The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-06-17
Sammies Display Brilliant Val
or During Bombardment
on TouI Sector.
ONRUSH OF HUNS CHECKED
Many French Civilians Killed by
Shelling of village-Individ
ual Incidents of Bravery.

(By Newton C. Parke, international
News staff Correspondent)
With the American Army In France,
June 16.-Three platoons Of lighting
Americans standing bravely by their
guns under the most terrific bombard-
ment the Toul sector has known In
many weeks, fought to standstili a
vastly superior German attacking
force in an encounter at xivray this
morning.
with our artillery giving wonderful
CO. operation the Germans were COM
pletely repulsed as they were on May
26 when they were driven back with
out taking a single prisoner
As in the attack of May rs the as
sault was made by storm troops
brought up for this fight and they
were under orders to take Americans
at any cost. But the boches were
compelled to return to their own lines
badly cut up and empty handed as
well.
credit for their part In defeating the
boches. Before the attack was made
artillery observers reported what they
first thought to be a large German
working party In no mans land and
signaled to the gunners to lay down
a barrage.
Instantly our guns criss- crossed mo
mans land" with line of fire, our
barrage being laid down Just three
minutes before the German barrage
opened.
II Is certain that the German forces
can be estimated at 500 men and that
they suffered heavy loss as the Huns
lay outside Of their barbed- wire,
waiting to follow UP their own bar
rage with an attack. As the German
barrage moved up to the outskirts OF
xivray our machine guns played
streams of fire through the barbed
wire. Nearly everywhere this stopped
the Hun rush completely. However,
n few boches that were leading,
poured through a gap in the entangle-
ments, dodging behind ruined build
ings In xivray where they had hoped
to find hiding place.. sfs
OF the German officers among the
six prisoners taken, one shaved fixlit
and was wounded A small party 81
Germans tried to rush our troops but.
every one of them was wiped out.
While the street fighting was GO
ing on two Germans seized a wounded
American and tried to carry him on.
Lieut.. Doane interrupted and drove
of both boches, who dropped the
wounded American In their flight.
Another wounded American can
tured by the Germans was turned
over to one boche. who led him to the
German barbed wire. There the
wounded man suddenly drew pistol
and forced the Hun to right about
face to the American lines
The killing and woundfng of MANY
French civilians outside Of church
In a village behind the lines was the
most pathetic incident of the bom-
bardment
Since the Seicheprey nght there
have been no shells thrown into VIII
lages several miles in the rear of the
Toul front Consequently the VII
lage In question was crowded full OF
civilians. mostly old persons and chill
dren. Many of these had gathered
upon the church steps and were con-
versing after mass when a big shell
ourst. causing numerous casualties.
After the attack the Germans, con-
tinued to shell villages to. the scar of
the American lines throughout Sun
day Our artillery replied and the
calm OF the sunny June Sabbath was
broken all day by the growing of the
big guns.
IT is now believed that 'ifter the
failure of the Germans to take pris-
oners In the raid against our trenches
On May rs the German command
brought up some special storm troops.
although among the men taken toby
were members Of the Thirty sixth
Landwehr, which has been opposite
is for some time.
Two days ago a German troop train
arrived behind the front an1 at
empts were made to conceal the de-
raining of several hundred troops by
brewing up huge clouds ~ smoke.
These troops were probably the same
IS took part. in this mornings at
a~k
IT Is believed that the German high
Command is extremely anxious 10 as
certain II there has been any Change
n tie situation on the Toul frant, ss-
'ecially. whether the same American
orce is there or II II has been sent
westward and replaced by another
American unit.