Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-03-14
YANKEES WRECK
FOE SECOND Line
Participate in Three Raids On
Enemy Positions-Boches
Flee Under Fire.
GERMANS ARE BOXED IN
Barrage Prevents Thanking Moves
Americans Cooperating with
French, Take Materials and
Document.


With the American Army In
France, March 12.-(By the Associat.
ed Press.)-American troops, COOP
Grating with the French, have car
ried out three raids opposite the
American sector in Lorraine. Two OF
the aids were executed Simultaneous
ly. The Americans swept past the
German first lines and penetrated to
the enemy's second line, 600 yards
back.
Shells Prepare Way.
The simultaneous raids were made
after intense artillery preparation
lasting for four hours, in which Ger
man positions were leveled. At mid
night two forces, accompanied by
small French forces on their TANKS,
moved upon the German detectives
behind a creeping barrage, each on a
front of 800 yards. When the Amer
leans reached the enemy first lines
the barrage vas lifted so as to box in
the German positions at both points.
The men dropped into the enemy's
trenches, expecting a hand to hand
fight, but found the Germans had
fled. Continuing, they went forward
600 yards to the second German line.
ALI the time American machine guns
parties to prevent the enemy from
undertaking fanking operations.
One French fanking party found
two wounded Germans in a dugout
and took them prisoner. The Ameri.
car found none.
Blow up Enemy Works.
The Americans remained for As
minutes in the enemy lines. They
found excellent concrete dugouts,
which they blew up and also brought
back large quantities of material and
valuable papers. While they we're in
the enemy lines. German artillery be-
gan a vigorous counter barrage. 1t
was quickly silenced by American
heavy and light artillery which hurl-
ed large quantities of gas shells on
the batteries.
An American trench mortar bat
terry participated in the artillery prep
aration preceding the raid, helping to
level the enemy positions.
Soon after these two raids had
been carried the Americans staged
another at a point further along the
line to the right. They went over the
rep after artillery preparation of 40
minutes in which the enemy posi-
lions attacked were obliterated. At
this place the dugouts were found to
have been constructed principally OF
logs. Engineers accompanying the
ralding party completed the artil.
lery,s work of destruction.
: Raids Carried Out SkillfuIIy.
The raids were carried out skill.
fully and but for the fact that the
Germans fled more prisoners doubt,
less would have been taken. Ameri.
can gas shells are believed to have
caused many casualties among the
enemy. No Americans are unac
counted for.
Ohio Troops Successful.
Forces in the Lorraine region eX
ecuted the first big American destruc
tive attack, east of Reillon. Fifty
Ohio troops and 60 French sappers
after heavy artillery preparation
charged GOO yards, capturing all oh
jectives.
While the American raiders fur
nished protection, the French sapper!
blew up wire entanglements, obser
walton posts. shelters and caves. TIL
Germans had retired before the at
tackers reached the enemy trenches
The Franco-Americans returned t.
their own trenches after 80 minutes
with casualties of only four wounded
Meanwhile east of Neuvillers an,
before Badonvillers, two detacf
ments, each containing one compan
of French, penetrated the Germa:
lines and destroyed three trenches
They took two Germans prisoner.
Blow Defenses Skyward.
The men in another sector pen,
Grated $50 yards beyond the Germa
1hird lines.
They encountered some intact duj
outs and pillboxes. They shouted Il
the Germans to come out. The latte
replied by firing at the American
Grenades and incendiary bombs hui
ed into the German d~efenses, BILE
them skyward.
When the raiders reached tf
German third line they found the d
molition ven more complete than
the previous two. They cleaned I
the third line, making a thorous
search for military documents al
other bits of information.
". S. Needs Trained Technical Me