The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-22

cession the army could make to the
men. Leave had to be stopped for a
considerable period on account of the
railway transport conditions in Febru-
airy and March, and at that time many
army commanders urgently desired it to
be resumed
While the commanders were doing
their utmost to keep these secrets, the
love of talking and boastfDg that Is
Unborn in Germans betrayed to the
world and to our enemies things of the
greatest weight and significance.
SMASHED BY AMERICANS
We were attacked early on July Is.
Our crossing of thsS Marine was re-
markable achievement, which succeed
ed although the enemy were fully
prepared for it,
Marine on the whole front of that river,
they only made good their possession
of the vital hills to the south of 1t
on the French half of the defense. AM
orleans of the 3rd division, east of
Chateau Thierry had been held back
from the river during an eight-hour
bombardment and then their thin front
line was driven back in the assault.
On their right the French gave way
badly and the Americans were told by
the French army group commander to
retire and keep the line. Here the
American general sent the famous mes
sage that our flag had never been driven
back, that it was 'intolerable" and:
1--WE are going to counter attack" The
American attack pushed the enemy
back on the river with huge losses.
Our forces thus planted themselves on
the rear of the Germans across the
Marine further east How he ordered
the retreat of these forces next day
and how they were unable to obey be-
cause of the rain of fire on their bridges
much of it from the American artillery
and airplanes, is explained by Luden-
| dorff later.)
| The 18th army. between the Marine and
| the Ardre southwest Of Rbeims) also
penetrated the most obstinately de-
Tended positions. The Italian divi-
sions stationed there suffered particu-
| larly.
| About five kilometres south of the
| Marine the attacking troops came upon
an enemy free SO strong that 1t could
| only be overcome by bringing a large
| number of batteries over the river, and
so the attack at this point came to
standstill. On the 18th by hard fight
| ing we slowly gained ground up the
| Marine and towards the Ardre.
STOPPED DEAD BY GOURAUD
According to plan, the enemy had
withdrawn in front of the LIST and 3rd
armies, to their second position, and
held us firmly all along the line. (Gen.
! Gouraud, learning from German pris-
oners of the play OF attack, silently
withdrew his army on the whole line
east Of Rheims, leaving only machine
| gun parties in bomb proof shelters The
| German bombardment and barage fell
| on the abandoned trenches and when
| the enemy troops advanced they were
| met by a hurricane. of fire from the
machine gun nests and Gouraud's ar
| tillery.)
| BY noon Of the sixteenth the G. H. Q.
| had given orders for the suspension OF
the offensive of the LIST and 3rd armies,
and for their organization for defense
| by withdrawing certain divisions for
! this purpose. A continuation of the Of
| fensive would have cost us too much.
| We had to content ourselves with the
| Improvement in our position. brought
/ about by ragaining possession of the
/ heights we had lost in the spring of
i 1917 and we had even secured deep
| forward zone. The troops that had been
withdrawn were at tht disposal of the
| group of the German Criwn Prince. or
| G. II. G. as reserves. I considered it of
/! the greatest Importance. that they
| should be available as soon as possible.
/ Once the difficult decision to sus
/ pend the offensive of the lst and Bird
armies had been taken, it was useless
| to attempt to. advance further across
4
| the southern bank.
| 1t seemed out of the question to with
draw the troops Immediately. as the
| few bridges were under incessant ar
tillery fire; and were constantly bomb
ed or machine gunned by enemy planes.
| We had to make arrangements for
| crossing before the retreat could even
begin. On the 18th the retreat was
! fixed for the night between the goth
and 21st. The troops on the Marine had
| lived through days of severe trial and
behaved like heroes.
STILL HOPED TO GET RHEIMS
/ c. Fl. @. thought that only north OF
the Marine could the offensive be con-
! tinued up the Ardre Valley. in order to
! surround Rheims still more closely. and
| structions. On the afternoon of the 18th
| the army group of the German Crown
| Prince had received the necessary in
structions. On the Afternoon of the 18th
/ was in Rethel at LIST arm headquar-