The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-23

bitter struggle also 10 taking place in
the center of the line The Germans
are holding BantheviIle in strength,
road every available point has been
fortified with machine guns. Thruout
the night the Germans bombarded the
greater part of the American front
and the roads far to the rear.
Improved visibility today resulted
in increased aerial activity.
The American Part.
With the British Armies in France,
Oct. 23.-The story of the part the
Americans played in the recent fight
ing has been obtained by a half days
journey into the wrecked country be-
yond the Hindenburg line.
The battle in which the Americans
ming at 5:20 Thursday morning when.
with the British on either side of
them, they attacked from the st. Soup
let line (south Of LIE Cateau) on a
front of 5000 yards (nearly three
miles) without artillery preparation.
Tanks manned by Americans were i'm
portant factors.
Attacked From Ridge.
The position from which they at
tackled was on a ridge west of La
Selle river. Their objective was the
ridges beyond, including a valley more
than a mile wide. The river was from
six to twenty feet wide and three feet
deep. There were Germans behind
the first ridges. Beyond the river
were new trenches.
A heavy morning fog, Thursday, hid
the German machine guns and also al
most caused the tanks to lose their
way.
The German resistance was bitter.
1t began simultaneously with the at
tack, when they let down a heavy bar
rage that lasted thirty-six hours. II
included gas and was directed at St
| Souplet and the line OF villages on
either side.
Many German Divisions.
| Five German divisions, including
| the famous Third naval. and element.
| of six others, participated in the fight
| ing along the American second corp:
| front, of which the New Workers hao
the left wing and the Carolinas ant
! Tennessee troops thesright.
The first day. the German naval di
vision attacked from the left and an
| other division from the right. Fight
ing continued by moonlight. Whe1
| one battalion established headquarters
Souplet) the major used a tank for al
office.
| Nolan, ST. Martin -Riviere ant
L'Arbre De Guise were captured tn,
| first day in a two mile advance. TIL,
/, river was waded in some places ant
| in others was crossed on bridges bull
| by the engineers.
At O'Clock of the first day, the en-
| gineers engaged in building bridge
for the artillery under shell fire. wer
embarrassed by prisoners who had sur
rendered to the tanks, which ha,
plunged on ahead.
The Second Day.
On the second day. the German
held strongly until the middle of tn
afternoon when they broke and CAV
ground. The British, in the mean
time. had passed LIE Cateau on tn
northward.
The Americans took Ribeauvill
(two miles southeast of St Souplet
and proceeded as far as Mazinghein {,
mile northeast of Ribeauville) whicl
an officer entered by moonlight an,
found unoccupied. He reported back
whereupon a regiment marched in be
hind its commander as tho on parade
This gave the Americans the thir,
ridge.
Heavy German Casualties.
The three days fighting resulted il
heavy German casualties from riff
fire as we'll as from the artillery.
In a period of thirteen days. on1
|, lsix of which were spent in actua
(Continued on Page Two.J,