The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-17
(By Associated Press.)


tism of fire on the fighting fields OF
France and acquitted itself so we'll
that the French commander Of the sec
tor has cited the whole regiment as
worthy of receiving the war cross.
This regiments repulse of the enemy
attack on the early morning OF June
II POSSIBLY at Belleau Wood or Rour-
esches) was briefly referred to in the
official communique.
| A later and official report of the en-
gagement brings out interesting de-
tails and gives credit to the officers
and men for fine fighting qualities
displayed in their initial experience
under shell and machine gun fire. The
/ French commander of that sector has
given the regiment the highest posi-
BILE commentator for the results ac-
complished and the splendid fighting
spirit shown by the American negroes.
| For several days preceding the at
| tack there were evidences that the
enemy was preparing to strike blow.
Two days before one OF the main
points held by the regiment had been
subjected to a strong bombardment of
nearly 100 shells, gas and shrapnel.
Prior to the heavy enemy artillery bar
rage occurring on the morning of the
18th, our advance groups heard move
ments apparently of narrow-guage
| track trains in the wood back Of the
enemy lines, indicating they were get
! ting ready for an attack.
Prepared for Move.
Every preparation had been made
| for meeting the move if 1t came. Be-
| sdes the usual combat groups at the
main points Of the line, a special ma
| chine gun section occupied a specially
chosen position on small salient pro-
| jecting into the enemy line. 1t was
| accompanied by combat group de-
| tailed from reserve company and car
rying rifles and hand grenades.
1t was 2:15 on the morning of the
| 18th that the order to stand to" was
given and all combat groups and the
, machine-gun section took their fight
| ing position. The enemy artillery
now opened a violent bombardment
engaging in box barrage" five of
our main groups and the special ma
chine gun position. The lines of this
| box barrage are we'll defined on the
ground, showing its outer circuit, with
| considerable scattering hits inside
some 155s, gas, shrapnel and high ex-
plosives. One of our points received
! particular attention, probably by mi
| nenwerfer the craters of which were
| two yards in depth and five yards in
diameter. The artillery bombardment
| was extremely violent at the start
and tapered off gradually until it
| stopped after thirty minutes.
Meantime under cover Of the ar
tillery, the enemy infantry began it's
operations, adopting the infiltering
process by which detached groups are
thrust forward at a number of points
| instead Of moving in mass formation.
One group came on with two lige ma
chine guns. firing a rather intense fire
into on of our positions. Another
group was estimated to be about 25 or
80 At another point on our front
a stationary enemy patrol took po-
sition, firing with two small machine
guns. Now and then squads would
dart forward from their gun positions
Eight Germans got up to the wire in
front Of one of our positions, and
four others approached at another
point. Besides these assault groups
which reached our line, there were
undoubtedly additional enemy forces
in assaulting columns and supporting
columns which were unable to enter
the field
Met Situation coolly.
The special machine-gun group I'M
der command of Lieutenant L. E.
Shaw was In one Of the most exposed
centers of the fighting, being under
terrific artillery fire and the fire of
two German machine guns. Lieuten-
ant Shaw handled this very difficult
situation with cool bravery. The en-
envy barrage was so close that it was
impossible to stand up and Lieuten-
ant Shaw controlled his guns by roll
ing from one to the other. His two
guns fired five thousand rounds.
Under this violent onslaught the
men stuck to their poses, carried out
every order without hesitation. often
under CALLING fire, and showed a high
degree of skill with their weapons and
GOODNESS and courage. Each machine
gun damned three times, was partly
disassembled and cleaned under fire,
continuing in action throughout the
engagement.
One team fired fourteen clips when
the gun TANNED. Reporting this to
Lieutenant Shaw they were ordered
to clear the jam. While under intense
fire Of artillery and machine guns they
coolly dismounted the gun, remounted
it and continued firing until ordered
to cease. The fire of this machine
gun section was doubtless wholly I'M
expected by the enemy, and this fact
coupled with the effective fire laid
down was chiefly instrumental in
causing the withdrawal of the enemy.
Show individaul Courage.
There were instances of individual
bravery during the action. Private
Howard Gaillard with small rapid
fire piece was unable from his position
to get good fire to bear upon the ad-
vancing enemy groups, so he coolly
and with entire disregard of danger,
mounted the parapet, and while enemy
bullets were flying around him, fired
his rapid-fire piece from the hip, first
at one group and then at the other.
Privates Smithfield Jones and George
Woods are especially mentioned for
their GOODNESS in the face ofvi client
Smelling when they dismounted the
machine guns and then reassembled
them and continued firing until the
close of the action. Lieutenant R. C.
Crane was in command of the group
which received the brunt of the enemy
|