Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-21
1t, MERLE P. LYON,
EVANGELIST SON
SURVIVES HUN GUNS
Young Man Well Known Here,
Having Visited This City With
His Father in 1916.
HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS

HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS
Surviving the terrific fighting near
Chateau Thicrry IN July. the later battle
at the Nesle. and torpedocd with the
transport Mount Vernon on hls trst
start for home. Lieutenant Merle /.
Ivon is back in America with thrilling Stor-
ics of Hun warfare on land and sea.
Lieutenant Lyon is the son of Rev
Mil ord III Lvon, evangelist, who CON
ductcd reyjvals mt Wilmington some years
ago The son was reporter on the Phila-
delphia North American when he entered
the officers training camp at Fort ogie-
thorpc. where he earned his commission
He went overseas with the Thirty
eighth infantry. which helped hold the
tip of the salient Ut the Marne when the
Germans began their last drive on farlS
Out of his battalion, he Is one OF tour
officers who escaped death or INJURY
Merle Ivon is well known here lie
accompsnied his father on visit OF n week
10 Wilmington in 1916 in the course Of
which he took part III a service at -
Paul's NJ. T. Church, as tenor soloist
making a pleasing impression.
The French christcned the Thirty
eighth Infantry The Rock Of the Marne,
he saws. and are proposing monument
in its honor ut Nezy. near where II mace
its gallant stand
The regiment was in line of the pro-
posed Hun advance when the Prussian
Guards started for Paris. Papers taken
from prisoners revealed the plans oi INC
guards for the first day OF the drive the
second and So on until they were IN Pans
Even the French after they had cN-
ncrienccd the intensity Of tho Hun hom-
81 - tofr q
and were shuddering about the end 81
Paris.
But the americans never hudCCd The
soldiers OF the Tmrty-eighth were IN
trenchcd short distance from the south
hank of the Marine Between their
trenches and the river was an open space
which the Prlissan Guards had 10 cross
Again and again the PruSsan~ crossed
the river and tried 10 drive the NankecN
from their position For three days thr
Americans held until the French could
reform their scattered units and cstah-
lish counter artillery harragc
The Rock al the NIamc' had won rs
name. and the French. with their capitol
safe. rejoined the Americans IN coun-
ter-attack. The 1hlrty-Cighth charged
across the same open space which The
Germans could not take The Amcri-
cans crossed the Marnc On pontoonS
drove the Huns from the ncight on Inc
north bank. and then rested.
While other divisions took up the coun-
ter-attacA here and pressed on 10 the
Ourcq. tho Thirty-ciChth was scnt back
for rest and requirements few days
later the regiment was ordered forward
again.
at took u< three days, marching day
and night to catch MP with the fleeing
Germans this time" says Lieutenant
INon. The enemy had attempted q
stand II The Ourcq and were driven or
They had reached the Ncsic when y"
caught up with them.
Straightway the Thrty-elGhth Joined
in the attack which eventually broke
the German grip on the NeSlc river.
Finally. the regiment was withdrawn
and sent 10 another sector
IN killed or wounded II h3d lost 10
pcr cent Of its original men Il had cap
turcd TOO German prisoners and cnor-
nous quantities Of war material he
recimental commander was awarded the
French war cross. and the entire third
division. 10 which il belonged was cited
for gallaI.try
shortly after thf attack on the eSlc.
Lieutenant Lyon was ordered home 20
Join one Of the new divisions IN tram
ing camp He left France on the trans
porf Mount Vernon
attacked By sum thI<E
We were nearly ali in the dluIncruoIn
Al breakfast " he relates when We heard
one Of our guns fired Before we could
count five the submarines torpedo struc X
the transport anldshlps.
''The crash hurled the dishes from the
table to the floor We all hurried TO rhe
deck with life preservers, but there was
no confusion Prompt action by the
ships officers closed the bulkheads about
the torpedoed section OF the ship and We
were able to return TO port under our own
steam.
The submarine was sighted midway
between our transport and another of the
convoy. and the first shot We heard was
from one Of our own guns. But the I
boats torpedo was already on the way,
and the Hun submerged Immediately.
There were too many destroyers about
for it TO risk another shot.
Returning on another transport, Lieu
tenant Lyon Is now awaiting assignment
10 an army camp He has been advanced
from second to FIRST lieutenant since hls
arrival. and is now at Camp DIX
july 15," he says, referring TO the date
the Americans helped stop the crown
princes army al the Marine, will prove
to be the turning point OF the war, ou
can feel the change IN France. On the
transport coming over, returning officers
eagerly awaited the news that the Amer
can offensive at St Mihiel had begun
When the news came, we knew that the
bows back there were carrying on what
thev had begun at the Marne
And they will be in Metz before long