The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-11-21
American SubaIterns' Trick Kept
Five German Divisions on
the Qui Vive.
ENEMY Deceived BY RADIO
Telephone Squad Also Conducted Mis-
leading Conversations for German
Listeners Benefit - Staff
Worked Overtime on Game
of Camouflage.

With the American Forces in Ger
many.-Tricks of the game of war are
coming TO light from time to time as
each side tells it's story. One of the
most successful of them was practiced
by American forces in the MeuseAr
come battle last fall, when the last
great allied offensive was at its
height, from Switzerland to the sea.
An imaginary army, conceived by a
handful of American junior officers,
was thrown into the field overnight,
and for days five crack German divi-
, Etain region, were kept on their toes,
momentarily expecting an attack
which never came.
At dinner table in Coblenz cafe
overlooking the Rhine an American in
telligence officer recently told the
| story of the creation of the mythical
az army" as it was called. 1t APP
pears that the Germans were expect
| ing an attack in the Etain sector at
| any time, and the Americans knew it (;
| but ut that stage of the game the First
American army was devoting its ener-
| giles TO driving the enemy out of the
Argonne forest and the hill country on
either side. SO the mythical army was
| created, in preference to real diver
sion, requiring many men, to convince
the German commander that it would
not be wise TO weaken the Etain front
/ A.
front.
Commanded by Captain.
Five fresh divisions had been placed
by the Germans on the Etain line
These constituted their last and fines
reservoir of available divisions. Tit
Americans realized that the minute
the Germans decided that this was no
a danger point any or all of the fiy'
divisions could be withdrawn. re
placed by exhausted and fragmentar,
divisions coming from the BATH,
; fronts, and that the appearance of thu
fresh troops in the line west of tn,
Mouse would have tremendous effec
on the American offensive.
The tx army" was assigned to
J front from Bezonvaux to Fresnes
From the morning of October, % unit
Just before the armistice this arm
"functioned." Capt. Charles H. Mat
] Of Hubbard Woods, H., was command
! er in chief; Capt. William H. Deal
! den of Springfield, Mass, and WASH
ington, D. c., was chief Of staff; Lieu
John H. Graham of Lexington, Va
was chief of troop movements; Cap
O. w. Neidert was in charge of G.
: or administration, and Lieut.. H.
Griswold Of Old Lynn, Conn.,, wa
chief of artillery. The staff of the :"
army" were all members of the /
4 telligenee section of the First arm
4 and. of course. before beginning ope
8 atoms. had obtained the consent
their chief, Col. Wiley Howell.
! The wireless and the telephone we
freely used to convince the German
that the Americans were prepared f
an attack in the Etain sector. I
make sure that the Germans won
be able to break into" the code use
the Americans furnished them with
satisfactory key.
Functioned Until End.
One wireless station of the .
| army" was established in clump
woods near Verdnn and was call
4 headquarters of the Y army" II
station functioned until the end of t
game. all "orders" for the army goi
g out from this place by wireless. So
N after the station began working I
Germans located its whereabouts a
frequently shelled the woods and
cinity. apparently In hope Of break
up the radio Of the latest Of ann,
ances. The * army" also had pc
~ eble radio station. which moved abe