Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-24

Special Cable to Euening Public Ledger
Copyright. 1918. by Netc York Times Co.
War Correspondents Headquarters on
the Western Front, July "a.
Between the Marne and the Aisne
the enemy is fighting desperately, and
the French and American troops are
forcing in the sides of the salient and
crushing him into its narrowing space.
British troops slipped quietly away
from their own front just before Foch
was ready to deliver his counter.blow.
They are men who have fought in
many great battles and won the
highest honors of war. 1t is too soon
yet to name them, for the enemy de-
sires to know whom he has against
him, but these English and Scottish
battalions have already shattered
many prisoners.
| saw some of them just before
they left this front ! saw them march
ing and maneuvering like fine and
gallant men. | saw Scottish boys in
their camps and billets and tramping
down along roads between bronzing
wheat fields with pipers leading them,
as | passed their brothers the other
day near Meteren. and their officers
told me that the lads would make
good soldiers in attack. There was no
need to be told, because they had the
look of it.
Three days ago they went into bat
70 in
that rugged country below Rheims
and these boys have beaten back the
strongest German troops.
Hard Task for Britons
They had a hard task. English and
Scottish battalions were ordered to
attack on the eastern side Of the
salient below Rheims. where the
enemy had massed strong concen-
tration of men and guns for a break
through to Epernay. and where al
the time he was expecting French
| counter-attacks. The Germans there
were ON high ground on each side oi
the valley Of the Ardre. very rugged
and wild, so that they were in strong
defensive positions in dense woods ir
full foliage.
Rheims Wood north of the river
and Coulton Wood and Kings Wood
south of the river, screened their move
ments and their guns to the south
west of Rheims. They had strong gar,
risons we'll forward in the towns o.
Marfaux, Bouilly, and St. Euphrasit
and other villages, behind.
After several hours of lombard
ment of the German positions, the
English battalions advanced on th'
enemy They were handicapped b,
complete ignorance of the ground. ex
cept by a hurried study of the maps
but the officers led them toward thei
objects, and they went forward will
short sharp rushes, with good disci
pline and high courage.
South of the River Ardre, the Scot
tish troops were rapid in their ad
vance and swept around Courltol
Wood and made a number of prison
ers. North of the river, the Englisi
battalions advanced along the Rheims
Wood to the small town of Marfaux
where they found themselves faced b!
heavy forces Of Germans. They storm
ed the place with repeated efforts t.
capture it, in spite of a very murder
Gus gunfire. which was flung over b.
| German batteries of field guns ant
! heavies.
| Recover French Guns
They were unable to take the towr
that day--the 20th-thoueh they in
! flicted an immense number Of casualtiel
upon the defending troops and tool
| prisoners from three German divisions
The German staff moved up reserves
with orders to hold Marfaux at all costs
and one division was from the fresh re
serves of the Crown Prince. Neverthe
less, on the following day the British
gradually broke the resistance Of tn
enemy and took the villages Of l.,
Nappe and Bouiny, with considerable
booty in machine guns They also re
covered twelve 75s which the enemy hat
captured in May last.
That day the British reached King
Wood, and since then they have pushed
forward slowly but steadily agains
tstrong and stubborn defenders and unde
severe FIRE The prisoners they took OF
the hrst days Of their fighting were en-
tirely ignorant Of the French counter
offensive on the west OF their salient
forty miles or so away.
There was heavy rain yesterday Il
the north Of rraacq. knd eaeh drop ef I
VIII Alter littlo, r. =. ~ 1iotory q