New-York tribune., 1918-08-18

official report. Here is tank with
the cavalry showing in the back
ground.
British Official Photo)
probably the so-called mosquito"
details of which are not available
as yet.
How Tanks Worked !
In Last Ofensives
When the Germans, on July Is
last, launched their ambitious often
sive between Chateau Thierry and
the Argonne foothills they had every
hope and expectation of splitting up
the French army, seizing Rheims,
Chalons and Epernay and rolling on
toward Paris with a Teuton peace
as reward. But they did not figure
on the growing strength of the
American army in France; nor did
they know what was going on in the
forest to their right.
Several days before the Germans
opened up their so-called peace
storm" the French, anticipating the
move, prepared a counter offensive
under the natural camoufage of the
forest of Villers Cotteret. 1t is said
that numerous tanks were brought
up during a thunderstorm, SO that
the Germans failed to hear the
clanking belts of the chugging mon
sters. The French tank crews had al
ready had ample experience in coop
Grating with infantry during the nu-
merous local attacks of the French
during the past month, which were
largely of the nature Of dress re-
hearsals, SO to speak, and a system
of liaison had been perfected pre-
Guiding the erstwhile blunder of let
ting the infantry get ahead of the
tanks, or the tanks ahead of the in
fantry. For the success of tank
attack depends absolutely on the
operation Of tanks and infantry as
unit.
The story Of the Marine counter
offensive is old now. Suffice it to
say that General Mangin, without
the usual artillery preparation, was
able to send his troops and tanks
against the German flank behind a
laundering rolling barrage. The
Germans were taken by surprise,
and before they recovered it was too
late. AS result they had to retire
to the Vesle, with heavy sacrifices
in prisoners and booty.
Right on the heels of the Marine
disaster has come the present often
sive of the British and French, with
some American aid, in front of
Amlens and astride the Somme
Again the tank has been employed
in large numbers to take the place
of the preliminary artillery bonn
bardment. Behind fleets of tanks
the British have gone into battle
taking the Germans by surprise.
Marne and Somme
Are Tank Victories
Both the Marine and Somme of
fensives, with their results in the
form of 10000 prisoners, 1900 guns
and 10000 machine guns, have beer
tank victories. 1t is safe to say that
they could not have been won with
out tanks, for the Germans woulc
then not have been caught off thei,
guard.
The new tank tactics are interest
ing from many angles. First of all
the tanks take the place of the usua
artillery preparation intended tt
J clear the way through the barbec
: wire entanglements and to accoun
| for the enemy machine gun nest
while the attack is under way. Th
enemy front line is rushed befor,
many of the tanks can be hit b,
anti-tank cannon or other artillery
Then, as the infantry continues t
advance the tanks, particularly tn
larger male" model equipped witt
cannon, act as mobile artillery an,
solve that great problem of support
ing advancing lines with guns. Nol
= Hutier, the German general who de
4 vised the method of attack whic
: enabled the Huns to overrun prea
e areas of Allied territory during thi
years drives, makes use of specia
(. highly-mobile trench mortars, o
(, mnemwerjer, for supporting his ad