The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-03-20
RAIDSSMASH
GERMAN WORKS
L. s. Officers Aid in Attacks
Near Nerdun in Which
16O Are Captured.
ALLIES LOSSES SLIGHT
Crown Prince Rushcs Reserves
to Save Dcfcnces Erected
Three Years Ago.
ALLIES LOSSES SLIGHT

OS THE FRENCH FRoNr IN FRANCE,
March I?.--The centre OF military in
terest during tho last few days has
passed from the Champagne to tho vi
cinity Of Icrdun, where both the French
and the a<fmans have broken into
marked activity.
In the Verdun region the correspond
ent watched the execution OF two trench
raids on a large scale carried out by
the French or Saturday evening and at
dawn on Sunday. tho results OF which
exceeded all expectations. Within twelve
hours tho French had penetrated the
remarkably strrrg systems Of German
trenches in both Cheppy Wood and
Malancourt Wood TO a depth at eonc
point. OF more than quarter OF a mile.
They destroyed ali tho enemy works
his hlockhouses ard shelters, which had
tekeR the Germans three years to con-
struct. and brought back two patches
OF prisoners. each comprising eighty
men. While the French themselves suf
fered only the clightest losses.
Reserves Arrive Too Late.
Gen. Won Gai,witzs army, acting un-
der tn" direct orders OF the German
Crown Prince, displayed evident ner-
vousness under this pressure. MS was
shown by the hurried arrival or large
reserves ia motor lorries. They were
too late. however, to hinder the French.
The ground was unfavorable to the
Frnech attack, owing to the clayey soil.
In which immense shell holes from for
mer battles had become filled with
water to depth OF six feet in many
| places. Among these the raiders were
forced to pick their way under the con
stant peril OF slipping in and drowning
The artillery preparation. however. was
so overwhelming that the French met
slight opposition to their progress.
Tie Chevpy Wood operation was th'
easier Of the two. owing to the fact that
Il was daylight. and within Ave minutes
after the assault groups OF prisoners
could bs seen running toward the
French lines Everything was carried
OF: on thne schedule. and when III.
French returned to their own lines tn"y
had taken about eighty prisoners.
beginning Of second Raid.
+ The second raid. tha. upon Malan.
court Wood. was q wonderfully impress
s.Ne spectacle. IN the darkness. just he
! fore dawn. The correspondent passed
| the night on a knoll opposite the Oh
| festive. from which nothing but the or
! cas.onal rattle OF a machine gun cou!.
: be heard and only Hash Of light cou,t
be seen now and thea until hal! an hou,
before the time IL had been arranged for
; tile attack TO begin.
Then the German Gu;ueis. evidently
Huspect!ng that something was up, ,c
fly salvos al! along the line. after whic!
, quiet re!gncd again until. with a thur
derous crash. al! the French batterIe,
! opened fire simultaneously, the sigma
/ flashed and the infantry went over.
! CoIored lights showed that the ;roop
I rea ched their obiectives at tho vlriou.
! times previously arranged Then group
o. prisoners began coming back, ant
eventually tile Frenchmeu. after com
pletinK their work of destruction. re-
turned 70 their own lines. bringing fur
I ther squads of captives. the total reach
ing eighty.
Meanwhile the German artillery
which is strong here. had opened W
with a heavy barrage and counter hat
terry hre, but without effect. Soon afte
! daylight the front was again calm.
| On the other side OF the Meuse til.
Germans took the Initiative ON Sunda,
at SamogneuN, Eczouvauy and Cauri
. erss Wood. executing raids which cos
, them dearly IN casualties and achieve,
only s,nal! results.
\ number OF American infantry OF
hcers, attached for instruction (,
French units, were n the raids upor
Cheppy and Maancourt Woods.