The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-02
j, s, men WIN
FIRST VICTORY
ON BELGIAN SOIL.
Americans Capture Town of
VoormezeeIe and Other
Strong Positions.
YANkS ADVANCE TWO MILES
Army Which Captured Juvigny Gains
More Ground and Takes 600 Pris-
oners and Considerable Amount
of War 3uppIies.


With the British Army in Flanders,
Sept. 2.-For the first time American
troops fought on Belgian soil Sunday
They captured Voormezeele and were
engaged in the operations elsewhere
in the same locality.
Make New Gains.
London, Sept. 2.-Reuter's CORE
spondent at British headquarters says
he hears that the Americans, besides
taking Voormezeele, have captured
several strong positions between Voor-
mezeele and Ypres.
Capture 600 Prisoners.
With the American Army in France,
Sept. 2.-Again the German defenses
north of scissors have been cracked
by the Americans who have made Sc
care their new positions near Terny-
Sorry and on line along the Bethune-
scissors road.
The American troops in their drive
beyond Juvigny advanced about two
miles and captured nearly 600 prison
ers, together with considerable war
supplies.
The advance from Juvigny began at
four o'clock Saturday, and the Amer
leans had gained their objective by
nine o'clock at night. Ragged points
in the new line were smoothed out.
In addition to the 600 prisoners, two
pieces of artillery were captured and
great number of machine guns and
trench mortars. Trenches, shell holes,
and the open field were strewn with
German dead.
Cannon Blast Way.
The drive forward from the positions
north and south OF Juvigny proved a
field day for the Americans and their
allies, the French. The artillery liter
ally blasted a way through the enemy
ranks, tearing down defenses and lev
cling the ground while allied planes
maintained complete and uninterrupt-
ed connection by radio with battery
commanders throughout the engage
ment. The infantry. when called upon
for its part in the dramatic venture,
responded like veteran troops after 4
long period Of rest, and with enthusi-
astic shouts began the pursuit IF the
Germans who were not caught in the
terrific barrage.
With the infantry went the tanks,
and it was a different story than when
they first advanced against Juvignys
Two companies, 80 tanks, had been de-
tailed for the work.
They were light, two-man French
tanks, capable Of q speed over rough
ground Of ten or fifteen miles an hour
and almost as easily handled as an au-
tomobile. Their work was performed
admirably and full advantage was TAX
en- by the advancing troops.
Leap to Task.
When the order for the advance was
given the Americans leaped out Of
their positions, plunging forward to-
ward the points that had been indicat-
ed. From out of concealed positions
moved the tanks along paths leading to
machine gun nests. North Of Juvigny
there was a hill on which the Germans
had concentrated a strong machine
gun force, but there was little to do
there when the infantry arrived; the
positions had actually been obliterated
in some cases.
There was no organized resistance
on a big scale; it was case Of mop
ping up rather than an extended dis
trict. The Germans who were still
left in the area were detached forces,
many Of them in caves. some in SEC
tons OF the ancient network Of
trenches and some behind fallen ma
sOnry Of the ruined farAhouseS and
villages But many of those fought
perhaps because they failed to under
stand they were so completely de-
tached.
Terny-Sorny was reached by the
Americans without a struggle, but
practically every other position be-
tween the American line Of departure
and the objective was yielded only be-
cause the Germans were unable to re-
tain it.