Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-10-11
AMERICAN PATROL WORK
Constantly at il and Often obta'"
Surprising Results.

a quiet sector" said an Object "
an American division holding posi-
,ion so designated appears 10 he
part OF the front where nothing ou'
scouting. patrollins. sh"lllns anu
eassing are going on. with niue
tnuldnp and flame throwing 10 vary
the monotony.
In a quiet" sector IN. American
soldier gets his first experience VI
war. Some Of the relatively sii'ai'
things in this war look so big 10 the
new man that nc is inclined 10 'aA'
them for bigger ones" said an Anier-
ican general land it is important 'o'
both the new soldier and IN" young
officer TO get familiar with the ht'ic
sri.btfulnesscs the Germans send over
so as TO get the proper proportion oe-
tween them and real attacks
Patrols arc large contributors 10
the war diary OF the division IN inns
aac,or and the American soldier Is
PARTICULARLY apt at it. IL Is no secret
for the Germans that he ~ always III
II and that he is ventur"Somc enough
70 push into their lines and INTO thc
villages back OF them. TIL" Germans
And their wire cut in most unexpected
nlaccs. even live wire in som" cases.
4 patrol caught at this dangerous
work found itself in the range OF ma
chine guns and had 10 roll back undcr
the wipe and across No Mans Lana
with bullets whistling over ther
heads. Another patrol pushing INTO
!, German commanding post ana
finding il vacant dragged an officers
trunk back over the shell holes TO
their own trenches.
The patrol is expected TO do noth-
ing more than bring in information
The orders are to avoid contact with
the enemy. but patrols often meet
and occasionally are Obliged to fight.
One man of an American patrol.
separated from his comrades ana
captured by the enemy, had gained
some interesting information that ne
determined to take back II ne could
His rifle had been taken from MIN nut
he had managed to conceal coupe
of grenades. Slyly removing the cap
from one OF them as he was being led
across No Mans Land. he struck II
against the other. let it drop, then
sprinted back to safety.
Indian troops arc rendering great
service in this work. getting over the
yround between the lines without
seeming to touch thing that pro-
duccs noise. and bringing back most
useful information.
Men in observation posts and cap
tive balloons furnish detailed infor-
nation Of everything they sec going
on back of the enemy's lines. FROM
their reports the war diary registers
n daily count OF the number or trains
and the number OF cars in each train
seen on the lines OF communication.
count is also kept OF columns OF
smoke with the hours and minutes
when they are observed.
Working parties are counted and
the direction OF their movements not
I'd. sometimes leading to the discor-
cry Of new emplacements for heavy
artillery An aerial photograph
showed recently where battery
found in this way had been completely
destroyed by our fire.
The men out scouting or on patrol
in the listening posts or observation
balloons quickly sharpen their facul-
ties of observation, get a better grasp
of the significance Of little things and
their relation to the big ones. Their
sense Of proportion develops and they
are no longer to be misled as to the
scope of the enemy's harassing opcr-
ations.