The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-25
U. s. CANNON
BLAST LINES
OF GERMANS
ABOUT T0UL
Enemy Airplane Drops
Bombs of Mustard Gas
Near Battery but No Amer
leans Killed.
SOLDIERS DECORATED

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, March "a. .(By the Associat-
ed Press.-American artillery on the
Toul sector today continued to shell
effectively enemy Arst line and COM
munication trenches, the town OF ST..
Bassant, and billets and dumps north
of Boqueteau. Many Of the American
shells have fallen in the German
trenches and the first two lines In at
least one place were abandoned.
One American patrol freely inspec-
ted this point in the enemy line with
out molestation last night and this
morning and remained there several
hours. There have been no contacts
between the infantry during the last
"a hours.
Germans 6ombard Town.
For the third successive day, Ger
man artillery today bombarded heav-
lily with gas shells a certain town
within the American lines. Today's
bombardment was made In two peri
DDS, each half-hour in length. Many
gas shells and a few high-explosive
shells fell on the American positions.
An enemy airplane early this morn
ing cut of its engines at great
height over the American lines north
west Of Toul and planed down.
When close to the ground, it drop
ped a quantity of bombs. Some were
OF a new variety which explode in
midair with a blush red flash and
give off a cloud Of mustard gas. Be
ing heavier than the air, this gas
quickly descended toward some OF our
battery positions and a road.
After the machine disappeared the
German gas shell bombardment began.
Another enemy airplaine lowered over
the town while the bombardment with
gas shells was in progress.
On the Toul front there was consider
able artillery activity during the
night. American guns heavily shelled
the German front line positions. En-
emy batteries replied, using many gas
shells. Later photographs were taken
from airplanes of the damage inflicted
by the Americans.
The weather was especially suitable
today for aerial work and the Ger.
mans took advantage of it. On one
portion OF the sector fourteen enemy
airplanes crossed between noon and
6 o'clock In the evening. while four
friendly ones were over the American
lines In the same period. One group
of seven enemy machines apparently
on a bombing expedition, was discov-
cred at midnight and driven off by the
rapid fire Of American anti-aircraft
guns.
Receives Medal
Lieutenant II. r. Davies, the United
States army medical reserve. who Is
serving with the British army. has
been awarded the distinguished SER
vice cross. one of the four new Ameri-
can decorations for bravery.
Lieutenant Davies on January en-
tered a dugout under continuous shell
fire and remained there attending the
occupants after 1t had been blown in.
He performed an amputation operation
and save the life of British soldier
He received the first medal conferred
on any American serving with the
British forces.
Spike Cross on conln
The French commander Of division
with which American troops are being
trained, today awarded the cross Of
war To an American infantryman who
two nights ago gave his life rather
than abandon HIS post Of duty. The
fore burial.
Two infantrymen entered an aban-
doned trench TO establish snipers'
post, when they observed several Ger
mans in the wire before the American
trenches. Other Germans arrived.
There began an exchange of rifle. fire
which resulted in barage from both
sides. At the end OF an hour the en-
emy gave up his attempts to enter the
American lines and withdrew.
Then II was discovered that one Of
the two Americans had been killed, |
There was plenty Of cover within a
few yards, but ne remained at his post !
throughout the artillery battle.
The distinguished service cross has
been awarded to Corporal Charles H.
Burke, infantry. His citation reads:
Severely wounded while patrolling. |
He refused to leave his platoon COM
mander, who also was severely wound.
ed. He stayed at his side during an
Intense bombardment and insisted on
driving of an enemy patrol"
s1,1so, ,ooo, 900 MEASURE is