South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-22
international News Service

International News service
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
/. IN FRANCE. April 21.-G p. m)-
The all day fight on Saturday be-
tween American and French soldiers
and 1900 German storming troops
on the sector northwest OF Toul viii
go down in history as the battle Of
/ Seicheprey.
CSeicheprey is the name OF the
village into which the Germans
forced their way only 10 be driven
out by strong counter attacks The
I French war Office in its report on
Sunday night stated that the GER
man assault against the American
and French positions had failed and
+ that the allied lines had been COM
/ pletelv reesta blished)
/ The bonn bardment which preceded
/ the German attack was said 10 be
as heavy as any that the Germans
/ laid down in their offensive at Yer
Idun. A terrific barrage of gas shells
swept the American lines before the
Germans drove forward in three
/ columns.
The main attack was aimed at
I Seicheprey village American in
fantrymen supported by machine
guns. met the foe in the streets and
narrow byways and pursued them
/ into the wrecked houses.
Civilians Gone Long Ago.
The village had long ago been
/ evacuated by the civil population
owing 10 repeated bombardments.
/ The dings-resembling a shat
/ tered epulchre-furnished a dram
attic background for the engage
ment.
There were numerous Instances Of
extraordinary gallantry on the part
Of the Americans. An infantry of
fcer nicknamed Machine Gun"
/ fought with his pistol alongside of
his men. Another after emptying
his automOtic grabbed a rife from
A wounded private and stood in the
open firing at the Germens. Then
he began throwing grenades at them.
other officers showed equal
/ bravery.
Three Americans in charge of
machine gun at another point i'm
4 the battle kept their post. although
they had been ordered to retire,
owing to their hazardous position.
They attacked Two German air
planes and kept firing until both
were downed The air planes were
flying low i'm an attempt to destroy
battery positions.
\ German Trick.
When the Americans retook the
village after hours of hard fighting
they found the Germans had ar
ranged mine traps, stringing wires
across the streets Anyone who
stumbled over the wires set off large
boxes of explosives. A wounded
German was found i'm an alley
groaning and calling "kamerad." ="
When the Americans approached he
pulled a wire which exploded
number Of grenades.
The wounded German was taken
to a hospital where he later died
Two or three mortally wounded
Germans were captured.
Couriers We're compelled 10 make
their way through a triple barrage.
one reached headquarters i'm hys-
terical condition and gasped:
I'm not yellow, am I? You
don't think I'm a gutter because I
act this way? l. is my first tight
you know. Did ] deliver my mes
sage all right? That's good"
Then ne swooned
Praise Mems Bravery
The bravery Of the men manning
the machine guns and artillery was
praised by their superior officers
Although the smells were raining
all about them, the men remained
cool and methodically loaded and
fired their pieces. They were with
out food nor rest, but that mattered
not TO them
The fearlessnesS OF the American
ambulance drivers was one Of the
high lights Of the battle one
young American driver who had
served as d volunteer in the French
army said: The Ombardment in
Saturdays fight was as bad as an
thing I ever heard at Nerdun The
thing that thrilled me was the way
the Americans drove their am
balances right amidst the hghting 20
get the wounded back They took
awful chances. The fortitude and
stoicism OF the American wounded
was wonderful. They may have
moaned slightly. but there was not
one word Of complaint as We hustled
them 20 the hospital. The only
thing one noticed was the way they
gripped the sides Of their litter now
and then.
Kept Wire Repaired.
Il made a dOZer trips over a road
that the enemy shelled steadily all
2 day and 7 though that every trip
would be nay last Shells burst just
. ahead Of my car several times.
: cannot say too nj UGH for those in
. charge Of the signal men. Com
! munication was cut time and again.