Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-06-07


fresh troops arrived swiftly and with
out confusion, largely by motortruck
trains, and got into the fight immedi-
ately on reaching the front. Foch was
compelled to keep in mind the fact that
more than 100000 German soldiers
are facing him and that vast numbers
are still threatening Amiens and Ar
ras, and consequently he could not
make his line everywhere as thick as
he would like to have 1t. But his plans
for quick shifting of troops are adj
mirable. The German soldiers, 1t has
been learned from various sources,
were keyed up to the present effort by
promises of the prompt capture of
Paris and a consequent German peace.
That these promises cannot be full
filed there need not be the least doubt.
The morale and valor and determine
ton of the French and British were
never greater than now, and the ever
increasing numbers of the dashing
American soldiers give them renewed
confidence.
The Americans in Picardy undertook
their first real offensive on Tuesday,
and acquitted themselves gloriously.
Attacking on a front of one and a
quarter miles west of Montdidier, in
less than an hour they had smashed
the German lines, captured the village
of Cantigny, taken several hundred
prisoners and inflicted heavy losses In
killed and wounded on the enemy. The
entire attack, including the waves of
barrage fire, was carried out with per-
feet smoothness. Twelve tanks led the
way, and Pershing's men followed them
with the cry "Go to 1t, Yanks." When
they reached Cantigny they found
the village mainly ruined houses, with
the German garrison hidden in caves
and dugouts. These refugees were
speedily cleaned out with grenades,
and all the Germans there were either
killed or captured. A ridge beyond
the village was the real military OBJ
~jective, and this our troops soon gained.
and prepared to hold it, despite the
fierce fire from the enemy. And hold
1t they did throughout the week,
against repeated counter-attacks.
This operation was not extensive,
but as one British officer jubilantly re-
marked, it was not the size that count
ed so much as the splendid way in
which the Americans showed the Ger
mans their mettle.
In the Luneville sector the Huns
made a heavy attack on the American
line Wednesday, but were driven back
with considerable loss. The American
casualties were few and not q prisoner
was taken by the enemy, though that
was their main object. That night
there was great artillery activity all
along the front northwest of Toul, and
on Thursday many aerial battles were
fought there.
In Flanders the Germans made one
Voormezeele and Locre, but after gain
ing a small bit of ground they were
driven back with sever losses.
Ia
A characteristic bit of German bru-
tality was the deliberate bombing of
American hospitals in a town many
miles from the front. One nurse was
killed and a number of wounded were
injured. The Hun aviators also made
several attempts to raid Paris, but the
air defenses of the French capital are
now so admirable that the raiders
were easily driven off. American avia-
tors are now helping to defend Paris.
Ia
The italians apparently grew tired
of waiting for q renewal of the Aus
trian offensive and took matters into
their own hands. In two dashing OPP
erations they captured important
mountain positions in the Tonale re-
and guns. and cut a big gap through
the Austrian d~efenses on the lower
Piave front at Capo Sile. The first of
these battles was fought on ground
1,200 feet above the sea and amid gla-
ciers and melting SHOWS.
IA
Sweden, it was announced, has
signed a commercial and navigation
agreement with Great Britain and her
allies. A similar agreement between
Denmark and America has so angered
Germany that the Danes have been
served with an ultimatum that it must
be Cancelled.
The swapping of the Hun submarine
by American shipbuilders goes ahead
merrily and no longer is there any
doubt Of the ultimate failure Of the
---- -