into action SO
quickly that the enemy had no chance
to light the other two. No damage
was done by the flames. The project
ors lay In No Mans Land for three
days. Early this morning they were
brought in by an American patrol. All
had been punctured by shots from the
American trenches
Late this evening the projectors
were taken to headquarters They were
strapped to the backs of the men who
brought them from No Mans Land.
and moving pictures were taken. They
are of type long familiar on the
western front.
Foe Shippers Busy.
Enemy snipers have been excep-
tionally busy in the last twenty-four
hours at certain point with more or
less success. Various parts of the
American sector were bombarded
without suffering great damage.
Many valuable points in the German
positions were bombarded with sue
cess by the American artillery. A
gap in the wire through which the
Germans apparently thought patrols
were emerging was covered with
bursts of machine gun fire all night
long and even today.
An enemy observation balloon in
the rear of Montsec caught fire this
morning and was hauled down. There
was great activity in the air all day,
following the bombing expeditions of
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