The Cordova daily times., 1918-10-16
TANKS HELD LINE AGAINST
 GERMAN FIRE

FRANCE, Sept. 20.-(by mail )-On a certain night in July, just before the Germans had attempted their offensive on Epernay and Chalons, certain American division was crawling along over one of the duty military roads that stretch over the level plains back of Rheims,
 The division was full of enthusiasm from the general in charge of the movement down to the lowest buck private. It had come from Lorraine, where it was well trained in fighting Boches, and everyone figured the divi- 1 sion was going to make an attack l Prospects were good for driving the i Germans out of some important posi- | tions at that time.
 So the division moved eastward by i north. and nobody minded the dust or the weight of the packs The gen eral in charge of the movement be- lieved he was going to attack, until a dispatch rider dashed up The gen erai read the dispatch and ordered . the entire division to stop.
 Then he called heads of units to- gether, and said Wen have to turn right around here, and take the next crossroads for the trenches. We want i to get into position before daylight" | It Was about midnight then. and it's no small job to switch d division around and rush it into the trenches in few hours. But next morning found every man just where he be- longcd
 Suddenly the Americans found them selves ready for a German attack. Next day some Americans captured some Germans and learned that the Hun offensive was to begin next mid night. The Americans and the French artillery were notified and they kept quiet aa could be until quarter to twelve that night. By that time all tn" Germans that could be crowded into front line trench were there. ready To come over at the zero hour.
 Fifteen minutes before the German party was to begin, the Americans and the French artillery cat loose with everything. hcayirs and lights, concentrated on those Crammcd and crowded German front line trenches. The German artillery opened up on the front line trenches of the allies, from which every man had been with
 
 the Germans were massacred the French and Americans lost hardly a man.
 The terrific artillery party contin. ued until daylight Then the remain ing Germans started over the top. They were tired and worn. and little prepared for a fight, after the bar rage they had gone through. Reach ing the allied first line trenches they . found no one. and, taking heart came on, carelessly.
 In the second line trenches were the American boys with the French chassures, ready with machine guns and rifles. The German wave dropped under the whitening fire, and the of ficers tried to revive its spirit Then another wave came and suffered the same fate. It dropped too.
 During the day waves came over and waves stopped before reaching the American position. Oniy once did the Germans get near enough for hand tp hand fighting. The Germans tried tanks. but the American artillery blew them up as they topped the ridge of hills just in front of the trenches. It continued so for three days. One morning the Germans sent seven waves against the Americans one after another None of them broke the iron resistance.
 The Germans concentrated on the American positions, and expected to break through to Chalons.
 The fourth day the Americans at tackled and drove the Germans back to their original trenches, capturing prisoners and guns and tanks some of . the latter being remodeled British tanks the Germans had taken earlier in the summer in Flanders. Having done that, the Americans moved on to make the attack that everyone ex- pected when the general got sudden orders to about face.
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