Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-29
GERMANS MAKING
METZ A BARRIER

Continued From First Page1
occupied and an invasion of the Ger
man empire itself.
With an elaborately strong trench
system, with rows of barbed wire
and even electrified wire, the enemy
has been working feverishly during
the past few weeks to make Metz
invulnerable. The system has been
laid out, roughly. between Pont-a-
Mousson. Avricourt and the river
Sellle' with a parallel front from
Cheminot to Vic.
Won Hindenburg Cries "Hold Fast"
According to a captured document
now in the hands of the Americans,
word has been sent to the German
troops by Field Marshal Won Hinden-
burg. chief of the general staff to
hold fast. Hold fast, an armistice
has not yet been concluded" is the
burden of Won Hindenburg's mes
sage. The appeal reads:
German soldiers, be vigilant! The
word armistice' is current in the
trenches and camps. but we have not
yet reached that point. To some the
word represents n certainty; to 9TH
erS 1t is even a synonym of the peace
so long desired. They believe that
events no longer depend upon them
Their vigilance is relaxeds their
courage and their endurance, as
we'll as their spirit of defiance toward
the enemy are diminished.
I'VE have not yet reached our
aim. The armistice has not been
concluded. The war is still on-the
same war as ever.
Now, more than ever. you must
be vigilant and hold fast. You are
upon the enemy's soil and on the
soil of Alsace-Lorraine. the bulwark
of our country. In this grave hour,
the Fatherland relies on you for its
prosperity and for its safety"
Reserve Zone i'll Lorraine
The Germans have created a great
reserve zone in Lorraine, through
which civilians, unless they have au-
thorization, may not pass. They also
have transformed a part of Alsace
into a great entrenched camp, in
which carefully planned defensive
positions will make up for their lack
of human material.
Their anxiety was shown in the
following declaration printed by the
Frankfort Gazette in a recent issue:
The situation has become notice
ably difficult. 1t is most tense on
our left wing from the strategic as
well as the tactical point of view.
one must regard with all seriousness
the increasing gravity of the situa-
ton in the region of Nouziers, be-
cause the Entente has succeeded in
obtaining considerable advantages
in the center between the Scheldt
and the Cambria Canal in their
formidable attempts to pierce our
line"
There was intense activity along
the entire front late yesterday.
In retaliation for the firing by the
American long-range guns upon
vital German lines of communica-
ton in the rear, the Germans yester-
day shelled Verdun and places in
that region with a sun of large cal
iber.
The Bois De Belleu again is in
the hands of the Americans. Fierce
fighting has continued east of the
Meuse, where the Germans are cling
ing desperately to Hill $50 southwest
of Crepion, using machine guns and
artillery lavishly. The hill COM
mands the entire district.
The Americans have extended
their positions in the southern end
of the Bois De Bourgogne. better
ing their line to the east. The Belle
Joyeuse farm is No Mans Land.
Clcry lie Grand Clear of Enemy
Night patrols reported early yes
terday Clery lie Grand had been
cleared of the Germans.
Aerial photographs taken within |
the last few days indicate that the |
Germans are not devoting much |
labor to organizing their front-line |
or forward positions, leading to the |
belief that they possibly will fall |
back upon as yet unidentified posi- |
tons in the rear if they are COM
PEELED to do so.
The enemy probably intends to |
defend his positions chiefly by TAX
ing advantage of the natural fea-
lures of the terrain, just as he has
done at all points on this front since
he was driven past the Volker line /
September 26.
Lieutenant Wilbur T. White, of /
New York, in trying to aid his
American comrade during a fight |
With German pilot, crashed head
on into the German machine. The |
collision was so severe and the fight |.
was SO intense that each of the col |
iding aircraft lost a wing and fell
'Niihu lllS ItIIldH lines III Ine
of Dun-sur- Meuse.
Lieutenant White was one OF |,
-wenty-four pursuit aviators on a |,
aid over the German lines when six |,
Germans were brought down. One
If the enemy was directly on the tail
IF another American when White
vent to his rescue. The American
plane struck the German machine
ull on before either could swerve.
Captain Edward Rickenbacker, of
he American flying forces, has re-
,eived confirmation of his second VIC
ory over German airplanes in the
intensive fighting of Sunday This
makes Rickenbacker's total of enemy
machines disposed of twenty-five.
In Sundays fighting Rickenbacker
lad two encounters with German
Tiers, but refused to claim a victory
n the first. Other aviators and OBJ
servers, in completing their reports
o-day, however, showed that Rick
'nbacker had sent down two of the
,nemy, the first machine landing in
ide the German lines.
Washington. Oct. 2s.-Continued
Iviation activity on the front of the
FIRST American Army in spite of bad
Weather was reported by General
'ershing to-day in second com
nuniqus for Monday. Three enemy
lirplanes and an observation balloon
we're shot down, and all the American
~ i